Real Solutions

We cannot continue pouring money into the same failed strategies and expect different results. Los Angeles—and District 1 in particular—needs real solutions: humane, fiscally responsible, and accountable. By electing me, we can reduce homelessness, create jobs and economic growth, expand affordable housing, and introduce a redevelopment approach that is urgently needed across much of the First District. At the same time, we can restore safety and dignity to our neighborhoods.

District 1 sits at the center of Service Planning Area 4, which includes approximately 18,000 unhoused individuals. Based on available data, the cost of services ranges from $17,000 to $20,000 per person per year, including shelter, outreach, housing programs, and administrative expenses. The 2025 LAHSA Homeless Count reported roughly 75,000 people experiencing homelessness countywide, with about 46,000 within the City of Los Angeles.

An audit commissioned by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter found that no single agency tracks total spending per person. LAHSA, the City of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County all report separately, often using inconsistent standards. Auditors also noted that despite billions of dollars spent, it remains unclear how many people have been permanently housed or how effective current programs truly are. For example, the City of Los Angeles’ homelessness budget—$19,739 per person multiplied by 46,000 unhoused individuals—totals approximately $908 million for 2025–2026.

By partnering with Los Angeles County and the State of California, we could remove roughly 70–80% of the homeless population from our streets, business corridors, and parks within approximately one year, depending on intergovernmental cooperation.

A New Approach: Humane, Scalable, and Cost‑Effective

1. A Multi‑Type Living Community

We can create a large, humane living community spanning hundreds of acres, designed to meet different needs within the homeless population.

Phase One: Campground‑Style Transitional Areas

The first and simplest component is a well‑organized campground setting with trees, mobile bathrooms, mobile showers, food vendors, a small grocery store, free laundry facilities, and shaded areas for heat and cold protection.

This area would be divided into sections. The first group to transition off the streets would be individuals living in cars and RVs. Many in this group are unemployed, have minimal responsibilities, and often live with pets. Creating a designated area for them would be relatively low‑cost, requiring grading, roads, solar streetlights, underground utilities, sewer lines, and sidewalks. This phase could be completed quickly and affordably.

Phase Two: Outdoor‑Preferred and High‑Needs Individuals

The second group includes people who prefer to live outdoors, often in tents along streets and freeways. Even when housed, many return to the streets within a year. This population often faces mental health challenges, substance‑use issues, or long‑term unemployment.

For them, we would build a community of shaded campground areas and small 10’ x 20’ cabin‑style units. We could partner with nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity to construct these units while providing job training and employment opportunities to the very residents who live there. This approach helps build skills, confidence, and a pathway toward stability.

The site would also include bungalow‑style buildings for healthcare, job training, counseling, psychological services, and other essential support. These structures are inexpensive, quick to install, and can be equipped with solar panels to reduce long‑term energy costs.

2. Centralized Services to Reduce Costs and Improve Outcomes

The largest expense would be constructing a combined police station, jail, and courtroom facility onsite. A small hospital or medical center could also be possible through partnerships with doctors and nonprofits specializing in homeless services.

Centralizing services dramatically reduces taxpayer costs by:

• Cutting the need for repeated encampment cleanups
• Reducing fire department responses to encampment fires
• Lowering police call volume
• Reducing crime
• Decreasing emergency room and hospitalization costs

This model improves quality of life for both residents and the broader community.

3. Permanent Housing and Workforce Reintegration

The next stage focuses on individuals displaced by job loss, financial hardship, or lack of skills. This area would provide:

• Job training
• Counseling and family support
• Employment placement
• Assistance relocating back to the city or to another region where work is available

Residents would regain stability, self‑esteem, and the ability to take on new challenges. This program would also free up much‑needed housing within the city.

With continued affordable construction and access to low‑interest loans, we can reduce rental costs and increase competition among property owners.

4. Addressing Housing Costs for Property Owners

A more complex challenge is helping apartment owners manage rising costs—property taxes, insurance, earthquake coverage, labor, and materials—while keeping rents affordable. These pressures are intensified by tariffs and inflation.

This issue requires collaboration among apartment owners, elected officials, and industry experts. It is not a quick fix, but it must be addressed together.

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KEEP MOVING. KEEP CHOOSING, THE BETTER THE CHOICES, THE BETTER THE LIFE.

Joseph Lucey