Mayor Karen Bass lifted her declaration of a local emergency on homelessness on Tuesday, saying that while the crisis persists, the city now has the tools in place to continue urgent action without the temporary order she signed on her first day in office.
In a memo to the City Council, the mayor reiterated that if at any point “extraordinary authority” is needed to maintain or accelerate progress on homelessness, she would not hesitate to reinstate the declaration. Her decision came at a time when council members have discussed steps to phase out her emergency declaration.
Therefore, with the city firmly pointed in a new direction on homelessness, I am lifting the official declaration of a state of emergency. Let me be clear: The crisis remains, and so does our urgency,” Bass wrote in her letter. “Every day, we will continue to be on the streets, engaging with people living in encampments and RVs, bringing people Inside Safe and restoring neighborhoods across Los Angeles.”…