Los Angeles County will appeal a federal judge’s order requiring the city of Los Angeles and the county to shelter all unhoused residents of Skid Row within 180 days and audit any spending related to the homeless crisis.
The county filed a notice of appeal on Wednesday and will ask for the judge’s order to be suspended, attorney Skip Miller, who represents the county, said in a statement.
“Deciding how to spend taxpayers’ money and deliver services to people experiencing homelessness is a legislative, not a judicial, function,” Miller said.
The order was issued Tuesday by Judge David O. Carter, who is presiding over a lawsuit by a group of business owners, residents and community leaders. It accuses the city and county of failing to comprehensively address the homelessness problem.
Carter’s order came a day after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to spend nearly $1 billion to get people off the streets.
Carter ordered the $1 billion placed in escrow, with a spending plan “accounted for and reported to the Court within seven days.”
The order also requires an audit of all public money spent in recent years to combat homelessness.