>>> WELCOME BACK. A LOT OF DEATHS ARE TEA PLAY DUE TO FENTANYL ABUSE. RECENTLY A JUDGE ORDERED AN AUDIT OF ALL THE MONEY BEING SPENT TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESS PROBLEM AND REDIRECT SOME OF THAT MONEY TO AN EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET NOW, AS OPPOSED TO THE BUILDING HOUSING FIRST POLICY, AND THEN TALKING THEM INTO GETTING HELP FOR THE MENTALITY ILLNESSES OR DRUG ADDICTION. THE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, WHICH BROUGHT THE LAWSUIT IS MATTHEW UMHOFFER, JOINING US FROM THE L.A. ARTS DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. WHAT IS THE POINT YOUR GROUP IS MAKING WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOUSING FIRST POST POLICY THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED AS IT RELATES TO THE HOMELESS CRISIS? >> ONE OF THE REASONS WE BROUGHT THIS LAWSUIT IS BECAUSE OF THE THE FAILURE OF THE HOUSING-FIRST MODEL. IT TAKES TOO LONG, COSTS TOO MUCH, AND MEANWHILE, PEOPLE SUFFER ON THE STREETS EVERY SINGLE DAY. ONE OF THE PIECES OF OUR LAWSUIT IS CHALLENGING THAT MODEL. IT'S WONDERFUL TO BUILD HOUSING, BUT IN THE SHORT TERM FIVE PEOPLE ARE DYING A DAY IN LOS ANGELES WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE HELP NOW. WE'RE PUSH FOG A DRAMATIC NICK IN SHELTER. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE THE CITY COMMITTED TO AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT. >> WHAT WAS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR YOUR LAWSUIT? >> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD WAS THE CITY AND COUNTY FAILING AT A CONSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, BOTH FAILING PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AND FAILING THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AFFECTED BY HOMELESSNESS. WE BROUGHT CLAIMS UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION FOR ESSENTIALLY A STATE-CREATED DANGER, WHICH IS THAT THE STATE HAS THE CITY AND COUNTY BY ITS POLICIES HAVE CREATED THIS REAL DANGER TO PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AN HOMELESSNESS BY NOT SERVING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION. THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF THERE IS A COUNTY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE FOR INDIGENT PEOPLE. THAT OBLIGATION OR STATUTE THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN FAILING AT IN A CONSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICES OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTITUTE DISORDER SERVICES THAT ARE SO DESPERATELY NEEDED TO PEOPLE ON THE STREETS. >> SO, THE SUPREME COURT LITER THIS MONTH WILL TAKE A LOOK AT A LAWSUIT THAT A NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS DECISION WHICH KEEPS CITY FROM ENFORCING NO CAMPING LAWS ESSENTIALLY. THE NINTH CIRCUIT HAD SAID THAT REPRESENTS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT. LET ME ASK YOU YOUR ORGANIZATION'S TAKER ON THAT. HAVE YOU FILED A BRIEF ON THAT? YOU HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME, I WOULD ASSUME? >> YES, WE HAVE. WE FILED AN AMICUS. WE BELIEVE THE POLICY CREATED A PARALYSIS. SO THAT IS A TOOL THAT EVERY CITY NEEDS IN ITS TOOLBOX IN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. YOU CAN OFFER BEDS, YOU CAN OFFER SERVICES, BUT THERE ARE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES A JUSTIFICATION FOR ENFORCING THE LAWS AROUND CAMPING, SAYING YOU CANNOT CAMP HERE. WE'RE GOING TO CREATE SPACES FOR YOU TO CAMP. YOU CAN COME INSIDE THROUGH THE SHELTER OR HOUSING OPTIONS, BUT WE DO NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT YOU CAN'T STAY HERE IN THESE PLACES NEAR SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES, UNSAFE PLACES, AND BY DOING THAT, WE'RE HOPING THAT THE SUPREME COURT CAN REVISIT THIS DECISION, WE'RE HOPING THIS EMPOWERS CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PARALYZED BY THIS DECISION TO BEGIN ENFORCING THEIR LAWS, WHILE CONTINUING TO BUILD OUT THE SERVICES THEY NEED. >> SO SOME SAY YOU'RE CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS? >> ABSOLUTELY IN A MOMENT. OUR FOCUS IS PEOPLE SUFFERING ON THE STREETS. WE HAVE CITY AND COUNTY COMMITMENTS TO EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNTS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BEDS AND SERVICES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON. EVERY CITY AND COUNTY NEEDS THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE ITS LAWS. I THINK MOST VOTERS UNDERSTAND THE LAW OF ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS HAS CREATED THIS WHAT WE'RE SEEING A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE I AM, WHICH IS WHERE SKID ROW IS, WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS AND THEY'RE SUFFERING. NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THEM SUFFERING. THIS IS NOT ABOUT CRIMINALIZATION, IT'S ABOUT CO. PASSION. >>> WHO IS BEHIND THIS? >> A REAL COALITION. WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN AFFECTED AREAS, PEOPLE WHO OWN BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY. IT IS TRULY A COALITION OF ALL THE KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES, WHO SEE THE FAILURE OF GOVERNMENT AND WANT A DITCH APP APPROACH. WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN BEING SUCCESSFUL, BUT IF THIS CASE -- >> YOU HAVE PREVAILED IN COURT. WHAT'S NEXT? >> WE'RE GOING TO KEEP HOLDING THE CITY AND COUNTY UNDER FIRE FOR THIS AGREEMENT. FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE CITY AND COUNTY HAVE MILESTONES AND DEADLINES THEY NEED TO MEET. THAT'S DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE VISITING ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S BEEN LACKING. VOTERS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVE NOT HELD THEM ACCOUNTABLE HERE. >> MATTHEW UMHOFFER, ATTORNEY
