Federal Judge Orders Los Angeles City And County To Offer Shelter To All Skid Row Residents By October

Yesterday Judge David O. Carter, who oversees a lawsuit about homelessness in Los Angeles, ordered the city and county to offer housing or shelter to the entire population of Skid Row by fall.

Judge Carter also specified that the city and the county must offer women and unaccompanied children a place to stay within 90 days, help families within 120 days, and by October 18 offer everyone living on Skid Row housing. “Los Angeles has lost its parks, beaches, schools, sidewalks, and highway systems due to the inaction of city and county officials who have left our homeless citizens with no other place to turn,” Carter wrote in a 110-page brief. “All of the rhetoric, promises, plans, and budgeting cannot obscure the shameful reality of this crisis — that year after year, there are more homeless Angelenos, and year after year, more homeless Angelenos die on the streets.” Last year alone, more than 1,300 homeless people died in LA County. The population of Skid Row only accounts for 10% of the city’s overall homeless population— it’s unclear what the judge’s order will mean for other parts of the city.

Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about Judge Carter’s order and what the impact could be on Skid Row’s population. Are you experiencing homelessness? What are your thoughts on the judge’s order? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.

If you are currently experiencing homelessness, or know someone who is, and you’d like to get help, you can call 211 or click here to be taken to LAHSA’s resource page. 

If you are on Skid Row and need shelter, please contact Rev. Andy Bales at 626-260-4761. 

Guests:

Va Lecia Adams Kellum, president and CEO of St. Joseph Center, which works with working poor families, and homeless men, women and children; they are based in Venice and service L.A. County; she tweets @VaLeciaAdams

Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission; he tweets @abales

Yesterday Judge David O. Carter, who oversees a lawsuit about homelessness in Los Angeles, ordered the city and county to offer housing or shelter to the entire population of Skid Row by fall.

Judge Carter also specified that the city and the county must offer women and unaccompanied children a place to stay within 90 days, help families within 120 days, and by October 18 offer everyone living on Skid Row housing. “Los Angeles has lost its parks, beaches, schools, sidewalks, and highway systems due to the inaction of city and county officials who have left our homeless citizens with no other place to turn,” Carter wrote in a 110-page brief. “All of the rhetoric, promises, plans, and budgeting cannot obscure the shameful reality of this crisis — that year after year, there are more homeless Angelenos, and year after year, more homeless Angelenos die on the streets.” Last year alone, more than 1,300 homeless people died in LA County. The population of Skid Row only accounts for 10% of the city’s overall homeless population— it’s unclear what the judge’s order will mean for other parts of the city.

Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about Judge Carter’s order and what the impact could be on Skid Row’s population. Are you experiencing homelessness? What are your thoughts on the judge’s order? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.

If you are currently experiencing homelessness, or know someone who is, and you’d like to get help, you can call 211 or click here to be taken to LAHSA’s resource page. 

If you are on Skid Row and need shelter, please contact Rev. Andy Bales at 626-260-4761. 

Guests:

Va Lecia Adams Kellum, president and CEO of St. Joseph Center, which works with working poor families, and homeless men, women and children; they are based in Venice and service L.A. County; she tweets @VaLeciaAdams

Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission; he tweets @abales