Councilwoman Traci Park issues the following statement on the LAHSA Point in Time Count

LOS ANGELES – Councilwoman Traci Park  issued the following statement:

 

  “These numbers underscore the alarming reality that homelessness continues to be at a crisis point, requiring immediate, focused, and empathetic action. As a Venice resident, I experience the impact of this crisis first hand every day. This issue is why my district called for new leadership and what drove me to public office.”

 

  “Since taking office, my team and I, in collaboration with the Mayor, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), and other service providers, have successfully transitioned over 200 unhoused individuals into interim housing, but we acknowledge there is much more to be done.”

 

“We need to face the fact that homelessness is a multifaceted issue and often intertwined with other crises such as addiction and mental health.Today’s numbers show that 30% of the unhoused population self-reported substance use disorder, and 25% self-reported serious mental illness. And yet, we are not adequately investing in recovery housing or addiction treatment. We need our State and County partners to step up with the right kind of interventions and services to get at these very serious problems that contribute to the homelessness crisis.”