A Bridge Home shelter that opened in Hollywood in 2019 provides temporary housing and services for people experiencing homeless. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion on Feb. 22 authored by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, that aims to improve the delivery of critically-needed health and housing services at homeless shelters and interim housing sites in the Los Angeles.

“The city of Los Angeles relies entirely on the county-managed network to provide the most vulnerable Angelenos with critically needed services, including resources related to mental health and substance abuse,” O’Farrell said. “It is quite clear that, at least in my district, the people who need mental health and addiction disorder treatment are not getting those services at all. I demand answers as to why that is the case. We need to do better. I want to thank my colleagues on the Homelessness and Poverty Committee for moving forward so quickly on this initiative.”

O’Farrell’s motion was seconded by Councilman Kevin de León, 14th District, chair of the council’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee, which unanimously approved the motion on Feb. 10 before it was sent to the full City Council. The motion calls for a review of the efficacy of service delivery to all homeless shelters and interim housing sites, including A Bridge Home, Tiny Home Village and Safe Parking locations, as well as all congregate and non-congregate shelters.

The city of Los Angeles does not have a health department and relies exclusively on Los Angeles County for public health services, including those related to mental health and substance abuse. In October 2020, the City Council adopted a motion by O’Farrell, also seconded by de León, which instructed a review of the city/county public health contract dating to 1964. The review confirmed that there is no clear method for the city to evaluate if the county’s service delivery is effective.

“The city of Los Angeles has reached a turning point where we are creating effective short and long-term housing solutions for the homelessness crisis,” de León said. “But unless we substantively address the ineffectiveness of the county’s ability to deliver desperately needed mental health services and substance abuse treatment, we will continue to have thousands of people living on our streets experiencing insufferable conditions.”

For information, visit cd13.com.