CNN Anchor Presses LA Mayor on Alarming $300 Million Housing Program Numbers: ‘Pretty Concerning’

CNN’s Elex Michaelson pressed Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) this week about a new report on the “failure” of a housing program she has pushed.

Bass joined Michaelson on CNN’s The Story Is and Michaelson wrapped the interview by pressing the mayor on a Los Angeles Times report focused on her “Inside Safe” program, which is meant to provide shelter for Los Angeles’ homeless population.

According to the report, the program has cost $300 million, but 40% of those housed have returned to the streets. Bass has defended the program, saying it’s led to a nearly-20% reduction in homelessness.

Michaelson pressed the mayor on the cost versus the results of the program.

“[The report] said, $300 million program and 40% have returned to the streets. These are people that were part of the program and then they’re no longer part of the program. They’re back on the streets. Some people say that’s a failure. What do you say to that?” Michaelson asked.

Bass noted that 60% have remained housed, which Michaelson immediately said was “not a great percentage,” which the mayor disagreed with.

“We’ve resolved over 120 encampments. So for the first time, we’ve had two years in a row, a 17% reduction in street homelessness, where nationally it’s been an 18% increase,” she said.

Bass also claimed that saying 40% “returned to the streets” is inaccurate because in reality, the government has no idea where they are.

“For example, we don’t know that 40% left to go in the street. We don’t know where they are. The bottom line is they left interim housing,” she said.

“That’s pretty concerning, isn’t it?” Michaelson asked.

“Of course it’s concerning,” Bass said, adding she’s brought on a team to “evaluate” the successes and failures of the program.

Check out the exchange below:

ELEX MICHAELSON: Just this week [the Los Angeles Times] that talked about your signature program called Inside Safe, which is to get people inside safe. And it said, $300 million program and 40% have returned to the streets. These are people that were part of the program and then they’re no longer part of the program. They’re back on the streets. Some people say that’s a failure. What do you say to that?

KAREN BASS: Well, I say several things. First of all, 60% of the people have remained housed. But you know me, and we’ve been on this journey.

MICHAELSON: That’s not a great percentage.

BASS: Well, it is a great percentage. We’ve been on this journey together. And you know the reason why I ran was because we needed change in this city. What was happening in this city was just completely unacceptable. The city had adhered to a rigid policy that said, stay on the streets, basically, until we build you something. I came in and said, it is unacceptable to have Angelenos on the street. You know that I came into a system that had been broken for over three decades, but you know that I felt the sense of urgency to get people off the street, so what I did was move to get people off this street, which we have succeeded in. We’ve resolved over 120 encampments. So for the first time, we’ve had two years in a row, a 17% reduction in street homelessness, where nationally it’s been an 18% increase. But you also know that I’ve been trying to diagnose and transform the system at the same time. But one thing that the city and the county never did was really properly evaluate the system to see what is working and what isn’t working. So, for example, we don’t know that 40% left to go in the street. We don’t know where they are. The bottom line is they left interim housing.

MICHAELSON: That’s pretty concerning, isn’t it?

BASS: Of course it’s concerning, but you’ve also heard me over the last three years say that one of the fundamental weaknesses in the system was it was inadequate services. So you’re not addressing the substance abuse, the mental health, and the other reasons that led to homelessness. So I did bring on a team to evaluate what is working because of course I want to know, first of all, where those 40% went, why they left, but I also want to know why the 60% stayed and so if we’re going to transform the system like I want it to be done then we need to have this information but the system was not designed to evaluate itself.

Watch above via CNN.

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