Statement by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas on Judge Carter’s Order Today Regarding the Preliminary Injuction

“I value Judge Carter’s contribution to this conversation, and I appreciate his impatience, which is wholly appropriate. He feels driven to compel us to act in a decisive and definitive way, and I take the position that government does need to be held accountable. But it has to be the right court order; otherwise, we will run the risk of missing an opportunity to do something extraordinary for the homeless population in Los Angeles County.

“The Board of Supervisors has advanced a Comprehensive Crisis Response to homelessness and Governor Gavin Newsom has made it a priority. Even the federal government is – finally – stepping up to the plate. I cannot overstate how important it is that all of us and Judge Carter get on the same page, and give new meaning to the phrase ‘Everyone In.’

“The devil is in the details, but it is our civic responsibility and moral obligation to break through and implement the Comprehensive Crisis Response. I know we can do this because we’ve done it already and are continuing to do so. Just look at the last few weeks, when we took more than 2,500 homeless people off the streets and into 29 hotels through Project Roomkey, with more hotels being contracted each week.

“We need to continue to work together, strategically and coherently – not frenetically and haphazardly. There is no upside in us being on the brink of a major conflict that will set back the momentum we’ve had in this region. The people of Los Angeles County expect and deserve no less.”