--- [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312) # If I were Los Angeles’ Homeless Czar SKID ROW-With all the recent talk of a possible “Homeless Czar” who would lead the effort to solve homelessness in Los Angeles, I can’t help but begin the New Year with a resolution of my own. If I were named as Homeless Czar, here’s the first thing I’d do: I’d withhold the paychecks of everyone with jobs related to homelessness…period. Then I bet we’d get some solutions – and fast! Problem solved. Seriously though, *everyone* we look to for solutions for homelessness is receiving a paycheck -- including non-profit executive directors and CEO’s earning six-figure salaries, some as much as $200,000 to $300,000 a year. The Mayor and City Council also make six-figure salaries. Fifteen City Councilmembers each “earn” $250K. LAPD is “earning” a $1.5 billion budget for the current fiscal year. And so on. Add to this the money that comes from the Federal government (American taxpayer money,) as well as funding from the state and local levels, along with grants and donations from private foundations and public “do-gooders.” Think about it…there is a *ton of funding* being generated by the very presence of homelessness. It stands to reason that as long as homelessness continues, a lot of “leaders” will continue to get paid. Maybe there’s just no impetus for them to do anything significant at all…only enough to justify “earning” their paychecks. With that established, as the Homeless Czar, I would have access to internal documentation to support my theory. And that’s when I would drop the hammer! During my first press conference on the steps of City Hall, I’d boldly announce, “No one will receive paychecks until the desired results have been achieved.” I can guarantee that the necessary “sense of urgency” we’ve all been waiting for would instantly be present. All solutions -- coordination of efforts, outreach, healthcare, housing and shelter options and more -- would be quickly implemented with easily identifiable results: less homeless folks and less encampments on the streets across the City and County of Los Angeles. Voila! Then and only then would paychecks for the “experts” be resumed. Unfortunately, this idea of mine is not the reality. But then again, neither are your promises to quit smoking, stop drinking, exercise more, lose 25 pounds, go back to school and get a better paying job. The funny thing is, if I really *were* named the Homeless Czar, I believe I could actually do the job in a relatively easy fashion. All I’d need is complete compliance *from everyone. Unfortunately, you’re stuck now with the other guys – the ones with the “comprehensive strategic homeless plans.” But if nothing else, I would make them *earn* their paychecks. Happy New Year! *(General Jeff is a homelessness activist and leader in Downtown Los Angeles.) Edited for* CityWatch *by Linda Abrams.* -cw CityWatch Vol 14 Issue 1 Pub: Jan 1, 2016 Written by General Jeff on December 31 2015. [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) [Comments](#disqus_thread) SKID ROW-With all the recent talk of a possible “Homeless Czar” who would lead the effort to solve homelessness in Los Angeles, I can’t help but begin the New Year with a resolution of my own. If I were named as Homeless Czar, here’s the first thing I’d do: I’d withhold the paychecks of everyone with jobs related to homelessness…period. Then I bet we’d get some solutions – and fast! Problem solved. Seriously though, *everyone* we look to for solutions for homelessness is receiving a paycheck -- including non-profit executive directors and CEO’s earning six-figure salaries, some as much as $200,000 to $300,000 a year. The Mayor and City Council also make six-figure salaries. Fifteen City Councilmembers each “earn” $250K. LAPD is “earning” a $1.5 billion budget for the current fiscal year. And so on. Add to this the money that comes from the Federal government (American taxpayer money,) as well as funding from the state and local levels, along with grants and donations from private foundations and public “do-gooders.” Think about it…there is a *ton of funding* being generated by the very presence of homelessness. It stands to reason that as long as homelessness continues, a lot of “leaders” will continue to get paid. Maybe there’s just no impetus for them to do anything significant at all…only enough to justify “earning” their paychecks. With that established, as the Homeless Czar, I would have access to internal documentation to support my theory. And that’s when I would drop the hammer! During my first press conference on the steps of City Hall, I’d boldly announce, “No one will receive paychecks until the desired results have been achieved.” I can guarantee that the necessary “sense of urgency” we’ve all been waiting for would instantly be present. All solutions -- coordination of efforts, outreach, healthcare, housing and shelter options and more -- would be quickly implemented with easily identifiable results: less homeless folks and less encampments on the streets across the City and County of Los Angeles. Voila! Then and only then would paychecks for the “experts” be resumed. Unfortunately, this idea of mine is not the reality. But then again, neither are your promises to quit smoking, stop drinking, exercise more, lose 25 pounds, go back to school and get a better paying job. The funny thing is, if I really *were* named the Homeless Czar, I believe I could actually do the job in a relatively easy fashion. All I’d need is complete compliance *from everyone. Unfortunately, you’re stuck now with the other guys – the ones with the “comprehensive strategic homeless plans.” But if nothing else, I would make them *earn* their paychecks. Happy New Year! *(General Jeff is a homelessness activist and leader in Downtown Los Angeles.) Edited for* CityWatch *by Linda Abrams.* -cw CityWatch Vol 14 Issue 1 Pub: Jan 1, 2016 [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Message [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ab/063e-ab3b1ba1.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) ### [Nithya Raman Loses the Homelessness Gavel — Her Record Explains Why](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) THE BOTTOM LINE - Raman wants Los Angeles voters to promote her to mayor. Before handing her the keys to City Hall, v… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/063l-45ec6c05.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33179:californias-hidden-debt-bomb&catid=385) ### [California’s Hidden Debt Bomb](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33179:californias-hidden-debt-bomb&catid=385) THINK ABOUT IT - Let me tell you how it will be There's one for you, nineteen for me Cause I'm the taxman – The Beat… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/54/064j-54f0ecbd.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) ### [Be Prepared to Protect Our Democracy in November From a Trumpian Plot](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) BE AWARE - Back in the days when conservatives were so hungry for media platforms that they’d come on progressive shows… --- ## [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/063j.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33170:will-the-mayor-city-council-and-school-board-find-boldness-to-convert-empty-schools&catid=312)### [Will the Mayor, City Council and School Board Find Boldness to Convert Empty Schools?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33170:will-the-mayor-city-council-and-school-board-find-boldness-to-convert-empty-schools&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/062g.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33166:la-county-executive-job-candidates-new-and-old-sincere-and-opportunistic-are-lining-up&catid=312)### [LA County Executive Job: Candidates New and Old, Sincere and Opportunistic, are Lining Up](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33166:la-county-executive-job-candidates-new-and-old-sincere-and-opportunistic-are-lining-up&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/062n.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33169:shame-on-da-nathan-hochman-the-prosecution-of-lapd-officer-daniel-flores&catid=312)### [Shame on DA Nathan Hochman: The Prosecution of LAPD Officer Daniel Flores](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33169:shame-on-da-nathan-hochman-the-prosecution-of-lapd-officer-daniel-flores&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/061k.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33147:boyle-heights-warehouse-fire-lessons-learned&catid=312)### [Boyle Heights Warehouse Fire: Lessons Learned](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33147:boyle-heights-warehouse-fire-lessons-learned&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/061e.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33144:candidate-sara-rascon-takes-corporate-pac-check-breaks-promise&catid=312)### [Candidate Sarah Rascón Takes Corporate PAC Check, Breaks Promise ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33144:candidate-sara-rascon-takes-corporate-pac-check-breaks-promise&catid=312)