The LA Alliance for Human Rights is a coalition that focuses on homelessness and mental illness in Los Angeles. ¹

The organization began when a coalition of business owners, residents, and social service providers formed an unincorporated group in 2019 to sue the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County to provide shelter for the homeless, alleging that inaction by the city and county created a dangerous environment for residents. ²

Background

The LA Alliance for Human Rights is a coalition that focuses on homelessness and mental illness in Los Angeles. The organization says it works for a “return to clean sidewalks.” ³

The organization began when a group of business owners, residents, and social service providers formed an unincorporated group in 2019 to sue the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County to force the governments to provide shelter for the homeless. The group grew to include homeless people as members. ⁴

In 2021, the group incorporated as a 501(c)(3). ⁵

The LA Alliance for Human Rights says it raises awareness, engages election leaders, and continues litigation against the city and county government. ⁶

Leadership

Don Steier is the chairman of the LA Alliance for Human Rights. A graduate from the University of California at Los Angeles, Steier is a former deputy district attorney and currently serves as the general counsel for the L.A. Industrial Business Improvement District. ⁷

Paul Webster is the executive director of the LA Alliance for Human Rights. He was previously a senior policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He has been a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives and before that a staffer in the California state Senate. ⁸

Elizabeth Mitchell is the lead attorney for the LA Alliance for Human Rights. She is an attorney with the firm of Spertus, Landes, and Umhofer, LLP.  Mitchell was previously an attorney with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office in the Police Litigation Unit and a former city prosecutor. ⁹

Daniel Conway is a policy advisor for the LA Alliance for Human Rights. Conway was a former chief of staff for Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson (D). ¹⁰

Litigation

A lawsuit filed in March 2020 by the LA Alliance for Human Rights alleged that local government agencies are legally mandated to provide shelter space to about 59,000 homeless people living in Los Angeles County and 36,000 in the city of Los Angeles. ¹¹ The group includes businesses, residents, landlords, homeless people, and other area residents that allege inaction by the city and county created a dangerous environment for residents. ¹²

The city of Los Angeles called the lawsuit “misguided” and argued a federal lawsuit would   “ignore fundamental principles of federalism and separation of powers, and […] intrude into the city’s handling of complex policy issues that should be addressed by the elected city leaders, not the court.” ¹³

In September 2021, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned an earlier order from U.S. District Judge David Carter requiring the city and county to find immediate shelter for homeless persons living on the streets. ¹⁴

In January 2022, Judge Carter issued a separate order for a mandatory settlement in the alliance’s lawsuit requiring the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County to work together to develop a plan to find shelter for its homeless population. ¹⁵

1. “LA Alliance for Human Rights.” Open Corporates. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C4756970
2. ^[1] “LA city, county seek dismissal of homelessness lawsuit.” Associated Press. December 5, 2021. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-los-angeles-homelessness-e8fc5a4270a873ea46118c1902cc22b2
3. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
4. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
5. “LA Alliance for Human Rights.” Open Corporates. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C4756970
6. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
7. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
8. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
9. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
10. “Who We Are.” LA Alliance for Human Rights. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.la-alliance.org/who_we_are
11. Solis, Nathan. “Coalition Sues LA to Force Action on Homelessness Crisis.” Courthouse News. March 10, 2020. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.courthousenews.com/coalition-sues-la-to-force-action-on-homeless-crisis/
12. ^[1] “LA city, county seek dismissal of homelessness lawsuit.” Associated Press. December 5, 2021. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-los-angeles-homelessness-e8fc5a4270a873ea46118c1902cc22b2
13. City of L.A. asks court to toss out lawsuit seeking skid row clearance.” The Los Angeles Time. June 16, 2021. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-06-16/city-of-l-a-asks-court-to-toss-out-lawsuit-seeking-skid-row-clearance
14. Lozano, Alicia Victoria. “Appeals Court Overturns Order to House Homeless on LA’s Skid Row.” NBC News. September 23, 2021. Accessed March 4, 2022.https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-court-order-house-l-skid-row-homeless-overturned-n1279983
15. “Judge orders mandatory set­tlement con­ference in LA home­lessness lawsuit.” Spectrum News 1. January 24, 2022. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-east/homelessness/2022/01/24/hearing-set-to-argue-dismissal-of-homelessness-lawsuit