KAREN BASS SIGNED A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE HOMELESS TODAY. BUT, IN A 2021 INQUIRY BY THE COURT. FORMER LOS ANGELES MAYOR GARCETTI WROTE: THERE IS NO PRECEDENT NOR CLEAR AUTHORITY FOR USING A LOCAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR A DECADES-LONG SOCIAL CRISIS INVOLVING MULTIPLE GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS AS OPPOSED TO A NATURAL DISASTER (E.G. FIRES, EARTHQUAKES), CIVIL UNREST, OR THE CURRENT COVID PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. AS A CITY, WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT A DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY WILL NOT PROVIDE ME AS MAYOR, NOR THE MEMBERS OF THE LA CITY COUNCIL, WITH ANY ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY OR POWERS IN SUPPORT OF OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATE AND COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. AS WELL AS THE CITY IS ALREADY OPERATING UNDER A 2015 SHELTER CRISIS DECLARATION AND OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS THAT GRANT AUTHORITY TO USE PUBLIC BUILDINGS AS SHELTER AND ACCESS UNSPECIFIED CITY FUND SOURCES. HERE'S AN IDEAS! MAYBE THE MAYOR SHOULD START BY LOOKING AT THE FUNDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES FIRST. CONSIDERING IN 2021 THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA SOCIAL SEVICES DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO ACCOUBT FOR OVER SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.
