What would you like to do that you are not empowered to do?
I would like to use eminent domain to start seizing public lands and empty buildings and converting them into emergency shelters. I have the authority to actually get people off public spaces and into shelter, but I just don’t have the actual resources of shelter. So that’s one missing element in my bag of tricks, so to speak.
How does that get implemented? How does that go forward? How does that solution get put into action? Can we physically get to do that?
Yeah, physically. I think the Board of Supervisors has a capacity to actually do that. So does the City of LA, the Mayor’s office and the City Council. Remember I talked about the lack of political will. Give me that ability and we’ll make it happen. In fact, we can get the entire homeless problem in LA County solved in 90 days.
And literally, it’s achievable because remember when Katrina happened, what did FEMA do? They created housing for half a million people in a week. When there’s a war or some famine and some Third World country, along comes the American International Red Cross, and they can house 2 million people in a tent city. They can get it done and it’s a tent city. It’s not going to be ridden with rats, typhus and all these infectious diseases — they’re actually going to have trash picked up, medical care provided. So it can be done. And actually our situation is a lot smaller than a Katrina, than a war and a million refugees, and we’re waddling and just incompetence because we don’t have the political will. It is not impossible. I can get the job done.
I can’t give up on that solution. I didn’t expect to go on this long, or get to this crescendo. Please, what would you like to say to the West Hollywood voters or the LA County voters, who are concerned about everything going on in their public safety issues? Why should we trust you for another term and how can we give you that authority to implement your progressive ideas and make things happen.
For West Hollywood voters, and you’re the heart and soul of what LA County is, you’re right in the middle of LA County in West Hollywood. And that’s the slice of our community that we need to preserve, we need to defend and between homelessness and violent crime, they’re threatening our way of life and our livelihoods. And we have to take that challenge seriously, and I’m running for this second term to do exactly that.
My two challenges are A) Homelessness, and B) Violent Crime. Actually they feed off of each other. We can get the job done.
Deputies are working tirelessly day and night and they are motivated to work even though all the obstacles presented by the Board of Supervisors and the activists with the bullhorns. Deputies don’t care. They are just dead-set focused on keeping people alive, on keeping people safe. And they’re doing this because they believe in my vision for the County, for Public Safety. They are committed to that. I’m not gonna let them down. They know what I have their support, they have my support and I hold them accountable to a high standard and it is working.
You moved me… very much Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
Coming Soon: UpClose with former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna.
Luna will face off against Villanueva in this November’s election for Los Angeles County Sheriff.
Will equal time be given to the other candidate on the ballot?
Yep, Luna is our Labor Day weekend special.
Looking forward to seeing both candidates. Thanks Larry.
This assumes that the homeless who he proposes to move to shelter will agree to the help. They are the “easy” cases. What does he propose to do about the large percentage of homeless who have become feral and refuse all offers of help and shelter?
bravo….BRAVO SHERIFF ALEX……about time someone has a better solution….and sees these folks as people and not just a PROBLEM
Shyne, Horvath and Erickson need to be banned from WeHo and run out of town on a rail. They have done nothing for WeHo
YE Horvath needs to go she is a cancer with Gascon
When Sheriff Alex Villanueva is re-elected, give him some authority six months to make changes. Obviously the current “plan” is not working.“A) Homelessness, and B) Violent Crime. Actually they feed off of each other. We can get the job done.” These things are seriously our of control and need to be reeled in and ended!
Private Property for Public Use with just compensation. Perhaps a misspeak or misunderstanding. His following statements appear to have qualified the intention. Do you have a better idea?
It’s interesting that Shyne, Horvath and Erickson chose to not ask a question. Are they really that disinterested, or was there a different motive for sitting on the sidelines? Regardless of the reason, it’s not a good look.
Not only NOT a good look but a clear indication of the abdication of their responsibility to the public they were elected to serve. Champions of divisiveness, a killer for the community.
You scooped the best of them !
I like Larry and I’m hope he’s running for City council, but this was certainly not an in-depth interview. No wonder there was applause in the room when he finished. This was a piece that was nothing but softball question after softball question. It was nothing challenging to the sheriff. He has done a lousy job and he wants to blame everyone else for it. Sound familiar? I’m sick and tired of hearing about defunding. For years we complained about how the sheriff’s department was doing so little in West Hollywood and now things are being done to try to… Read more »
Can we get green eyed guy some mental evaluations. I actually feel bad for they. They seem unhinged and in need of a jacket.
So this comment gets approved but i’ve been told by the OWNER of Wehoville that personal attacks won’t be tolerated in the comments section…
Mr. Greeneyedguy, What is it that you positively add to the discussion and/or the community?
LOL
Just call the Sheriff’s Department, after all they have the MET unit to haul the crazy ones away and they’re already contracted for this service.
Why not ask what the report that he trashed by a *public official* got wrong?
He made some accusations without backing them up.
Mr. Villanueva is polished.
All 5 City Council members had a chance to ask any question, and we got in as much as we could. Some want to have a glass half empty view. Those are not very happy people.
There was an article here with his rebuttal, the specifics which I don’t recall.
Agree w/you on lack of questions by other CC members.
But he made some statements to you without offering proof. This time, Larry, it was directed to you.
Thank you.
I support Villanueva.