The Trump Administration, which has been very critical of the way Los Angeles officials have handled the homelessness crisis, has now come up with a plan to help. But, there are conditions.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson sent a letter to Mayor Eric Garcetti laying out the conditions for giving the city the help it so desperately needs. The letter indicates that Trump officials could give numerous resources to the L.A., including emergency healthcare services and even federal land, but in return, L.A. would have "To address this humanitarian crisis in the long term,” he wrote, “the city and county of Los Angeles must partner with our efforts and make necessary policy changes.”
In a letter to the mayor of #LosAngeles, #HUD Secretary Ben Carson said the feds can provide a lot of resources for the #homeless. But LA would have to change some policies, so more housing can be built, and police can take more action. @KNX1070 pic.twitter.com/w2FNXQ6j0a
— Jon Baird (@KNXBaird)
January 14, 2020 Additionally, the city's changes would include “empowering and utilizing local law enforcement” and “reducing housing regulations to expedite affordable housing construction.”
In a recent Fox News interview, Carson indicated that L.A. would need to take a tough stance on the issue, and “uncuff law enforcement so that people can be removed now and placed in transitional places.”
Last Friday, Governor Newsom released his budget proposal, which included $1.4 billion for homelessness. During his presentation, Newsom made it clear that he wasn't waiting for federal money from President Trump.
“He’s tweeting. We’re doing something,” the governor said. “We have a real plan, real strategies. We’re building on what works. We don’t need him to identify this problem.”
