LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez sent a letter to U.S.
District Judge David O. Carter requesting the U.S. District Court for the Central District of
California order greater accountability from Los Angeles County regarding the number of
severely mentally ill individuals remaining in City-funded interim housing and the County’s efforts
to transition them into appropriate systems of care.
The letter specifically urges the Court to require the County to provide a report detailing how
many severely mentally ill individuals have been moved from City-funded sites into
County-operated programs, how many remain in City-funded facilities awaiting placement, and a
timeline for transitioning those individuals into appropriate housing and treatment programs. The
full letter can be viewed here.
“The City has stepped up to create shelter and interim housing, but we cannot serve as the
County’s mental health system, said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. “Too many severely
mentally ill individuals remain in City-funded facilities because they have not been connected to
the level of care they require, limiting our ability to help others leave the streets and access
shelter. The County owes the public a transparent accounting of who has been transitioned into
care, who remains in City-funded sites, and how it intends to meet its responsibility moving
forward.”