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Public commenters criticize Care Plus and outreach programs; raise concerns about criminalization and homelessness services
Summary
Several public speakers criticized Care Plus and other outreach programs, saying they displace people experiencing homelessness rather than connect them to services. Speakers also raised questions about police-related permit fees and appointments; council adopted related agenda items as part of the consent bundle.
Speakers at the Los Angeles City Council meeting criticized how some outreach programs operate and raised broader concerns about homelessness responses and policing-related permits and appointments.
A Spanish-speaking commenter who addressed multiple agenda items said Care Plus “es otro mecanismo para los repasos, no le están dando servicio, solamente están criminalizando la falta de vivienda” (Care Plus is another mechanism for sweepings; they’re not providing services, they are only criminalizing homelessness). The commenter also said the city’s approach displaces unhoused people and described “7 personas sin vivienda están muriendo en las calles de Los Ángeles por día,” a figure stated by the speaker during public comment.
Other public commenters linked homelessness outreach and navigation programs to service gaps rather than holistic housing outcomes. One speaker described item 28 as funding for outreach and navigation services for housing in District 12 and said such funds are intended to help people “navegar los sistemas de alojamiento que existen en el Registro de Alojamiento Económico para Los Ángeles.”
Police permits and appointments: multiple speakers raised concerns about police-related permits and commission appointments. One commenter asked questions about agenda item 20 and the appointment of Mary Lee to the police commission, saying the process appeared confusing to the public. Public commenters also criticized the presence of police and asked the council for different approaches to public safety.
Council action: items addressing homelessness outreach and Care Plus (items 27–29 and 28 for navigation services) and the related items were included in the grouped consent vote the council adopted later in the meeting; the clerk announced a tally of 14 in favor for the code block that included these items.
Why it matters: public commenters framed Care Plus and similar programs as enforcement-first responses that displace people experiencing homelessness. Speakers requested that councilmembers ensure outreach funding connects people to stable housing and does not produce repeat sweeps or loss of belongings.
Ending: The transcript excerpt records public concern about program design and appointments; the council’s docket and staff reports will list the program descriptions, funding amounts and departmental responsibilities for the adopted items.
