Hollywood, which has seen a major increase in homeless encampments during the past two decades, has better days ahead.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has decided to make the entertainment capital of the world his next homeless cleanup project. The outspoken lawman has had success with similar efforts involving a group of veterans living on a sidewalk in Brentwood and the Olvera Street historic landmark.
GAVIN NEWSOM INVITES THE WORLD’S HOMELESS TO CALIFORNIA
He also made waves clearing the famous Venice Beach boardwalk. All of the cleanup locations are in the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department and are primarily the responsibility of City Hall, not the county sheriff.
But Villanueva says he takes on the responsibility because the state law allows him broad latitude to ensure that the entire county is safe.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff has plans to make Hollywood feel safer despite it not being LASD’s patrol area,” the department tweeted over the weekend.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Sheriff has plans to make Hollywood feel safer despite it not being LASD’s patrol area.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva says he wants to have his deputies help clean up the streets in Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/8wTFD2KQ1w
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) April 3, 2022
Villanueva, who is elected, has made frequent digs at Gov. Gavin Newsom over his policies of spending billions on homeless projects like housing even though the problem continues to mushroom.
California currently has 180,000 homeless people, 80,000 of whom live in Los Angeles County, Villanueva said. This is about one-third of the nation’s homeless. Last year, Newsom pledged to feed and house the world’s homeless population while dedicating an additional $12 billion in aid.
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Villanueva also pleaded with county supervisors to declare a state of emergency over the homeless problem, but this has not happened. Despite spending $6.5 billion over the last 10 years, nothing has changed in Los Angeles, he said.
