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The people of Los Angeles are done waiting for politicians and advocates to debate perfect, expensive solutions to our homelessness crisis. Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino has submitted a citywide ballot measure that will make LA streets safer and cleaner by ensuring everyone experiencing homelessness is offered the services and housing they need NOW.

With your support, the Safer and Cleaner Los Angeles ballot measure will be placed on the November 2022 ballot. It will build upon the work being done under Prop H and HHH that was enacted by voters in Los Angeles, by ensuring the creation of affordable housing with services directed at unhoused residents currently on our streets and sidewalks, helping them arrive to safer and more stable living conditions.

The new proposed initiative will focus primarily on large dangerous homeless encampments that have grown exponentially across the City of Los Angeles to a point where our schools, parks and beaches are no longer safe for families and children.

MORE HOUSING & LIFE-CHANGING SERVICES

Buscaino’s Safer and Cleaner LA Ballot Measure will direct the Los Angeles Mayor elected in November 2022 to submit a plan to achieve functional zero homelessness by three years. The plan will outline the beds needed to achieve functional zero – allowing Los Angeles to offer anyone living on our streets a free place to stay and the resources they need.

Additionally, it will amend Los Angeles Administrative Code to give the mayor, during a declared state of emergency related to homelessness, the power to do what it takes to ensure folks are housed.

HOLDING POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE

Buscaino’s proposal will cut red tape to make housing available faster by setting goals to achieve functional zero homelessness within three years and reducing the salary of the mayor, city attorney, and city council members if the goals are not reached. This accountability clause will ensure politicians meet the moment on the largest humanitarian crisis in LA history.

Specifically, beds must be provided for 50% of unhoused Los Angeles residents in the first fiscal year or eighteen months after the next Los Angeles Mayor is sworn-in. And, 90% of unhoused Los Angeles residents must have a bed at the thirty-six month mark. If these goals are not met, City Council salaries will be deferred by the percentage deficit between beds available and the goal.

END ENCAMPMENTS FOR SAFER STREETS

Eradicating homelessness through innovative and compassionate programs that will make us all safer. If unhoused residents refuse housing and services, law enforcement will help clear dangerous encampments. The ballot measure will achieve this by banning camping in all public areas when adequate shelter is available and offered, and at all times within a 1,000 foot radius of any interim housing location.

It will necessitate a progressive enforcement model that would make all violations eligible for any applicable prosecution diversion programs – whether that is substance abuse treatment, a mental health bed, or simply a place to call home.