What is LA County’s Ordinance Section 41.18?
Ordinance Section 41.18 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to specify the particular times and locations where it shall be unlawful for a person to sit, lie, or sleep, or to store, use, maintain, or place personal property in the public right-of way.
The Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership Opposition
The Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership expresses profound concerns about the potential consequences of legislation (referred to as 41.18) that grants the city authority to prohibit sitting, sleeping, and lying within specific zones. These zones encompass areas near freeways, certain facilities, and new housing initiatives, and criminalize property storage within these zones.
The partnership, comprising agencies aiding homeless youth, fears that such legislation would severely affect the youth they assist for the following reasons:
The partnership strongly believes that this legislation could reinforce the criminalization of homeless youth, exacerbate disparities faced by marginalized groups, and worsen existing barriers, especially during a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice movements. The coalition calls for a thoughtful reconsideration of the legislation’s potential implications.
Read the full opposition letter [here].