"L.A. County supervisors want to bar "predatory" salespeople who they say prey on vulnerable residents seeking benefits from the region's social services offices. The supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to explore creating a "buffer zone" outside county offices, prohibiting certain types of "aggressive" solicitation toward people seeking food stamps and cash aid. County lawyers have two months to figure out what such a zone would look like."
""We are painfully aware of the ongoing allegations of fraud and the pay-to-sue tactics used to recruit clients and file lawsuits against the county," said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who announced she would push for the buffer zone after the Times investigation. "There must be greater accountability both to protect survivors seeking justice and to ensure that fraudulent claims and predatory solicitation are stopped at their source.""
"The looming follows a Times investigation that found seven people who said recruiters outside a social services office in South Los Angeles paid them to sue the county over sex abuse. Two more later told The Times they, too, were solicited for sex abuse lawsuits outside a county social services office in Long Beach, though they initially believed they were being recruited to be extras in a movie."
L.A. County supervisors unanimously voted to explore creating a buffer zone outside county social services offices to prohibit certain types of aggressive solicitation toward people seeking food stamps and cash aid. County lawyers have two months to define how such a zone would work. Seven people reported recruiters outside a South L.A. social services office paid them to sue the county over sexual abuse; two more reported similar solicitations outside a Long Beach office after believing they were being recruited as extras in a movie. Supervisor Janice Hahn said greater accountability is needed to protect survivors and stop fraudulent claims. The county operates more than 40 social services offices serving residents applying for food, housing and cash assistance, and officials expressed concern that predatory salespeople target vulnerable residents outside larger offices in poorer areas.
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