New Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced shortly after taking office that she wants to immediately address the thorny problem of homelessness plaguing the second largest city in the United States.

The Democrat-elect declared a state of emergency on Monday, December 12. the homeless The streets of the Californian city are home to tens of thousands of people who sleep in tents or sleeping bags, and surprise tourists who come to visit one of the richest urban areas on the planet.

“I will not tolerate a homelessness crisis that affects more than 40,000 people and affects all of us”Karen Bass, the city’s first woman elected mayor in November, was sworn in Sunday in the presence of US vice president, former California attorney general and longtime friend Kamal Harris.

“Radical Change”

“My mission is to lead Los Angeles in a new direction with an agile and strategic approach to solving one of the toughest challenges facing our city”She added, explaining it “Using urgency allows us to speed things up”.

Edil offered “Radical Change” In action, he said he would sign a series of executive orders in the coming days to address the problem, for example by providing temporary housing by renting apartments and hotel rooms in the city. She announced plans to house 17,000 homeless people in her first year.

Mental health or addiction problems

Karen Bass, 69, a former medical assistant and former elected to the House of Representatives, has been heavily involved in community life in her hometown of Los Angeles. She ran for mayor against wealthy property developer Rick Caruso, after a campaign dominated by the issue of homelessness, which has become ubiquitous in local public discourse.

The situation is further complicated by some of the most expensive rents in the country, a high cost of living and higher taxes than the national average. The topic is particularly sensitive because homeless populations are strongly affected by mental health or addiction issues.

Many observers believe that Los Angeles, which is preparing to host the Olympic Games in 2028, will further motivate the municipality to remove multiple tents, sometimes imposing villas or a few meters from luxury shops.