Stop the Red Tape! Housing Advocates Wrap Los Angeles City Hall in 1,480-Foot Red Ribbon

Advocates blast City Hall’s attack on SROs, years-long permitting delays for housing, including its holding up 94 units of SRO housing at the Barclay Hotel for over 5 years

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Housing advocates from AHF’s Housing Is A Human Right (HHR) division, including over 100 advocates, will surround Los Angeles City Hall with 1,480 feet¹ of red ribbon—over one-quarter of a mile—(allowing for ingress and egress) to represent the City’s red tape creating years of delay providing permanent housing for homeless and low-income communities. The event is one of many events taking place across the nation on Oct. 21^st as part of the National Coalition for the Homeless’ second annual Housing NOW! National Day of Action.

WHAT:	‘STOP THE RED TAPE’ PROTEST: 100 housing advocates to wrap entire perimeter of City Hall building in RED TAPE
WHEN:	Wednesday, October 21 – starting at 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
	NOTE: Due to its large-scale logistics, the 100 advocates will gather to assemble the red tape ribbon at 11:00 a.m. However, the red tape ribbon should be more fully visible by 11:45 a.m.
WHERE:	Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street—MAIN STREET entrance, Los Angeles, CA 90012

“The City of Los Angeles is mired in red tape, jeopardizing the ability of low-income housing nonprofits to operate and house the City’s growing homeless population. A perfect example are the 94 units still vacant after five years at the Barclay low-income housing development, while awaiting City action to bring updated electricity to the building. Single Room Occupancy providers are either in trouble, such as SRO Corporation, or have disbanded, like Skid Row Housing Trust. This red tape event is part of a coordinated national action spearheaded by the National Coalition for the Homeless to demand government accountability in fast-track housing for our most vulnerable populations,” said Susie Shannon, Policy Director for Housing is a Human Right. “At a time when as many as six people die on the streets of Los Angeles every day, any delays in bringing permanent housing online immediately through adaptive reuse and new construction are unconscionable.”

As of the 2026 point-in-time count, there were more than 45,194 homeless individuals in the City of Los Angeles, an increase of 3.9%. The city remains far behind in the approval of building permits and the creation of new, affordable housing units.

¹ The Los Angeles City Hall building is 470 feet long and 270 feet wide, so 23 rolls of ribbon—66 ft per roll—will be used by 100+ advocates.