Sam Yebri Releases Plan To Tackle Los Angeles’ Homelessness Crisis With Urgency
- February 14, 2022
Homelessness Experts: “Sam’s Plan Gives Us Hope And Has All The Elements”
LOS ANGELES, CA –
Today, Sam Yebri, workers’ rights attorney, small business owner, non-profit leader, and candidate for LA City Council CD5, released his detailed and comprehensive plan to tackle Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis with urgency. The plan, which calls for an immediate course correction, cites Yebri as the only Democrat in the CD5 race willing to use recently enacted anti-camping ordinance 41.18, stating that “as soon as shelter, transitional housing, and other interim housing options are available, we should utilize…41.18 as a street engagement strategy to help transition people experiencing homelessness off the streets into shelter and housing and to help ensure that our public areas are accessible and safe for all Angelenos.”
“It is neither progressive nor compassionate to allow Angelenos to suffer and perish on the streets,” says Yebri. “It is time to treat the emergency crisis of homelessness with the seriousness, urgency, and compassion that it deserves.”
Yebri’s plan includes:
- Prevention of Homelessness
- Triaging Homelessness Through Homeless Shelters
- Prioritizing Affordable and Workforce Housing
- Investment in Mental Health and Addiction Services, Facilities, and Reforms
- Ensuring Public Spaces Are Clean, Safe, and Accessible For All Angelenos
Yebri consulted extensively with numerous homeless services providers, mental health experts, community volunteers, and non-profit affordable housing developers on the plan and is receiving strong acknowledgement and praise for his urgent, comprehensive, and practical approach.
“As a long-time homeless advocate and volunteer, I fully support Sam’s plan to tackle our homelessness crisis, and I fully support Sam as our next Councilmember in CD5. Sam is a proven leader, and has empathy, paired with workable solutions for our unhoused population. He is the only candidate with a sound, realistic, and comprehensive plan to solve the multi-pronged issues of homelessness. Sam is an honest, out-of-the-box thinker, and I trust him to implement the best and lasting solutions in regards to homelessness in our district.”
- Lisa Chapman, Co-Chair of the LAHSA Westwood Annual Homeless Count, Member of the CD5 Homeless Housing Committee, President of the Westwood Neighborhood Council (WWNC), Chair of the WWNC Homelessness Task Force, and board member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC)*
“Sam’s comprehensive plan for alleviating homelessness in Los Angeles reflects his deep analysis and understanding of every aspect of this crisis. More importantly, it reflects his willingness to act with urgency to shift course to deliver more immediate, practical, and effective solutions.”
- Doug Mirell, former Chair of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commission, and a board member of the ACLU of Southern California and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California*
“When I think about how this crisis has been handled thus far, I have so much disappointment. This plan gives me hope. It’s such a smart balance of prevention, services, housing cost-reduction, and working to bring people indoors. It’s progressive, not performative. It’s compassionate. It’s urgent. Sam’s plan gets all the elements.”
- Pamela Hope, a progressive activist and Director of Grants and Events at Alexandria House*, a Los Angeles transitional home for women and children
* Titles are for identification purposes only; no organizational endorsements are implied.
***
Sam Yebri is a longtime community and non-profit leader, small business owner, workers’ rights attorney, husband, and father of four young children. Nearly 40 years ago, Sam and his family came to Los Angeles as refugees from Iran and moved to Westwood, where they experienced firsthand the promise of Los Angeles. He attended public schools in the 5th District and went on to earn degrees from Yale and USC Law School. Sam built a successful law firm in the District, working to provide effective representation in a broad range of issues, including civil rights. He has used his expertise to advise startups and small businesses and litigate on behalf of workers, tenants, and refugees. Committed to public service and championing the promise of Los Angeles, Sam formerly served as a Commissioner on the Los Angeles Civil Service Commission and currently serves as a board member of the Friends of Westwood Library. He has also served the Los Angeles community as a board member of numerous non-profits, including the Anti-Defamation League, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, the Jewish Community Foundation, and ETTA, which provides services and housing for developmentally disabled adults.
Los Angeles’ 5th City Council District is being vacated due to term limits by Councilmember Paul Koretz. The District includes the neighborhoods of Bel Air, Beverly Fairfax, Beverly Grove, Beverlywood, Castle Heights, Carthay, Century City, Century Glen, Cheviot Hills, Comstock Hills, Hancock Park, La Brea, Melrose, Miracle Mile, Palms, Pico Robertson, Rancho Park, South Robertson, Westside Village, and Westwood.
