Los Angeles County has pledged to provide 3,000 more beds for mental health and substance use treatment by 2026 in an attempt to settle a lawsuit seeking more services for homeless people, The Los Angeles Times reported Sept. 26.
The lawsuit was filed by the LA Alliance for Human Rights, which is made up of primarily downtown business owners and residents. The group sued both the city and county, alleging that they failed to address the poor conditions in homeless encampments.
This proposal is the third attempt by the county to settle, with both previous proposals being rejected by the federal judge overseeing the lawsuit. The first proposal in October 2022 provided for only 300 additional beds, the report said. The next proposal of 1,000 additional beds, made in April, was also deemed insufficient.
The judge will consider the new proposal during a hearing on Sept. 28.