Last week, on October 21, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and its housing advocacy division, Housing Is A Human Right, held a “red tape” protest at Los Angeles City Hall, with nearly 200 advocates demanding the streamlining of approvals and permitting to build more low-income and homeless housing more quickly. It was one of many mobilizations that took place in the United States as part of the National Coalition for the Homeless’ Housing NOW! National Day of Action.
AHF’s advocates surrounded City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles with 1,480 feet of red tape—or over one-quarter of a mile long—representing the harmful bureaucracy that routinely delays the quick construction of lower-income and homeless housing and results in more homelessness.
“Around six unhoused people die on L.A.’s streets every day as city agencies stall affordable- and homeless-housing development,” says Mary Cellini, Housing Advocate Manager of Housing Is A Human Right and Los Angeles Field Site Manager of the National Coalition for the Homeless. “And this red-tape nightmare has been happening for years. It’s outrageous, but L.A.’s mayor can make a difference by directing department managers to streamline processes and then holding the managers accountable.”
As of the 2026 point-in-time homeless count, there were more than 45,194 unhoused individuals in Los Angeles—an increase of 3.9%. It’s why AHF mobilizers told L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and the entire city council to “Cut the red tape now!”
“We need to build more permanent homeless housing to effectively address L.A.’s catastrophic humanitarian crisis that’s unfolding on our streets,” says Cellini. “So Bass, Harris-Dawson, and all city council members have the opportunity to be great, effective leaders by streamlining the approval and permitting process for affordable and homeless housing—and they’ll literally save lives.”
Ged Kenslea, Senior Director of Communications at AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has worked on public health issues for 30 years.
(Top photo: Jordan Strauss/AP Content Services for AIDS Healthcare Foundation.)
