On CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper on Sunday, Mayor Karen Bass announced a high aim of eliminating the homeless in Los Angeles by 2026.
Mayor Bass’s Ambitious Goal and Action Plan
When asked what she aims to do in that time frame, with 2026 being the conclusion of her elected term, Bass doubled back on one of, if not her, most important campaign promises: making a significant dent in the homeless epidemic.
“My ultimate goal would be to end street homelessness,” she stated. “There will still be people in shelters and transitional housing, but we won’t have people dying on our streets.”
Bass’s first move as mayor was to proclaim a state of emergency in Los Angeles over homelessness, which she has done multiple times since, most recently announcing that her team’s efforts have helped get 14,000 homeless individuals off the streets.
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Mayor Bass Implements Action Plan to Build Housing, Inside Safe Program, and Address Migration Concerns
“We’re doing everything we can to build long-term housing in Los Angeles, but it still takes months,” she explained. “We don’t want to leave people on the streets while we work.”
Another of her first initiatives was the establishment of the “Inside Safe” Program, which aims to shift those living in tents in Los Angeles into motel and hotel rooms.
Bass signed a $13 billion budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 in late May, $250 million of which was committed to her Inside Safe initiative, with $65.7 million allocated initially and $184.3 million released when monies were consumed.
Bass also spoke on Governor Greg Abbott’s recent busing of migrants from Texas to Los Angeles and a prospective replacement for Senator Diane Feinstein.
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