Councilmember Raman Statement On Recent Deaths In Sherman Oaks

For Immediate Release: January 25, 2023

COUNCILMEMBER NITHYA RAMAN STATEMENT ON RECENT DEATHS IN SHERMAN OAKS

LOS ANGELES — Today, Councilmember Nithya Raman issued the following statement: 

 This afternoon, our office was alerted to the death of an individual, believed to be unhoused, who was struck by a Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation truck in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. This comes on the heels of the passing of three individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the area in recent days, due to a range of causes about which we are still awaiting complete details. These are lives that mattered and we express our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of these individuals. 

The extraordinary danger that people without safe housing face every day is what brought me to public service. Our office has made significant investments in staff resources and contracts with service providers and interim housing providers to address this crisis, including a new team of health practitioners who now serve the Ventura Boulevard area. 

These deaths shed light on the gravity of our City’s homelessness crisis and why we must respond with urgency to bring people off the streets and into shelter. But no matter the cause, no life or death on the street is acceptable. We will keep pushing to do more until we are at zero.

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