The City of Los Angeles has relocated a group of homeless individuals from Koreatown.
According to a statement from the Mayor’s Office on September 17, Mayor Karen Bass implemented her “Inside Safe” initiative, moving approximately 10 homeless people from the area around 7th Street and Serrano Avenue to motels and other temporary accommodations.
The Inside Safe program, which was carried out in collaboration with Council District 10, overseen by Councilmember Heather Hutt, aims to provide homeless individuals with more stable housing options.
Mayor Bass stated, “The Inside Safe team has brought thousands off the streets and into housing. Working in lockstep with our partners in the County as well as the service providers and Councilmembers across every district, Inside Safe is saving lives each and every day, and the work continues.”
The statement added that more than 3,000 “Angelenos have come inside thus far through Inside Safe and homelessness has decreased in LA for the first time in years.”
According to the City of Los Angeles, the Inside Safe program has contributed to a number of positive trends: the city saw a reduction in its homeless population for the first time in six years, a 10% drop in homelessness – the first double-digit decrease in nine years, a 38% reduction in makeshift shelters, and a record number of individuals placed in permanent housing.
Councilmember Heather Hutt added, “Thanks to today’s Inside Safe operation, we were able to do just that and get more people off the street. I look forward to continuing our efforts to find efficient housing and resources for the people of Council District 10 and across LA.”
However, despite the city’s claims, some have voiced concerns over the efficiency and costs of the program.
A report released in June by City Controller Kenneth Mejia revealed that the Inside Safe initiative cost $341 million, leading to questions about its effectiveness. Critics pointed out that this amounts to roughly $125,000 per homeless individual.
Additionally, some motels contracted by the city to house homeless people reportedly earned anywhere from $40,000 to $1.64 million, further fueling the debate.
There are also criticisms about the program’s overall effectiveness in addressing homelessness. For example, in June, a homeless man named Rev. Kangwon Lee, who had been relocated from Koreatown to a motel, struggled to adapt and eventually returned to the streets. He later passed away in a tent on the street.
Rev. Kwangok Choi, a local pastor who works with the homeless, noted, “Many people leave shelters and return to the streets. For those suffering from mental illness or addiction, immediate medical care is the most urgent need.”
BY YEOL JANG, YOUNGNAM KIM [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
