Inside Starving by insidestarving@gmail.com

When Mayor Karen Bass announced the Inside Safe initiative, she committed to working with community-based organizations and unhoused constituents. She has reneged on this promise, ignoring multiple requests for meetings. Serious problems with the program persist, including poor conditions at motels and a lack of basic resources like food and mental healthcare.

The Mayor refuses to provide any transparency about the program’s structure and how money is being spent. Now she wants an additional $250,000,000 for the program. On Monday, we will present a series of demands to improve Inside Safe and ask that Karen Bass fulfill her commitment to work in good faith with unhoused participants and community organizations on this program.

Thanks to everyone who was able to join us on Monday, May 8th at 6th and Fairfax for the #InsideStarving press conference. This was an opportunity for unhoused neighbors to share their stories and voice concerns about “Inside Safe.” As expressed by the twelve people who spoke out on Monday, Inside Safe is turning out for many to be another program for disappearing and warehousing our fellow Angelenos without the basic resources, humanity or permanent housing they need.

#InsideStarving response to Mayor Bass’ claim that the Inside Safe Program is “voluntary”

Update on meeting with Mayor Bass: We sent six emails to Mayor Bass requesting a meeting and finally received a response from her staff on Wednesday, May 10th. We’re working on scheduling a listen-in with people who want to participate.

Update on Orlando & San Vicente Inside Safe operation: We monitored this operation at the encampment location and the motel where most residents were placed. Already, the operation is failing to meet many basic demands, including:

#1: The operation was not voluntary. Residents were not told about the sweep until the day before or given sufficient information to make an informed decision.
#3: Residents were not given details about the program in writing, including the location of the motel, duration of the stay, services provided, and date when permanent housing will be offered.
#4: The motel placement is not located within five miles of the participant’s encampment.
#8: Adequate food was not provided at any step in the process thus far, including at the Inside Safe operation. Once placed in motels, people were not provided with food OR enough money to access nourishing meals themselves.
#9: As of yet, residents at the motel and those who chose to stay behind have not been offered any wraparound care or mental health services.
#10: The city is fencing in and shutting down the space to those left behind.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
http://www.insidestarving.com