LA should pay $6.4 million for slow action on cleaning homeless camps, judge is told

Alleging more than a year of foot-dragging by Los Angeles officials, lawyers for a group of businesses and residents are asking a federal judge to fine the city nearly $6.4 million over its failure to live up to a nearly 2-year-old settlement agreement to clean up homeless camps.

The request for sanctions comes amid growing tension between the City Council and Mayor Karen Bass over her signature Inside Safe program, which allocates $250 million for outreach and motel rentals to clean up encampments.

Council members have grown concerned that the money going to temporary motel leases does not count toward the city's commitment in the