City officials in Los Angeles announced a settlement agreement that promises to implement additional housing for the homeless population throughout the city. The settlement would help house an estimated 60% of the area's homeless population.

The federal lawsuit which was brought forward by the LA Alliance for Human Rights names Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County and accuses them of not taking the needed measures to address the growing homelessness crisis. As a result of the complaint, the city agreed to a settlement that would offer more funding to create homes for the unhoused.

Los Angeles has agreed to front between $2.4 billion and $3 billion over the next five years to help build new housing for those in need of shelter. The project will create an estimated 14,000 to 16,000 units for those in need. The added support would be in addition to the already 13,000 units in the process of being built.

Over the past couple of years, the encampments throughout the city, which were once largely contained to Skid Row, have continued to grow. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, between 2019 and 2020 the area saw a 12.7% rise in its homeless population.

As the homeless encampments continue to pop up throughout the area, the city and the county have largely contested how to tackle the crisis and who should shoulder the burden of addressing the issue. Although the city has agreed to a settlement that would provide added housing, the county has not chosen to settle. Instead, the county contends that they have and will continue to take the proper measures to address the homelessness crisis.

Skip Miller, a lawyer representing the county, issued a statement contesting the claims in the lawsuit. “This lawsuit has no merit with regard to the County,” the statement reads. “We intend to litigate and win this case. The county is more than doing its job and doing everything possible to address homelessness without stigmatizing it as a crime. Any assertion that the county has failed on this obligation is utterly baseless.”

One of the main issues city and county officials have had to battle has been the addiction, substance abuse, and mental health issues largely propelling homelessness in the area. Following the settlement, the city announced that it has done its part and will continue to do its part in building necessary houses for those who are unsheltered. However, city officials add that now it is up to the county to address the substance abuse, addiction, and mental health issues that plague the homeless population.

Many homelessness advocates, local residents, and other stakeholders, all point to the reality that addressing these underlying concerns first will be critical to addressing the overall homeless population. While the city's settlement has been welcomed by both the alliance and city officials, proponents of the complaint note the importance of addressing the underlying issues first. The lawyer for the alliance, Elizabeth Mitchell, also noted that the settlement does not “provide the necessary services and treatment to address this issue holistically.”

During a press conference, City Council President Nury Martinez spoke on the importance of calling on the county to address these underlying concerns saying that county officials need to “step up and do their part.”

While some proponents of the complaint welcome the settlement, others are not so quick to support it. An advocacy group for the homeless population, Los Angeles Community Action Network, was part of the case but shares that they were excluded from negotiations. The advocacy group does not welcome the settlement and has instead described it as a backroom deal. The advocacy group shared in a statement, “This settlement may be trumpeted as a win by Skid Row property owners and politicians who are looking no further than the next election, but it’s the same failed approach the city has been investing in for decades, and it’s a real loss for everyone else."