Homeless encampments in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) in Los Angeles County’s unincorporated areas, including parts of the Santa Clarita Valley, are slated to be banned.
On Tuesday, the L.A. County Board Of Supervisors approved a motion co-authored by Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley, to clear out homeless encampments in VHFHSZs, which can sometimes cause fires.
“Many unsheltered people require fire for survival to cook and keep warm,” Barger said. “Unfortunately, this drastically increases the risk of nearby brush catching fire and spreading rapidly.”
The motion, authored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, would provide housing and resources to move homeless individuals from encampments in areas designated as VHFHSZs to prevent wildfires from being sparked.
Unincorporated areas of the Santa Clarita Valley, including Stevenson Ranch and Castaic, would be affected by the motion.
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The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Department Homeless Outreach Services Team are scheduled to notify individuals who will have to leave their encampments before removing them from the areas that fall under the motion.
L.A. County’s Homeless Initiative is set to give resources to those being removed from fire zones.
The L.A. County Homeless Initiative is also slated to work with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) to report back to the Board of Supervisors on their progress rehoming those living in encampments in VHFHSZs.
LAHSA has recently faced criticism for failing to meet homeless outreach goals despite its massive annual budget, pinned at nearly $1 billion by representatives with the City of Los Angeles.
See Related: Board Of Supervisors Approve Motion For Blue Ribbon Commission On Homelessness
In July, Barger and Supervisor Hilda Solis authored a motion to create a blue-ribbon commission to oversee LAHSA’s operations.
“Today’s motion is an important effort to protect people experiencing homelessness from fire risk and prevent any fire spreading in our communities,” said Barger.
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