News Analysis The state of emergency announced by Mayor Karen Bass in response to the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles is a commendable first step, but it is unlikely to offer an effective long-term solution to the problem, given the sheer number of people living on the streets, and the logistical challenges of providing short-term housing for them, according to a homeless advocate in California.
Most importantly, the plan fails to provide the many additional services and programs needed to address severe substance abuse and mental health problems among the homeless, the advocate said. While temporary housing can help address some of the immediate problems, experience in other urban centers has shown its limitations in the absence of far-reaching programs to deal with addiction and mental illness….