The City and County of Los Angeles worked hand-in-hand on an Inside Safe operation in Chatsworth, bringing more than 50 unhoused residents indoors, and resolving an encampment located alongside a flood control channel and transit station.
Inside Safe is a new, citywide, voluntary, proactive housing-led strategy to bring people inside from tents and encampments, and to prevent encampments from returning. It is one feature in a comprehensive strategy to confront the homelessness crisis.
“We must continue doing everything we can to bring as many Angelenos inside as possible throughout our City,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “We will not be able to fully confront this crisis unless we take a regional approach and that’s exactly what is happening in this operation. Thank you to Supervisor Horvath and Councilmember Lee for working together on this joint effort to address this crisis head on.”
Luis Valle, of LA Family Housing, works with Mel Thomas, 23, who accepted services during the Inside Safe Encampment Resolution in Chatsworth on Tuesday June 13, 2023. (Photo by Los Angeles County)
“Partnership – including a lot of coordination and lessons learned – has been the key to safely and successfully bringing people inside in Chatsworth, including support from the surrounding Chatsworth neighborhoods,” said County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath.
“Strengthening the City-County partnership through cross-jurisdictional leadership, action, and public investment will change lives by scaling up outreach, wraparound services, and housing,” Supervisor Horvath added. I’m grateful to Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember John Lee, their teams as well as every outreach, sanitation, law enforcement, and mental health worker who made this possible, and for the continued efforts it will take to sustain success in Chatsworth and throughout LA County.”
“This Inside Safe operation is the result of months of careful planning and coordination between the City and County of Los Angeles and our partners,” said Councilmember John Lee. “I am grateful to Mayor Bass and Supervisor Horvath for their partnership to bring people into housing and address the community’s concerns about this location. It is critical that we continue working together to identify solutions to this crisis.”
This is the 20th Inside Safe encampment operation throughout Los Angeles. The initiative is responsible for bringing more than 1,300 Angelenos inside.
With support from the County, Mayor Bass’ urgent and strategic approach to confronting the homelessness crisis includes declaring a state of emergency, taking action to dramatically accelerate and lower the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, and moving to maximize the use of City-owned property for temporary and permanent housing.
Inside Safe supports the following five goals:
- Reduce the loss of life on our streets;
- Increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for those living in encampments;
- Eliminate street encampments;
- Promote long-term housing stability for people experiencing homelessness; and
- Enhance the safety and hygiene of neighborhoods for all residents, businesses, and neighbors.
The County of Los Angeles and its partners collaborated in the Inside Safe Encampment Resolution in Chatsworth on Tuesday June 13, 2023. (Photo by Los Angeles County)