San Diego Health Officials Say Hepatitis A Outbreak Among Homeless Is Over
The nearly two-year outbreak killed 20, sickened nearly 600 and spurred a complete re-think of how the region handles homelessness. In Los Angeles, officials declare a shelter disaster so the county is eligible for new state funding for homeless programs.
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Two Years After It Started, San Diego Declares End To Deadly Hepatitis A Outbreak
Two years in, San Diego’s hepatitis A outbreak is finally over. Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, said Monday that enough time has now passed to formally declare a curtain call for the contagion that killed 20, sickened nearly 600 and spurred a complete re-think of how the region handles homelessness. “Last Thursday, it was officially 100 days since the most-recent case, and, for hepatitis A, that’s the threshold we use that allows us to say it no longer meets the definition of an outbreak,” Wooten said. (Sisson, 10/30)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Declares A Shelter Crisis, Providing Flexibility In How It Provides Beds And Assistance
County leaders on Tuesday declared a shelter crisis, giving the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority more flexibility in how it may spend $81 million in newly available state money for the homeless and the ability to bypass some regulations in order to provide emergency housing. The declaration, both symbolic and practical, applies to unincorporated parts of the county and to county-owned facilities in cities that have adopted their own crisis declarations, including Los Angeles. It will be in place for a year. (Agrawal, 10/30)
The New York Times:
A Novel Solution For The Homeless: House Them In Backyards
Now, as part of an unusual arrangement, [Melina] Chavarria may soon be welcoming some of those homeless people into her backyard. Ms. Chavarria is one of several Los Angeles residents who are building additions to their homes that would be used by people emerging from homelessness. Faced with a major housing crisis, Los Angeles is trying out an idea that some hope is so wild that it just might work: helping homeowners build small homes in their backyards and rent them to people who have spent months living in their cars, in shelters or on the streets. (Medina, 10/29)