Culver City Observer -

Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Bob Blumenfield announced today that Mayor Bass’ Inside Safe initiative is underway along the Los Angeles River in the San Fernando Valley. Inside Safe is a new, citywide, proactive housing-led strategy to bring people inside from tents and encampments, and to prevent encampments from returning. It is one feature in a comprehensive strategy to confront the homelessness crisis.

“We are bringing Inside Safe to more and more communities to save lives and restore neighborhoods,” Mayor Bass said. “Thank you to Councilmember Blumenfield for working with us to bring Inside Safe to the Valley. This initiative is only possible because we are locking arms with the County, service providers and the community.”

“Especially when it rains, the L.A. River is an unsafe place for people to set up camps and for years I have been working to offer better options for people who have chosen to live in this flood control area and along the bike path,” said Councilmember Blumenfield. “I am so pleased and grateful that Mayor Bass and the Inside Safe team were able to pull together to safely move people indoors from the River and help them get on the path to housing.”

This is the eleventh Inside Safe operation. The initiative is responsible for bringing nearly 500 Angelenos inside. Mayor Bass is moving Los Angeles forward with an urgent and strategic approach to confronting the homelessness crisis, which includes declaring a state of emergency, taking action to dramatically accelerate and lower the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, and moving to maximize the use of City-owned property for temporary and permanent housing.

Inside Safe supports the following five goals:

• Reduce the loss of life on our streets

• Provide wraparound services for those living in encampments

• Eliminate street encampments

• Promote long-term housing stability for people experiencing homelessness

• Enhance the safety and hygiene of neighborhoods for all residents, businesses, and neighbors

Inside Safe supports the following citywide outcomes:

• Decrease the number and size of encampments across the city

• Decrease the time of moving someone from an encampment into housing

• Increase interim and permanent housing placements

• Increase access to wraparound treatment for people experiencing homelessness