Federal Lawsuit Seeks To Force City Officials To Manage The Homelessness Crisis During The Pandemic

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - In response to a federal lawsuit, the city of Los Angeles is on track to make nearly 6,200 new beds available for unhoused residents by Friday, according to court documents filed Thursday.

The beds, which will be spread across all 15 council districts, can be in hotels leased by the city, temporary or permanent housing, churches, tiny home villages and in other designated areas. Safe parking areas will also be available for those living in their cars.

An additional 500 beds are expected to be available by mid-December, in agreement with the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding that city and county officials entered into last June, requiring housing for 6,700 homeless individuals.

The LA Alliance for Human Rights, a coalition of downtown residents and businesses, filed the suit in March 2020.

Initially, the target populations for these beds were homeless individuals living within 500 feet of freeways, those living in encampments, unsheltered people 65 or older and other vulnerable populations.

Now the alliance is asking for court intervention requiring the city to increase available housing for the thousands living in skid row by August. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter is scheduled to hear this matter on May 10, along with a request for dismissal from the suit by the county.

If the LA Alliance for Human Rights' request is approved by the judge, the city and county would be required to take a list of immediate actions, including providing anyone living in the skid row area who suffers from mental illness, temporary or permanent housing and treatment. It would also require officials to adopt a plan within 30 days that ensures housing be outside of the skid row containment area.