COMMITTEE FORMED TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS COUNCIL CREATION TO DEVELOP PROGRAM TO EXPAND SHELTERS.Byline: Dan Laidman Staff Writer Aiming to unify and amplify efforts to get people off the streets, the City Council on Tuesday created a special committee on homelessness. The Ad Hoc Committee ad hoc committee A committee formed with the purpose of addressing a specific issue or issues, which theoretically is disbanded once its raison d'etre is finished on Homelessness will develop a program for expanding shelters in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. while evaluating social services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales in other cities and working to bring in more state and federal money. ``I guess the question we're going to have to wrestle with is: Why are there 91,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County?'' said Councilwoman Jan Perry, who has been a prominent council voice on homelessness issues. The unanimous vote to create the panel followed testimony from downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or Police Department officials, who said four homeless people died on Skid Row on Monday alone. Capt. Andrew Smith supported the committee's creation, saying existing homeless intervention efforts are fragmented. ``To get everybody marching in the same direction and everybody working together, it can only be a positive thing,'' he said. While homelessness on Skid Row has drawn the most attention - Smith recently met with journalists from the Czech Republic researching the matter - several council members said they hope the committee takes a wider view. Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, who represents part of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , said such ad hoc committees have been successful in pushing ahead on business tax reform, Los Angeles River The Los Angeles River is an intermittent river flowing through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the west end of the San Fernando Valley, 51 miles (82 km) southeast to its mouth in Long Beach. development and other issues. ``We can focus on one issue and almost dissect dissect /dis·sect/ (di-sekt´) (di-sekt´) 1. to cut apart, or separate. 2. to expose structures of a cadaver for anatomical study. dis·sect v. it,'' she said. ``We can have a greater focus and hopefully greater accomplishment.'' While Councilman Ed Reyes supported the plan, he noted that the motion introducing the committee did not mention crucial land-use issues, including why social services are concentrated in some areas and absent in others. ``It's going to go against the grain of many of our political inclinations,'' he said. ``There are going to be a lot of stakeholders who will say, Not in my backyard.'' Dan Laidman, (213) 978-0390 dan.laidman(at)dailynews.com |
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