Thread by @boreskes

We're live from a virtual LA City Council hearing, where the elected are going to continuing discussing a proposal to allow the removal of homeless encampments — if shelter is first offered. latimes.com/homeless-housi…

You'll recall that they backed off passing a measure like this last month --which had been rushed to the council-- after a vocal backlash from activists. latimes.com/homeless-housi…

First speaker is @sophielstrauss who says that "This is an anti living ordinance [not an anti-camping ordinance]. Shame on you for considering this." She says people should support Bonin's alternate motion.

Next is @RealJamiePenn says "homelessness is not the result of an individual choice but result of the city’s failed housing policy." She says that CARES act money should be used to buy the hillside Villa apartments so people won't get evicted. knock-la.com/tom-botz-illeg…

Kathy Vu from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation says she "would like the city to focus on positive and helpful strategies to help the homeless population" and not criminalization.

Caleb Crowder from @GroundGameLA /Everyone In says that everyone is aware of the causes of homelessnes and we know that "criminalizing is not an answer. We are urging to not only strike down this motion and move past this."

Rob Quan from @UnrigLA voices opposition to this proposal and takes issue with how quickly it came to the council last month. "It's really baffling that our city council prez would ice out members and leave them high and dry." He complains that Nury M is not wearing a mask.

Now from @californiaglow who says the Council is going in a "direction opposite of where it needs to go." She said there needs to be more of a focus on increasing rapid rehousing along with vacant hotels and buildings.

A woman named Veronica from the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area says: "the focus should be on solutions not criminalization. we dont have enough housing for the homeless and your solution is to make it illegal -- that’s not human."

We get our first supporter of the motion to amend 41.18. His name is Jeffery Giles (spelling?) and says "What’s truly criminal and see the conditions in which these people are living."

Alright public comment is over.

Alright we're getting a conversation among councilmembers about 41.18. @CD6Nury says that "we working towards an actual decision at some point," but they want to get it right the first time they do it.

She points out that Item 16 showed substantial progress because of all the money they're committing through project homekey and other funding sources. `clkrep.lacity.org/granicus/2020/…

Now @BobBlumenfield talks about housing is solution but "getting more shelter is directly linked to where encampments can be modestly limited." He adds that he's already seeing people return to the freeway underpasses that had been vacated last month. latimes.com/homeless-housi…

"It’s folly to think we're going to be able to settle this if we don't have something on our books that regulates where encampments can and cannot be," @BobBlumenfield says in reference to Judge Carter's case.

Councilman @BobBlumenfield compares the efforts in his district to the work @mikebonin did to house people near Rose/Penmar. The distinction he draws is that at Rose/Penmar a fence was put up, because it was part of a public works project. People haven't gone back there.

Now @mikebonin who has offered an alternative to the current ordinance says again that this conversation about banning sitting, sleeping and lying is woefully premature. That's because there's such a profound lack of housing options out there for homeless people.

"So much about the proposal is premature i even think for a council discussion," he said. "We are experiencing the biggest economic calamity in our life time and it's getting worse."

He also says that we lack the ability to track what housing options are available for folks in real time. And says that we haven't defined what is an offer of shelter.

He says we need to seize hotels work towards canceling rent. "We need to get the money the county has given us out the door," @mikebonin.

"It’s become almost impossible to envision housing the thousands out there and the many more that will come once evictions are allowed," @PaulKoretzCD5 said --rightfully pointing out that the City doesn't have the resources to help everyone, though they could be doing more,

Sorry my internet went out for a bit. So I missed some of the discussion.

https://twitter.com/PplsCityCouncil/status/1331331398511202304?s=20

Kevin De Leon is talking about the worrying prospect of Judge Carter robbing them of control over decisions when it comes to homelessness. He says the city needs a "north start," a comprehensive plan to address the crisis. I'm not really sure what he means there

I meant to write "North Star" not start.

Been at this conversation for about a hour and I'm having trouble sussing out how the collective thinking about passing a new ordinance has changed or what could or would be different from what was proposed. Lot of talk about continuing to need to talk and restating positions

So @CD6Nury is sending this item back to the Homelessness and Poverty committee for further discussion but insists that it will be back soon for a further vote.

Just now @MRodCD7 introduced a special motion asking the City to ask the County to rescind its public health order closing restaurants.

Several callers point out what they view as the hypocrisy of trying to let restaurants continue do outdoor dining after spending two hours debating a motion that would ban people from sleeping on the sidewalks.

Jacob Van Horn who is a DTLA business owner said: "The County needs to show us that data. IF this is just arbitrary, it just comes off as punitive particularly right around the holidays."

Approved 11-3 supporting the County rescinding the order to end in-person outdoor dining.