LOS ANGELES (KNX) - Karen Bass has been Los Angeles’ mayor for 82 days. A spokesperson for the mayor says her Inside Safe initiative, to house 17,000 people living on the streets of Los Angeles, conducted two new operations this week. That brings the total number of encampments reduced or eliminated, since December, to ten. The mayor's office says more than 400 people have been housed, up from 350 last week.
This week Los Angeles council members extended the mayor's local homelessness emergency declaration through June 12. She made the declaration on December 12, 2022, which was her first day in office.
The emergency declaration gives Mayor Bass enormous financial authority. Bass, and her team, are allowed to spend the $50 million in initial Inside Safe pilot phase funding without seeking prior council approval. Mayor Bass has indicated the program's largest expenses will include master leasing motels, along with the possible purchase of other properties.
"There's no competitive bidding on anything,' one voter told council members, in reaction to a provision that also allows Mayor Bass to make purchases without the usual rule requiring competitive bidding, and council oversight in advance of spending. "We still need accountability on how you're spending our money," the caller said.
Mayor Bass says she intends Inside Safe to eventually be in operation in several locations simultaneously across Los Angeles.
The mayor's office says they've faced little resistance in housing Inside Safe's first 400 people. But, it's unclear how aggressive the mayor will be when her teams eventually encounter people in encampments who refuse her offer to move into interim housing.
"We're dealing with people, we're dealing human beings," says Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, who says she expects legal complications resulting from people who refuse to leave encampments. But, she refused to speculate how her office will handle those situations. "I don't give advisory opinions outside the context of specific facts and circumstances," she said.
Last week the Los Angeles City Controller said the mayor's Inside Safe bank account, which was created to handle payments for her housing initiative, had received its first $50 million dollars in pilot phase funding. The mayor's homelessness czar has said the council will soon begin receiving bi-weekly updates on how money has been spent.
Mayor Bass has said Inside Safe will need far more money than the current $50 million, but she's been unable to put an exact price tag on her campaign pledge.
Every Friday, during the first 100 days of the Bass administration, listen for our KNX Original Series— "Tracking The First 100 Days" of the Bass administration. Reporter Craig Fiegener is keeping tabs on Mayor Bass, her campaign promises, and her efforts to house the LA's homeless.
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