Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger released the following statement today after meeting with San Gabriel Valley municipal representatives during their first quarterly convening with County homeless officials to discuss the County’s new framework to end homelessness:
“I was proud to join local city leaders today to discuss how they can adapt and align their efforts with the County’s homeless strategies. I truly believe that homelessness is both a regional and local issue. We cannot solve our homeless crisis by prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we must be focused and strategic about how we are investing resources and programs to fit the specific needs of each community and region.
Today’s meeting helped us move this important dialogue forward. Homelessness in the San Gabriel Valley looks different than in the Antelope Valley or in downtown Los Angeles – so the solutions that are crafted should differ, too. I want to ensure the cities I represent are equipped with the proper resources so they can respond to the homeless crisis with urgency.”
Municipal leaders will continue to participate in these quarterly discussions with County representatives. Their planning efforts will focus on increasing collaborative opportunities to develop more local solutions for housing projects and homeless services.