Under L.A. mayor's $300-million homeless program, 40% have returned to the street
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Los Angeles' Inside Safe program, launched in December 2022 to combat homelessness by moving people into interim housing, has seen a rising number of participants returning to the streets, with about 40% of those housed now back to unsheltered homelessness after three years.
- The program, which aims to transition participants into permanent housing within 90 days, currently has an average stay of nearly a year in motels and hotels, leading to concerns about sustainability and effectiveness.
- Strict rules in Inside Safe housing, including bans on guests and limitations on leaving the premises, have led to expulsions and criticism that the program treats residents like children and limits their agency.
- Nonprofit operators of the program defend the rules as necessary to ensure safety and progress toward permanent housing, citing high rates of substance abuse and mental health issues among participants.
- Despite challenges, Inside Safe has contributed to a 17.5% drop in unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles over two years and has improved access to basic amenities for many, though experts call for a re-engineering of the program to better meet the needs of its residents.
