Fed-up Angelenos launch private mental health push in Skid Row

Source: New York Post

A new player is charging into one of America’s rawest urban flashpoints — Skid Row, the 50-block pressure cooker in downtown Los Angeles where the city’s homelessness crisis thrives. The privately funded group, A New Era America, is formally launching its effort in Skid Row after quietly piloting its mental-health-first model for three years. Founder Samir Zakir, a Los Angeles County resident, says too many programs emphasize rapid housing placements without first stabilizing people experiencing severe trauma or psychosis.