Bass Ends State of Emergency of Homelessness
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass yesterday informed the City Council in a letter that she is lifting the State of Emergency declaration for homelessness that she issued upon taking office.
The declaration allowed the City to expedite contracting, accelerate housing solutions, and launch Inside Safe, bringing thousands of people indoors with dignity and support. It also facilitated Executive Directive 1 (ED1), which is soon to be codified as an ordinance, cutting red tape to speed up the development of affordable and homeless housing.
“The State of Emergency gave us the authority to take bold and swift action to upend the failed status quo. As a result, we have begun a real shift in our city’s decades-long trend of rising homelessness. For the first time ever, Los Angeles has seen two consecutive years of reduction in homelessness, including a 17-percent drop in street homelessness,” wrote Bass to the council.
Bass noted in the letter that States of Emergency are not designed to be permanent – even when the crisis persists. Since many of the tools created under the declaration are now in place, the City can continue urgent action without the temporary 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. 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,” she wrote.
“If at any point extraordinary authority is needed to maintain or accelerate progress, I will not hesitate to reinstate an emergency declaration.”
Barger, Horvath’s expanding soil testing motion gets approved
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Kathryn Barger (R-Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, San Marino, Pasadena, La Cañada-Flintridge, portions of the San Gabriel Valley) and Lindsey P. Horvath (D-Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu, Universal City, Sherman Oaks) yesterday saw the full board approve their joint motion to expand soil testing for lead contamination and support remediation efforts in communities affected by the Eaton and Palisades Fires.
The motion also calls on California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to explore cost-effective ways for insurance companies to support soil testing and remediation, including volume purchasing agreements or low-cost home financing.
“It’s been ten months since the wildfires and far too many survivors are still living with uncertainty about whether their soil is safe,” said Barger. “While I commend our Department of Public Health for providing no-cost soil testing, resources for actual soil remediation remain a critical gap. Residents deserve clear answers and tangible support. This motion supports the partnerships needed to restore confidence and peace of mind and reinforces our advocacy with Commissioner Lara’s office. Fire survivors should not have to wait—the insurance sector must step up.”
“This motion expands soil testing for both Palisades and Eaton Fire survivors who deserve our full partnership as we recover from January’s devastation,” said Horvath. “As initial remediation funds reach property owners with the highest lead levels, we will keep working with our State and philanthropic partners to expand support for all impacted communities. Los Angeles County will continue listening and responding to our residents’ needs as they rebuild.”
In the motion, the Chief Executive Officer will report back within 60 days on additional funding sources to expand testing and cleanup, while Los Angeles County’s Center for Strategic Partnerships and Department of Public Health, in collaboration with community stakeholders, will seek philanthropic, private, and government support to extend remediation to all fire-affected properties.
Mitchell to address United Nations proceedings in Geneva, Switzerland
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell (D-Inglewood, Compton, Carson, Hawthorne, Culver City, portions of South LA) will address the United Nations Office of Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, from November 5-7. She will speak on human rights violations experienced in Los Angeles County, focusing on the Trump administration’s racially discriminatory policies and attacks on immigrant communities.
These proceedings are part of the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – a global human rights evaluation that occurs every 4.5 years. The UPR provides an opportunity for all UN member nations to undergo a peer review of their human rights records.
For the first time since the UPR went into effect in 2006, the United States will not be participating, due to the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council. In response, the UN has invited state and municipal elected officials from across the United States to speak, ensuring that the experiences and realities of communities in America are represented and recorded as part of this global human rights assessment.
“I applaud the United Nations for ensuring that the human rights violations occurring in Los Angeles County and other municipalities across the United States are not silenced. Here in the largest county in the nation, we continue to experience the devastating impacts of federal attacks on immigrant, Black, and Brown communities, as well as on residents struggling to make ends meet,” said Mitchell.
“I am honored to represent one of the largest immigrant populations in Los Angeles County and to reaffirm the County’s unwavering commitment to protecting every person’s right to dignity, safety, and the ability to live without fear.”
Brownley Introduces Nationwide Same-Day Voter Registration Bill
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas) reintroduced the Same Day Registration Act on Election Day yesterday, requiring all states to allow same-day voter registration for federal elections.
“Elections are a cornerstone of our democracy, and participation in that democracy should always be encouraged,” said Brownley. “Far too often, the right to vote is obstructed by outdated voter registration regulations, cumbersome pre-registration requirements, and the absence of same-day voter registration laws that make it harder for Americans to cast their ballots. In many states, these unnecessary barriers keep eligible voters from having their voices heard.”
Currently, 23 states and the District of Columbia permit same-day voter registration, which allows any qualified state resident to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day. Brownley’s legislation would require every state to enact same-day voter registration for all federal elections, much like the process allowed in her home state of California.
“High participation in our elections ensures representation that works for the people. Same-day voter registration is one of the most effective tools we have to increase voter turnout, expand access to the ballot box, and strengthen representation,” said Brownley.
“It is an important step that every state should take to make our democracy more responsive to the will of the people. Every eligible voter deserves the chance to participate, and this legislation moves us closer to that promise.”
