We are live tweeting the "Homeless Strategy Committee," which is populated by four housed members including Mitch O'Farrell and a Garcetti-appointed LAHSA Commissioner.
Jumping into public comment: "we want to re-allocate funds from LAPD." #ServicesNotSweeps

join and follow the agenda here: http://cao.lacity.org/Homeless/hsc20200625a.pdf

Brittany, an outreach worker: "Bridge Housing has been a dumping ground for unhoused clients, their needs are not being met by their caseworkers and staff. We need to offer care to people whether it's Project Roomkey or Bridge Housing," highlights need for trauma informed care

Jordan agrees that it's necessary for public health to fill vacant hotel rooms. "Please for the love of god give up your reverence for private property just a little bit for people on the streets during a pandemic." He was told it'd take 2 days to get help for a man in need

Shelby notes that the Bridge Home OT for LAPD is more money ($8.4mil) than things like Domestic Abuse outreach. "There's no way covid-19 is not disproportionately affecting our unhoused neighbors." Tells Mitch to resign from commission

missed their name but commenter going OFF on how half of CA's coronavirus cases are in LA as PRK is phased out. Resign in disgrace for the human atrocities you have committed, you have no soul!"

Nico tells us the story of one person in Project Roomkey, who checks in everyday knowing he will soon be unhoused again. Says the full scope of PRK should be CONTINUED not ended, and that those in it should phase into permanent housing.

Joseph Ocon: "all people should be housed. The fact that PRK has failed is proof that this city has not taken it seriously. Your goals are too low; every one of the 3600 residents need real housing and ALL residents at risk need housing. #Defundthepolice and stop criminalizing

Adam echoes that PRK is an abysmal failure. "The calls of #PeoplesBudgetLA are echoing through every hall in the city. We need safety for all Angelenos. Join the Workforce Devlp Board to hire more social workers. Turn bankrupt hotels into permanent supportive housing."

Meeting notifies us that we must press *9 to enter the queue.

Paul is a resident of Mitch O'Farrell's district. Describes how O'Farrell tried to save a knocked-down building, sending emails and taking action. "Pursue the same action" for unhoused people

"Project Roomkey is an unmitigated failure" says Megan noting other broken promises: 1600 cots vs 500 cots. Calling for us to cancel the 2028 @NOlympicsLA "it's gonna be 1984 all over again!"

Jed Parriott with Street Watch: Another year, another rising count. "This is a spiraling crisis of mass death." Reminds us that pre covid 3 people were dying a day on the street. Now we have MORE bridge shelters on deck that really mean a Bridge to Enforcement."

Jed mentions Andrew Kettle who died unhoused in Echo Park this week. Where were the social workers and medics? You don't want to talk about harm reduction. People have been neglected completely for chargin phones, taking showers. Do you think people are just gonna sit and wait?"

SW member Maggie tells us PRK and Bridge housing are obvious failures. “Mitch resign. Train more people who can help provide housing to unhoused people.”

“Criminalization is the consequence of not having a strategy” says Daniel, a @TheHHCLA social worker. Demands immediate action to reallocate LAPD funds. “Theres a covid pandemic AND an opioid pandemic. This is a state of emergency.”

Jacob ( @jacobwooch?) we need #servicesnotsweeps and permanent housing. We have 59 billionaires in LA. It’s so clear LAPD shouldn’t be involved with unhoused communities. #hhh $1.2bil budget is for 10 years but that’s less than LAPD’s annual budget.

Jacob mentions that Garcetti used eminent domain to evict small businesses for the W hotel, and Jacob calls for support for eminent domain to help @hillside_villa tenants.

Matt with Street Watch calls for housing all our neighbors and demands PRK recipients get permanent housing with no gap—but first we need to fill 15k rooms, even tho that’s far from enough. “Train more social workers”—especially those with lived experience.

“Disconnect LAPD from any work with houselessness” says @GinaViolaPeake. “The policing component us what renders you incapable of helping. Shouts out @KtownforAll @LACANetwork @StreetWatchLA, “these orgs are making a difference; give your money to them!”

Speaker is saying "unfortunately the meeting is long" and reduces line of 10 commenters to 2. Was that Wendy Greuel, garcetti appointee to LAHSA commission?

"We’re in a global fucking pandemic. Have you considered being good at your job?" asks Lindsay.

Final caller notes that it's inexcusable to have empty hotel rooms during #coronavirus. Now they undemocratically cut the rest of speakers and are moving to item #2 and a LAHSA presentation from executive director @heidimarstonLA

"due to Brown Act there's no screen sharing." Homeless Count doc available here: http://cao.lacity.org/Homeless/hsc20200625d.pdf

Marston tells us that with the exception of san diego, every CA county has seen increases in homelessness.

Marston has finished going through the PPT and is now taking questions from committee members. One member mentions that they are still looking for hotels interested in participating in Project Roomkey (completely ignoring callers' demands to seize vacant hotel rooms).

Marston mentions that United Way recently won an RFP to research and improve the CES (Coordinated Entry System).

Moving onto agenda item 4 (A Bridge Home). One member (Sharon Tso?) mentions that public comment will be reopened before agenda item 5.

Here is the PDF for the funding recommendations they are discussing: http://cao.lacity.org/Homeless/hsc20200625c.pdf

Not sure what just happened but they're saying they don't need to make any motions related to agenda item 4. They've moved on to public comment, which they reopened "on the advice of the City Attorney's office."

Adam Rice is now giving public comment. Mentions that it took years to get public restrooms and is asking about the plan for homeless prevention. Mentions that Black residents make up at least 40% of Skid Row. Recommends defunding the police in order to fund housing.

Rice mentions that we are facing an apocalypse once emergency tenant protections are lifted. Says that the committee needs to get serious about the issue and put in some work. Tells @MitchOFarrell to do better.

Street Watch member @ariellesallai points out that the homeless count was released at midnight and the presentation is now being buried in this committee that no one has heard of. Says #ServicesNotSweeps has been telling the city to remove cops from homeless services for years.

Sallai mentions that Project Roomkey has flatlined at 3,601 rooms out of 15,000 promised. Housing is the best protection from COVID-19. Mentions that #3aDayinLA were dying of homelessness before COVID-19.

Chris Riddle notes high cost of LAPD overtime for A Bridge Home. Points out that groups like @KtownforAll are helping unhoused folks. Calls for an end to criminalization of homelessness. Begs committee to take drastic action and defund the police.

Next caller says to end encampment sweeps and reallocate funds to services. Calls for the decriminalization of homelessness.

@joannaeswan from Street Watch says that sweeps in Bridge Special Enforcement Zone harasses disabled, elderly people with nowhere else to go. Mentions that her friend Rosie who is disabled and has chronic pain has been forced to move her things every week not to lose it.

Joanna points out that Wendy Gruel was appointed by @MayorOfLA whose budget embodied systematic racism. Says it's disgraceful that the committee members refuse to stand up to the racist system they are part of. Says @MitchOFarrell is leaving people to starve on the street.

Joanna says she doesn't feel like she knows what the committee is even talking about. Says @LAHomeless workers who have spoken out have been punished. Says drug users have been punished and harmed by city policies. Points out that LAPD is arresting people while not wearing masks.

@tommykellyinla says it's bullshit that Project Roomkey has only filled 3k out of 15k rooms. Says we knew that people were dying on the street at the age of 51 before the pandemic and that the 65+ requirement is sentencing them to death.

Tommy says we have 100k rooms. Fuck Garcetti for saying it's "not his style" to seize vacant rooms. Maybe it's his style to let people die on the street. "Fuck all of you for putting up with his bullshit." Says there is a global uprising of people demanding #DefundThePolice.

Tommy says that the city tried to remove police with the CARE rollout last year but the program ended because they decided it was easier to throw people in cages. Asks the committee to listen to the people's demands. Says Bridge Enforcement is a waste.

"Special fuck you to Heidi" for firing @AshleyNicholeB for standing up against sweeps. Says LAHSA removes people for standing up for houseless people and asks what kind of organization that leaves them. Calls for @heidimarstonLA to resign.

Tommy mentions that according to a UCLA study, unsheltered unhoused residents were 9x more likely to have interactions with the police and 10x more likely to spend the night in jail.

Public comment has concluded and they are moving on to agenda item 5 ("Update on COVID-19 Homeless Response"). The CAO is listing off numbers for rec center shelter residents and pop-up COVID-19 testing sites.

The update was delivered in under a minute and the meeting has been concluded.

Thank you to everyone who called in and gave public comment today!

Disappointing that nowhere on city documents was it noted that public commenters must also dial *9 to be heard during the meeting. Many were still waiting to comment since this detail wasn't added in the Agenda, only noted verbally twice. @DotKohlhaas