Wave Wire Services
LOS ANGELES — As the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 91st meeting in Ohio concluded June 5, the president of the organization announced that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass would chair the conference’s Task Force on Homelessness.
According to Bass’ office, task forces are designed to address individual issues requiring the “immediate attention of a select group of mayors in the conference.”
“Mayor Bass is a driven leader with a passion for helping others,” Hillary Schieve, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the mayor of Reno, said in a statement. “She is confronting some of the most difficult challenges facing American cities and I admire her dedication to her community.
“The conference needs strong leaders like Mayor Bass in these elevated roles and I’m excited to see the work that she’ll do.”
On the issue of homelessness, Bass in a statement emphasized the “crisis we face” requires a “unified response.” Bass also thanked Schieve for appointing her to the task force.
“I look forward to locking arms with mayors throughout the country and organizing this task force to secure national resources and change in national policies to allow us to bring more of our unhoused constituents inside,” she said.
During the four-day conference, Bass was also selected to serve as a member of the conference’s Advisory Board.
The mayor met with federal and local leaders, including Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge. Bass also participated in a forum June 4 on local strategies to reduce homelessness and convened Los Angeles County mayors and California mayors to continue working to solve the crisis.
In addition to Bass other Los Angeles County mayors in attendance included Adele Andrade-Stadler (Alhambra); Julian Gold (Beverly Hills); Albert Vera (Culver City); Rex Richardson (Long Beach); Richard Montgomery (Manhattan Beach); Erik Lutz (Pico Rivera); and George Chen (Torrance).
