The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $402 million spending plan Tuesday to widen and intensify its fight against homelessness.
The five-member board unanimously adopted dozens of recommendations for the second-year budget of Measure H, the voter-approved quarter-cent sales tax dedicated exclusively to providing services and programs to combat the homelessness crisis.
The budget includes $120 million for shelter and interim housing, $73 million for rapid re-housing, $49 million for permanent supportive housing and $30 million for outreach.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger praised the effectiveness of Measure H and Bridge to Home, an SCV homelessness service provider, in a press conference on Tuesday morning.
She also spoke on her experiences with Skid Row, and talking to constituents. She emphasized seeing the importance of the complexity of homelessness issues.
“If we are going to be successful in our mission to end homelessness and honor the votes of Los Angeles County when Measure H sunsets after 10 years, we must address the mental health component of homelessness,” Barger said at a press conference.
“We are seeing despair transition to hope,” Barger said in a press release. From housing to mental health care, I look forward to continuing our efforts to address every facet of the homelessness crisis.”
Measure H was passed by voters in March 2017, with services beginning the following July. In the nine months between then and March 2018, thousands of individuals and families have been helped.
The county has plans for an initial five-year goal of Measure H—to provide permanent housing for 45,000 families and individuals, while preventing an additional 30,000 from falling into homelessness.
Across the county, the measure has already helped 10,330 people entered crisis, bridge and interim housing funded in whole or in part by Measure H; 5,239 homeless families and individuals secure permanent housing; 2,195 clients participate in new Intensive Case Management Services slots for permanent supportive housing; 1,108 clients receive federal rental subsidies and 808 clients receive local rental subsidies.
The L.A. County Housing Authority also provided $880,686 in incentives to landlords to help secure 403 housing units for disabled homeless adults/families with a federal rental subsidy.
Countywide Benefits Entitlement Services Teams helped 5,703 disabled individuals with applications for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Disability Benefits.
Homeless service providers added more than 1,000 new jobs across the region to bolster the delivery system. The County is supporting the expansion through an online hub linking job seekers to non-profits at JobsCombattingHomelessness.org.
