City officials clear large homeless encampment in Van Nuys near 405 Freeway through Inside Safe Program

Officials in Van Nuys are clearing a large homeless encampment in the San Fernando Valley near the 405 Freeway Thursday morning.

Members from several city departments and organizations were at the encampment managing the clean-up operations as well as connecting individuals with resources.   

"This is a notorious encampment. This is such a dangerous location," Bass said. "We cannot accept Angelenos living like this."     

The operation is part of the Inside Safe Program led by Mayor Karen Bass. It's an effort that aims to help tackle the homeless crisis in Los Angeles, focusing on providing temporary housing and connecting residents with supportive services to transition them towards permanent housing. 

According to the mayor's office, the goal of the program is to get people off the streets and keep them off the streets. Based on data from the program, over 1,000 people have been permanently housed through Inside Safe and over 4,300 people have been moved indoors.

The head of the Inside Safe Program said everyone who was living at the encampment "voluntarily" decided to come indoors. 

Bass explained that operations to clean up homeless encampments are very costly and the focus should be on providing housing opportunities instead.