Our Call to Action
Dear LA County Board of Supervisors,
Los Angeles County is facing a pervasive and deepening crisis of homelessness. The numbers are staggering:
But, the numbers don’t begin to convey the human suffering we see every day on our streets, in our neighborhoods, in our parks and on our buses and trains. Enough is enough! We know how to get people off the street, but so far we have not been able to match the scale of the effort to help homeless people with the need. Let us wait no longer. Now is the time to gather the resources to effectively combat homelessness in LA County.
In early 2016, LA County and the City of LA worked together to craft comprehensive plans to reduce homelessness. The City of LA put Measure HHH on the November ballot to build permanent supportive housing for homeless people, and we heard the voters loud and clear with resounding 76% voter approval on Election Day this year. The County approved a Homeless Initiative with 47 strategies to prevent homelessness, subsidize housing, increase incomes, provide case management and services, create a coordinated system and increase affordable/homeless housing. In February, the County approved $100 million in one-time funding for the first year only. Now we need to go to the County voters, who care deeply about getting people off the street, for on-going funding.
Today, I stand alongside the 15,000 Angelenos who were at the 10th Annual HomeWalk who believe in ending homelessness in LA County. We support the Board of Supervisors in putting a measure before the voters to fund homeless services and housing through a sales tax. Additionally, as part of the solution, I pledge my support for these resources and those from HHH to be used in my home community to directly impact our most vulnerable neighbors. It’s the right thing for all of us to do!
Los Angeles County is facing a pervasive and deepening crisis of homelessness. The numbers are staggering:
- 47,000: the number of homeless people in LA County on any given night
- 6,000: the number of homeless families with children in LA County on any given night
- 4,000: the number of homeless veterans in LA County on any given night
- 13,000: the number of people receiving public assistance who become homeless each month
- 123%: the increase over the past three years in the number of homeless people living in encampments, tents and cars.
But, the numbers don’t begin to convey the human suffering we see every day on our streets, in our neighborhoods, in our parks and on our buses and trains. Enough is enough! We know how to get people off the street, but so far we have not been able to match the scale of the effort to help homeless people with the need. Let us wait no longer. Now is the time to gather the resources to effectively combat homelessness in LA County.
In early 2016, LA County and the City of LA worked together to craft comprehensive plans to reduce homelessness. The City of LA put Measure HHH on the November ballot to build permanent supportive housing for homeless people, and we heard the voters loud and clear with resounding 76% voter approval on Election Day this year. The County approved a Homeless Initiative with 47 strategies to prevent homelessness, subsidize housing, increase incomes, provide case management and services, create a coordinated system and increase affordable/homeless housing. In February, the County approved $100 million in one-time funding for the first year only. Now we need to go to the County voters, who care deeply about getting people off the street, for on-going funding.
Today, I stand alongside the 15,000 Angelenos who were at the 10th Annual HomeWalk who believe in ending homelessness in LA County. We support the Board of Supervisors in putting a measure before the voters to fund homeless services and housing through a sales tax. Additionally, as part of the solution, I pledge my support for these resources and those from HHH to be used in my home community to directly impact our most vulnerable neighbors. It’s the right thing for all of us to do!