LOS ANGELES (KNX) - Karen Bass has been Los Angeles' mayor for 47 days. She started the week with a city hall press conference to announce the new CEO for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Mayor Bass also talked about one of the challenges facing her Inside Safe initiative. "We will never address this problem without addressing mental health and substance abuse," says Bass.
There are at least 40,000 people living on the streets of Los Angeles, but it's unclear how many are struggling with mental illness or drug addiction.
"I think the mayor, with all good intentions of housing 17,000 people, may have a significant percentage in that community with significant drug or alcohol issues," says Dr. Harry Haroutanian, former medical director at the Betty Ford Center.
The number of people needing care for drug addiction could be as high as 50-percent, Dr. Haroutanian tells KNX.
"If you're looking at something with a beginning and an end in six months I don't see it as being enormously successful," says Dr. Haroutanian. "The program has to be able engage them in aftercare programs for a year, or two, or three."
The mayor has said her plan will need numerous funding sources. Earlier this month the council voted 13-0 to fund her Inside Safe program with $50 million in first phase pilot money. The Bass administration is expected to release a written plan for Inside Safe in March. It's unclear if the plan will include projected costs for housing and treating mental illness and drug addiction.
Mayor Bass campaigned on a promise to house 17,000 people living on Los Angeles streets during her first year in office.
Each Friday during the first 100 days of the Bass administration KNX will present its latest Original Series— "Mayor Karen Bass - tracking The First 100 Days." Reporter Craig Fiegener is keeping tabs on what Mayor Bass is saying she'll do, and how she'll do it.
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