Letters to the Editor: My district is pulling its weight on homelessness, says Councilman John Lee

Los Angeles Times Opinion
·1 min read
John Lee, a Republican who worked for the last councilman to hold the seat, campaigned on his long history in the district and billed himself as a fiscal conservative who would be a " different voice " on a City Council dominated by Democrats.
Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee. ( Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: I wholly reject the notion that Los Angeles City Council District 12 is not doing its part to address the homelessness crisis. Since taking office in 2019, I have supported the creation of nearly 300 beds to help persons experiencing homelessness in my district, some of which are already operational today. ("Are L.A. leaders serious about homeless housing?" editorial, April 29)

In the same manner as other elected officials and community leaders have demanded, my motion on city funding for one particular project in Chatsworth calls for accountability for how we spend precious public funds and ensure we have the best possible projects as quickly as possible.

With finite funds to build housing, and with more people falling into homelessness each day than we house, it is the city's responsibility to get the most units we can for our investment.

I will never apologize for demanding the best results for northwest San Fernando Valley neighborhoods as we continue to provide solutions across the district. And, in the face of this humanitarian crisis, I will continue to be vocal about the need to bring effective mental health and substance abuse treatment to the forefront of the conversation on ending homelessness.

John Lee, Los Angeles

The writer is city councilman for L.A.'s 12th District.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.