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Tomorrow, City Council will consider a motion to resume sweeps of homeless encampments that are near shelters. https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2020/20-0147_mot_07-01-2020.pdf
This is a common theme in LA's homelessness strategy: new services are often “balanced” with more criminalization. Let’s talk about it. (thread)
This is a common theme in LA's homelessness strategy: new services are often “balanced” with more criminalization. Let’s talk about it. (thread)
When the Mayor first announced LA's new shelter program, he made a side promise -- the areas around shelters would be “Special Enforcement Zones,” with no encampments allowed and daily “cleanups.”
Some unhoused people get shelter. Others are swept out. https://laist.com/2018/10/11/homeless_cleanup_crackdown_planned_near_bridge_housing_site.php
Some unhoused people get shelter. Others are swept out. https://laist.com/2018/10/11/homeless_cleanup_crackdown_planned_near_bridge_housing_site.php
Shelters are a big part of LA homelessness strategy, especially with our current lack of low-income and supportive housing.
But shelters serve areas with far more unhoused people than there are beds. So surrounding them with enforcement zones inevitably causes displacement.
But shelters serve areas with far more unhoused people than there are beds. So surrounding them with enforcement zones inevitably causes displacement.
LA’s sweeps policy is based on LAMC 56.11, a city law that forbids storing property in public areas.
The stated goal of sweeps is to make sidewalks passable and sanitary. But in practice, they often just move people around and lead to fines or arrests. https://laist.com/2019/04/10/homeless_sweeps_los_angeles_public_health.php
The stated goal of sweeps is to make sidewalks passable and sanitary. But in practice, they often just move people around and lead to fines or arrests. https://laist.com/2019/04/10/homeless_sweeps_los_angeles_public_health.php
Special Enforcement Zones near shelters also increase the role of policing in homelessness.
To conduct 24-hour patrols of the areas around shelters, the LAPD is allocated an overtime budget of $8.4 million -- more than the entire budget of many city departments.
To conduct 24-hour patrols of the areas around shelters, the LAPD is allocated an overtime budget of $8.4 million -- more than the entire budget of many city departments.
Sweeps also result in unhoused people’s possessions getting thrown out, including tents, medication, and ID documents like birth certificates.
These documents are necessary for accessing services. Losing them in sweeps can prevent individuals from getting housing or treatment.
These documents are necessary for accessing services. Losing them in sweeps can prevent individuals from getting housing or treatment.
LA briefly tried to address issues with sweeps by putting LAHSA outreach workers in charge of the process.
But within a month, those workers were told to take a backseat, and the program’s success was measured by the pounds of material that were trashed. https://twitter.com/kristylovich/status/1287052578539233280
But within a month, those workers were told to take a backseat, and the program’s success was measured by the pounds of material that were trashed. https://twitter.com/kristylovich/status/1287052578539233280
When COVID hit, the CDC recommended against encampment sweeps, saying they disperse people and spread illness.
After partially halting sweeps in March, councilmembers are now pushing to resume them near shelters -- now, when the pandemic in LA is worse. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-shelters/unsheltered-homelessness.html
After partially halting sweeps in March, councilmembers are now pushing to resume them near shelters -- now, when the pandemic in LA is worse. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-shelters/unsheltered-homelessness.html
Offering sweeps along with new homeless services feeds into a deeply harmful myth: that these services are somehow opposed to the interests of housed people, and needs to be “balanced” with criminalization.
Services get people off the street. That is in *everyone’s* interest.
Services get people off the street. That is in *everyone’s* interest.
What if, instead of using shelters to increase sweeps, we made them hubs for more local services and outreach?
What if they had onsite access centers to guide people in the area to housing and care?
What if we had “Special Service Zones” instead of “Special Enforcement Zones”?
What if they had onsite access centers to guide people in the area to housing and care?
What if we had “Special Service Zones” instead of “Special Enforcement Zones”?
It’s cruel, costly, and counterproductive to enforce sweeps in normal times. It’s even more dangerous to do so during a pandemic.
To ask your councilmember to listen to the recommendations of the CDC, call their office or fill out a public comment here: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/publiccomment/?cfnumber=20-0147
To ask your councilmember to listen to the recommendations of the CDC, call their office or fill out a public comment here: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/publiccomment/?cfnumber=20-0147
