Letters to the Editor: Bass’ promises regarding homelessness were admirable — but results fall short

To the editor: Doug Smith’s article exposes a hard truth: Despite record spending, Los Angeles continues to struggle with visible homelessness (“The L.A. homeless count misses people who aren’t in tents or cars, a new Rand study finds,” Oct. 16).

Mayor Karen Bass campaigned on a promise to treat homelessness as an emergency, pledging to bring tens of thousands indoors, cut red tape and build housing faster. But, despite the $1.3 billion allocated toward the issue, the results fall far short of her promises. Even the Rand study cited in the article shows the annual homeless count misses many “rough sleepers” — people without tents or cars who live entirely exposed. If the count underreports, we’re congratulating ourselves on paper while the crisis deepens in real life.

Across Los Angeles, residents see little visible change. I work in an area where this disconnect is painfully clear. The building next door to my office, once a small motel and restaurant, was recently converted into a homeless shelter, directly across the street from a high school. It was done without the input of parents and business owners. Now, the surrounding sidewalks are lined with people sleeping outdoors — exactly what these programs were meant to prevent.

The Inside Safe approach, while well-intentioned, has largely relied on short-term motel stays instead of creating lasting housing. Many individuals cycle back to the streets after a few weeks because there’s no follow-up support or permanent placement.

Mayor Bass deserves credit for focusing attention and funding on homelessness, but the results show a system that spends massively while managing, not solving, the crisis. If we truly want to reduce homelessness — not just relocate it — the city must enforce its own zoning laws, track spending rigorously and prioritize real housing solutions over temporary fixes.

Hua Gu, Calabasas