LA Mayor Karen Bass declares state of emergency for homelessness

"We have already started... You elected me to lead and lead I will do."

By Ben Whedon

Published: December 12, 2022 9:20pm

Updated: December 12, 2022 9:38pm

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, on her second day in office, declared a state of emergency for homelessness to address the roughly 40,000 individuals living without a roof over their heads in the city.

"Los Angeles has called me to serve at an inflection point in our history," she said in a press conference on Monday. "No matter what, we never give up. We have never given up and that's our LA magic."

"You elected me to lead and lead I will do," she continued.

Bass made history on Sunday, becoming the first woman to govern the City of Angels. Vice President Kamala Harris swore her into office.

She will replace outgoing Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti after defeating fellow Democrat and former Republican Rick Caruso by a 53.1% to 46.9% margin on election night.

"We are going to build a new Los Angeles," she vowed on Nov. 8.