Advocacy
The state of water access in Skid Row (and likely across Los Angeles County) is unconscionable and represents a major failure of our elected officials to keep Angelinos (and particularly unhoused Angelinos) safe.
Our team recently produced a policy brief (see below) assessing the state of water access in Skid Row and evaluating alternative interventions. We found that water resources in the Skid Row neighborhood were grossly inadequate. Coupled with evidence about rates of heat-related illness and mortality, impending rising temperatures, and experiences shared by residents in Skid Row, we concluded that the status quo presents a significant danger to our unhoused neighbors.
After comparing alternative interventions, we argue that water spigots are the best alternative because they provide the quantity of water needed for daily hydration, can be easily maintained, reduce barriers to access, and are permanent. Los Angeles needs a range of interventions to ensure that everyone has access to water, the most basic human need. However, we have seen no movement from local government representatives to ensure this.
We've created a toolkit to help spearhead efforts to push our elected officials to take this matter seriously. Help us out by using the resources on this page to contact the Council member for Skid Row, Ysabel Jurado, and your city council member.
In the long term, WDLA would no longer exist because systemic and policy changes have permanently addressed poverty, exploitation, and racism. Our primary advocacy objective is for the City of LA to install and maintain permanent water infrastructure in Skid Row.
Our secondary advocacy objective is to create a lasting coalition of organizations and individuals invested in ensuring water access for underserved residents in the region. We hope to train leaders within Skid Row’s unhoused community to advocate the changes they want to see with support from other coalition partners. An intermediate objective is to increase visibility, education, and mobilization around issues of water insecurity faced by urban residents. While water security will only fully be achieved through quality housing for all, efforts to improve public water infrastructure will provide a permanent source of large quantities of clean drinking water until that is achieved.
What You Can Do
Take a look at our Water for All LA toolkit (click here) for resources about contacting elected officials, or click any of the links below.
Email Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and urge them to increase water access in Skid Row
Call Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and urge them to increase water access in Skid Row
Email your council member/elected official and urge them to increase water access in your community
Call your council member/elected official and urge them to increase water access in your community
Submit written public comment urging the city council to take water access seriously
Email advocacy@waterdropla.org if you'd like to get more involved in these efforts.