Greater LA Coalition on Homelessness Honors Mayor Karen Bass as 2025 Champion for Change
Dozens of homeless response system providers gather to acknowledge the Mayor’s commitment to bring unsheltered people inside
From left to right Karen Earl, Mayor Karen Bass, Celina Alvarez, and Heather Carmichael.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Feb. 18, 2025)— At a City Hall meeting today attended by dozens of homeless response system providers, the Greater LA Coalition on Homelessness recognized Mayor Karen Bass as the recipient of their 2025 “Champion” Award for her commitment to homelessness solutions. Mayor Bass has made homelessness a top priority, focusing on addressing unsheltered homelessness–and has demonstrated breakthrough results.
Because of Mayor Bass’s leadership, the City of LA was one of the few places in the country that reported a decrease in homelessness last year. While homelessness continued to rise nationwide, the city of LA reduced unsheltered homelessness by 10%. By expanding interim housing in Los Angeles, our homelessness response system brought more people inside than ever before, resulting in a 17% increase of people living in shelter.
“I am humbled by this honor from the Greater Los Angeles Coalition on Homelessness, and I, in turn, commend them. The Coalition was essential to our work to bring down homelessness in LA for the first time in years, including a 10 percent reduction in street homelessness,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “Together, we are answering the absolutely necessary call from Angelenos to bring people inside and save lives.”
Additionally, the Mayor’s efforts to increase the city’s affordable housing stock will have a long-lasting impact on the future of Los Angeles.
“Mayor Bass has championed reforms that have helped house thousands of Angelenos, including domestic violence survivors, former foster care youth, veterans, and those dealing with chronic health conditions,” said Karen Earl, CEO of Jenesse Center, a domestic violence intervention and prevention organization founded in 1980. “We’re grateful to have a Mayor who understands the many pathways to becoming homeless and the importance of building a homeless response system that reflects that diversity of needs.”
“When a young person experiences homelessness, it has the potential to turn into a lifetime of strife, which is why it is critical to devote resources to preventing and ending youth homelessness,” said Heather Carmichael, Executive Director of My Friend’s Place, which serves homeless youth. “Many of the young people we serve experience housing insecurity and homelessness after exiting the foster care system. Having an advocate with a background in social work like Mayor Bass has brought a more holistic understanding to our city’s approach to youth homelessness. There is now a greater focus on prevention and mental health support that has significantly improved the lives of young people we serve. And that is an investment in our future.”
“Mayor Bass came in the door with a deep commitment and drive to invest in LA’s unhoused community members. We appreciate her steadfast time and attention focused on bringing individuals and families off the streets and into housing. LA’s homeless response system commits to continuing to work collectively with Mayor Bass to welcome folks home,” said Celina Alvarez, Executive Director of Housing Works.
Providers of homeless services have only bestowed their “Champion” award to two other public officials in the past decade – Assemblymember Miguel Santiago and then-State Senator Holly Mitchell in 2019 for creating the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention program, which remains the State of California’s primary framework for homeless assistance.
