A federal judge is considering holding Los Angeles in contempt for its alleged failure to fulfill obligations established in a settlement agreement regarding the city’s homelessness crisis. The L.A. Alliance for Human Rights contends that the city has delayed its commitments under this agreement, prompting U.S. District Judge David Carter to evaluate the situation.
Judge Carter has been conducting evidentiary hearings since last month in relation to the lawsuit filed in March 2020 by the L.A. Alliance. The organization claims that both the city and Los Angeles County have not adequately addressed the homelessness issue affecting thousands. In September 2023, the judge approved a settlement in which the county committed to providing an additional 3,000 beds for mental health and substance abuse treatment by the end of next year, as well as subsidies for 450 new board-and-care beds.
The L.A. Alliance had previously settled with the city in 2022 but later filed additional claims asserting that the city was not adhering to the terms of the agreement. Under the terms of the settlement, the city is required to create 12,915 shelter beds by June 2027. An independent assessment released in March found that the city had not verified the number of shelter beds it reported as created.
Judge Carter has expressed concerns regarding the city’s cooperation, stating there has been a “consistent lack of cooperation and responsiveness,” noting that documentation is often provided only under pressure from court mandates or media scrutiny. While the judge has refrained from declaring that the city has wholly breached the settlement agreement, he is contemplating a contempt of court ruling.
In response to the ongoing litigation, Nithya Raman, a member of the Los Angeles City Council and chair of the city’s Housing and Homeless Committee, expressed her concerns in a letter posted on her website. She criticized the drawn-out legal proceedings, stating that they seem disconnected from the essential goal of providing shelter and housing for those living on the streets of Los Angeles.
Raman noted, “The litigation in this case is now dragging on in ways that feel very removed from the goal of providing shelter and housing to people living on LA’s streets.” She further argued that the repeated evidentiary hearings and extensive data requests imposed by the court are straining the already limited resources of the city and diverting efforts from housing initiatives.
While Raman acknowledged the necessity for the city to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement, she emphasized that the transparent and fiscally responsible oversight that residents expect from the homelessness system is not being achieved under Judge Carter’s direction.
Contempt proceedings against the city are set to continue on Thursday, as the court seeks to address the ongoing challenges in resolving the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. The outcome of these hearings could have significant implications for the city’s future obligations and efforts to combat homelessness.
