Seattle and Los Angeles declares an emergency of homelessness, but they still want Syrians to come!
First Seattle declares an emergency, now L.A.!!! Who’s next? Oh, bring in more immigrants and give them free stuff too… DUMB… Take Care of America First!
Comparing the devastation of homelessness to flood and fire, local leaders on Monday declared states of emergency in Seattle and King County, hoping to secure additional money and potentially loosen regulations to combat the problem. States of emergency usually are proclaimed after natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes, or during instances of civil disorder such as rioting.
But other West Coast cities and a state preceded Seattle in declaring homelessness emergencies this year. Los Angeles and Portland took the step in September. Hawaii followed suit last month. “More than 45 people have died on the streets of the city of Seattle this year and nearly 3,000 children in Seattle Public Schools are homeless,” Mayor Ed Murray said.
“I’m requesting emergency assistance from the state and federal government to respond to the urgent needs of those who are victims of this crisis … and in addressing the root causes.” The mayor called homelessness in Seattle a human tragedy “seldom seen in the history of our city,” while King County Executive Dow Constantine said the situation countywide has become “just as devastating to thousands as flood or fire.”
Constantine noted that the weather has begun to change, making life more difficult and dangerous for people living outdoors.
“The rain is here. The coldest months will soon be upon us,” Constantine said during a news conference with Murray at the downtown Seattle YWCA.
L.A. council declares shelter crisis in effort to help the homeless
With an estimated 26,000 people calling Los Angeles sidewalks, cars and storm drains home, city officials on Tuesday approved an expanded campaign to help the homeless this winter by opening public buildings as temporary shelters and allowing people to sleep inside vehicles in designated lots.
The move comes as Los Angeles’ homeless population has multiplied across the region and Southern California is expected to be hit by severe rainstorms and possible flooding from El Niño, which could put unsheltered residents at increased risk.
The City Council also approved what members said were changes to soften a controversial law allowing authorities to seize individuals’ property stored on sidewalks and in alleys, though opponents said the new language continues to criminalize homelessness.
It also moved to create a special fund to tackle the problem, examine ways to expand voluntary storage facilities and push for creation of a homelessness czar.
But the council did not declare a state of emergency, as members had pledged to in September, and it acknowledged that it could be weeks or months before people living in the streets see the benefits of Tuesday’s actions.
City Councilman Mitch Englander, who represents the West Valley, warned that critics would see the votes as “a Band-Aid solution to a major problem where every organ in the body is failing.”
“They will say that, and they’re right,” he added. “We have to take measures to move forward, and these aren’t huge measures.”
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-homeless-20151117-story.html
http://investmentwatchblog.com/seattle-and-los-angeles-declares-an-emergency-of-homelessness-but-they-still-want-syrians-to-come/