In an effort to continue to push forward a framework that prioritizes preventing and ending homelessness, on March 3, the Los Angeles City Council has voted to examine how the city would go about establishing a right to housing. Pursuant to the adoption of a motion authored by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, 10th District, multiple Los Angeles City departments – in consultation with community stakeholders – will now craft a report with recommendations to envision, develop and implement a legislative, budgetary and policy framework that would require the government to provide a robust and responsive spectrum of solutions to prevent and address homelessness.

“I applaud my fellow council members for voting to invest in reimagining a pathway to solving our homelessness crisis at a broader and more impactful scale,” Ridley-Thomas said. “A right to housing means creating a housing safety net that obligates the government to not only aid Angelenos off the streets and into interim and permanent housing, but also prevent homelessness in the first place. Just like our rights to clean air, our right to vote and our right to receive an education, it should be mandatory for L.A. city to provide a right to housing to its residents.”

The city of Los Angeles will now begin the work of identifying resources and proposing a strategy and timeline to implement and establish a right to housing framework. “The status quo on our approach to keeping people housed no longer works, as is evidenced by our homelessness and affordability crisis. We need to not only drastically increase our housing stock, but align our housing efforts with our legislative priorities. The motion I co-authored with Councilmember Ridley-Thomas takes an important step forward and will provide this council with tools to improve housing for all Angelenos,” said Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District.

“We have much work to do, and we must be all-in to ensure that all who call Los Angeles home are able to achieve lives of dignity and worth. I look forward to the work ahead,” Ridley-Thomas added.