‘A metastasizing crisis’: can Karen Bass end street encampments in LA?

The mayoral candidate tells the Guardian she will treat homelessness as a natural disaster' but critics are skeptical her plans will solve our vast emergency

Homelessness has become the central issue for every candidate vying to be the next mayor of Los Angeles. The humanitarian disaster in America's second largest city has reached catastrophic levels in the two years since the start of the pandemic, but that has not stopped the frontrunner in the race, US Congresswoman Karen Bass, from promising to accomplish what has long seemed impossible: solve the crisis.

The extraordinary challenge facing LA was what prompted Bass not to seek re-election in Congress, she told the Guardian last week. It is the number one reason why I decided to come back and run for mayor ... It has gotten completely out of hand."