The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday instructed the Bureau of Sanitation to formally establish procedures to suspend encampment clean-up operations in areas impacted by environmental emergencies.
In a 10-0 vote, the council approved a motion introduced by Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who has sought to improve the city’s response amid environmental emergencies such as the June 17 Lineage Logistics warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.
The council instructed the Bureau of Sanitation, city attorneys and the chief administrative officer to codify a posting protocol for CARE+ cleanups that are suspended due to a declared emergency by the city, county or state.
Council members requested a report for the following:
— Developing standardized cancellation notification language for use across all suspended CARE+ locations and affected districts.
— Removing existing posted notices and replacing them with cancellation notices within the affected service zones.
— Coordinating with partner agencies to disseminate suspension notifications.
— Working with the office of the city administrative officer to update the confirmation sheet distribution list to include relevant partner agencies.
City staff would be expected to report within 60 days with the finalized language and posting protocols.
CARE+ cleanups are LA’s initiative to address large-scale encampments and to provide sanitation. The cleanups consist of trash and waste removal, pressure washing and sanitization, sidewalk safety and accessibility, and collection and secure storage of personal belongings for up to 90 days.
Unhoused individuals and homeless advocates have criticized the city’s program for failing to provide enough resources. These groups argue CARE+ operations result in displacing people and the destruction of personal belongings and important documentation.