GOOD MORNING. CHECK. CHECK. CAN
YOU HEAR ME? OKAY? GOOD. OKAY?
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE
SYMPHONY INFORMATIONAL OVERSIGHT
HEARING ON ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER FOUR
ON STATE ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS
OUR SECOND HEARING AND A SERIES
OF HEARINGS TO GATHER
INFORMATION ON HOW LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS ARE UTILIZING THE
HOMELESS HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND
PREVENTION PROGRAM, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS HAP. AND OTHER STATE
FUNDING TO SUPPORT REGIONAL
COORDINATION TO EXPAND OR
DEVELOP LOCAL CAPACITY TO
ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS
REGARDING HOMELESSNESS
CHALLENGES. WE LEARNED FROM OUR
SAN FRANCISCO HEARING THAT
NEARLY NEARLY 30% OF ALL PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
NATIONWIDE LIVE IN CALIFORNIA,
AND THAT ALLEY COUNTY IS HOME TO
NEARLY 40% OF THE STATE'S
POPULATION, WHICH SAW A 26%
INCREASE IN LATINO HOMELESS
POPULATION BETWEEN 2020 AND
2022. WE DISCUSSED THE SEVERE
SHORTAGE OF HOUSING THAT IS
AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE FOR
EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
, AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM SAN
FRANCISCO AND THE COUNTIES OF
SAN MATEO AND SANTA CLARA AND
HOW THEY WERE USING THEIR STATE
FUNDING TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF
HOMELESSNESS LIVING WITHIN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. TACKLING THE ISSUE
OF HOMELESSNESS IS A HUGE
UNDERTAKING AND ONE THAT WE IN
THE LEGISLATURE IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE GOVERNOR HAD BEEN
WORKING TO ADDRESS THROUGH
VARIOUS DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS,
SOME OF WHICH, IN THE PAST HAVE
BEEN SHORT TERM. AND SOME OF
WHICH WE HOPE IN THE FUTURE OR
LONG TERM. IN FACT, THERE HAS
BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENT
IN PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THIS
GROWING CONCERN. WE RECENTLY
PASSED A HISTORIC $12 BILLION
HOMELESSNESS PACKAGE AND THE 21
22 BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES ONE
BILLION TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS. FOR
EACH OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THIS
IS AFTER HAVING SPENT 13 BILLION
ON HOMELESSNESS BETWEEN 2018 AND
2020 ACROSS NINE STATE AGENCIES
THROUGH 41 PROGRAMS, ACCORDING
TO A PUBLICATION RELEASED BY THE
STANFORD UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF
ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH AND MAY
OF THIS YEAR. THAT SAME
PUBLICATION NOTES THAT
HOMELESSNESS COUNTS IN
CALIFORNIA ROSE BY 42% BETWEEN
2014 AND 2020, WHILE THE REST OF
THE COUNTRY HAD A 9% DECREASE ON
ANY GIVEN NIGHT. THE STATE HAS
MORE THAN 100 AND 60,000
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. HERE IN
OUR REGION, THE LOS ANGELES
HOMELESS SERVICES AUTHORITY,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS LHASA,
RELEASED RECENTLY RELEASED THE
RESULTS OF THE 2022 HOMELESS
COUNT, ACCORDING TO LHASA
REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. THE
RESULTS OF THE FIVE THE RESULTS
OF THE POINT IN TIME COUNT
CONDUCTED OVER THREE NIGHTS IN
FEBRUARY, WHICH MY TEAM AND I
PARTICIPATED IN ESTIMATED THAT
69,144 PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND L, A COUNTY
ALONE AND AT THAT TIME THIS WAS
A 4.4 POINT. 1% RISE FROM 2020.
AND 41,980. PEOPLE WERE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. UP 1.7%
CLOSER 2% FROM 2020. JUST TO
NOTE A COUNT WAS NOT CONDUCTED
IN 2021 DUE TO THE COVID
PANDEMIC. OF THOSE PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ABOUT 29,000
IDENTIFY AS LATINO. THIS IS A
26% RISE SINCE 2020 GIVEN THESE
STATISTICS AND THE GROWING
NUMBER OF HOMELESSNESS AND CAMP
MINTS THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE
ACROSS THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
AND VARIOUS OTHER DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES ACROSS L, A COUNTY.
WE ARE SEEING POP UPS ACROSS THE
STATE. THE PRESSURE IS RAPIDLY
GROWING. FOR US TO FIX THIS
PROBLEM, BOTH ON THE LOCAL
LEVEL. AND ON A STATE LEVEL. I
AM VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE DISCUSSION HERE TODAY TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INNER
AGENCY CROSS SECTOR APPROACH
MADE BY THE COUNTY AND THE CITY
OF LOS ANGELES TO PREVENT AND
ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. SEVERAL OF
MY COLLEAGUES ARE ON THEIR WAY
IN, THEY WILL HAVE DIFFERENT
QUESTIONS FOR OUR PANELISTS, AND
WE HOPE THAT THEY ARRIVED.
SHORTLY. AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE
. I JUST WANT TO KNOW I GREW UP
IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. I
GREW UP TAKING WHAT WAS THEN THE
RTD BUS. NOW THE NOW THE M T A
AND SAW THE INCREASE OF
HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY ACROSS
SKID ROW. AND EVEN AS A CHILD, I
WOULD ASK MYSELF WHAT HAPPENED?
HOW IS THIS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?
THAT YEAR WAS PROBABLY PERHAPS
1989 1990. WHEN I WAS ABOUT NINE
OR 10 YEARS OLD. AND I'M 42 NOW.
AND I ONLY SEE THIS PROBLEM HAS
GROWN. AND WHILE WE HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
STATE TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE
FUNDS ONCE THE STATE RELEASED
THOSE FUNDS IT'S REALLY UP TO
THE COUNTY AND THE AGENCIES AND
THE CITY TO DO THE WORK
NECESSARY. BUT WHAT MANY FOLKS
HAVE SAID ACROSS MY COMMUNITY IS
THAT THEY'RE NOT SEEING A
CHANGE. AND SO WITH THAT WE'RE
GOING TO GET STARTED WITH OUR
PANELISTS. AND OUR GOAL TODAY IS
TO FIND OUT WHAT WORKS. WHAT
DOESN'T WORK. WHAT ARE THE
PROGRAMS THAT ARE HELPING FOLKS
AND WHAT COULD WE BE DOING
BETTER? MOST IMPORTANTLY,
ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND
ESPECIALLY ON STATE DOLLARS. HOW
IS L? A COUNTY, THE BIGGEST
COUNTY WITHIN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA OUT OF THE 58? HOW
ARE THOSE INVESTMENTS BEING
UTILIZED ON THE GROUND? SO LET'S
GET STARTED OUR FIRST PANEL, A
HISTORY OF SKID ROW AND
HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES,
DOCTOR DIJANA DOSSIER, THE
CHANCELLOR, POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
LOS ANGELES.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME AND
JUST PRESS THE LITTLE BUTTON ON
YOUR MIC. HI GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME. UM MY NAME IS
DR DIJON. A DOZIER CHANCELLORS
POSTDOC AT U C L A, UM I AM ALSO
FROM LOS ANGELES, UM, AND HAVE
BEEN STUDYING THIS PROBLEM FOR
NOW, OVER A DECADE, AND SO I'M
HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES HAS
PASSED AND HOW THAT INFLUENCES
ARE PRESENT. UM AND BEFORE I
BEGIN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM
WE ARE ON THE SACRED LAND OF THE
TONGA AND GABRIELLA. NO PEOPLE
AND THAT HISTORY IS CRUCIAL TO
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEMS OF
HOMELESSNESS IN L A TODAY. UM.
AND AS ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MITCH IN
THE LOS ANGELES AT PRESENT,
RIGHT IS EXPERIENCING GROWTH. UM
INCREASES IN HOMELESSNESS AND
THE STATISTICS PRESENTED EARLIER
. REALLY UM, HAVE BEEN
CHALLENGED BY MANY OTHER PEOPLE
, SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS
SAYING THAT THIS, UM FIGURE OF
69,000 HOMELESS PEOPLE AND ALEC
COUNTY INDEED MIGHT BE VERY
CONSERVATIVE AND HAVE QUESTIONED
WHETHER OR NOT THIS COUNT IS AN
ACTUAL ACCURATE REPRESENTATION
OF THE GROWING HOMELESSNESS.
WE'RE SEEING ACROSS L. A COUNTY
IN FACT, UM THE ECONOMIC
ROUNDTABLE HAS DISCUSSED IN
THEIR REPORT ON BLOCKED OUT, YOU
GUYS. THANKS UH, IN FACT, THE
ECONOMIC ROUNDTABLE HAS
DISCUSSED IN THEIR REPORT LOCKED
OUT, UM, THAT AMONG WORKING AGE
ADULT THEY PROJECT BASED ON
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FROM THIS
YEAR AND POTENTIAL UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES NEXT YEAR, THE
HOMELESSNESS AND WORKING AGE
ADULTS WOULD INCREASE BY 15% IN
2023. MEANING THAT OUR CURRENT
NUMBERS, UM COULD BE MUCH HIGHER
AND IN ADDITION TO THOSE FOR
NEXT YEAR. AND OF COURSE, KID
ROW IS ARE GROUND ZERO FOR THIS
ISSUE, UM, SKID ROWS OF 50 BLOCK
NEIGHBORHOOD OF 18,000 RESIDENTS
OF ROUGHLY 8000 LIVE ON THE
STREETS. UM 15,000 LIVRES AND
TEMPORARY HOUSING, UM, SUCH AS
RESIDENTIAL HOTELS. UM AND SKID
ROW CONTAINS ROUGHLY 40% OF
SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING.
AND LOS ANGELES. NEARLY HALF OF
THE RESIDENTS ARE BLACK, RIGHT
AND BLACK PEOPLE REPRESENT AND
LATINO REPRESENT AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF THE IN HOUSE
POPULATION IN 2008 SKID ROW WAS
DEEMED THE MOST HIGHLY POLICE
COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTRY AND
THIS IS THE LARGEST AND LONGEST
ENCAMPMENT IN CALIFORNIA. AND
MAYBE ALSO IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE'RE IN. HOW DID WE GET HERE
? HOW DO WE GET TO OVERWHELMING
HOMELESSNESS AND GRAVE
INEQUALITY? AND WE CAN ONLY
UNDERSTAND THIS BUT
UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDING OF
LOS ANGELES OF FOUNDING BASED ON
COLONIAL VIOLENCE, RIGHT. THE
SETTLING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
THE ORIGINATORS OF THIS LAND
THAT RESULTED IN VARIOUS KINDS
OF SYSTEMS. UM THAT WORKED TO
DISPOSSESS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF
THIS LAND. A COUPLE OF THOSE
SYSTEMS ARE LAWS AND PRACTICES
SUCH AS VAGRANCY, LAWS AND JAILS
THAT WORK TO NOT ONLY
DISPOSSESSED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
BUT TO SETTLE ONTO THEIR LAND.
THESE KINDS OF SYSTEMS. OH UM,
WELL, WE'RE WELCOMED OR USE
AMONG THE SEASONAL LABOR. UM
LABORERS THAT CAME TO THE
AMERICAN WEST UPON THE FOUNDING
OF L A THROUGH OUR RAILWAY AND
FOUND THEMSELVES IN DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES. UM IN THE TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING THAT WE SEE THERE, IN
ADDITION TO THE VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS AND CHARITY
ORGANIZATIONS THAT SET UP THAT
WERE SET UP TO SUPPORT THESE, UM
POPULATIONS, AND SO THEY GET
THESE LAWS, RIGHT? UM TO MANAGE
THOSE WHO ARE NOT WORKING OR
MANAGE THOSE WHO WEREN'T TOWARDS
THE SETTLER, COLONIAL VISION OF
LOS ANGELES, IN ADDITION TO
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND CHARITY
ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE FOUNDATION
THAT NOT ONLY MAKES DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES BUT ARE THE FOUNDATIONS
OF OUR ONGOING CONDITIONS OF LOS
ANGELES? SO WHEN WE CONSIDER
THAT WE ARE PREDOMINANTLY
SERVICE ECONOMY, UM, THAT IS
CENTERED AROUND LOW WAGE WORK,
IN ADDITION TO INCREASE URBAN
REVITALIZATION AND RENEWAL THAT
HAS MADE OUR HOUSING STOCK I'M
GROSSLY UNAFFORDABLE. THESE ARE
THE KINDS OF CONDITIONS THAT ARE
OF OUR PAST THAT DEEPENED IN OUR
PART OF OUR PRESENT THAT DEEPEN
REGIONAL INEQUALITY. IN ADDITION
, THE VAGRANCY LAWS THAT I
MENTIONED JUST RECENTLY SPILL
INTO OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS WITH
THE ANTI HOMELESSNESS LAWS THAT
ROUTINELY, UM POLICE INCARCERATE
AS UM, UM, ON THE HOUSE PEOPLE
IN LOS ANGELES AND SO WHEN WE
CONSIDER THESE CONDITIONS, WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THIS
MIGHT INFLUENCE. UM, UM,
HOMELESSNESS BUDGETING TODAY,
AND SO I DO WANT TO MENTION
BRIEFLY, THE ROLE OF SKID ROW
AND PARTICULAR AS THE EPICENTER
OF HOW WE CAN THINK ABOUT THIS
HISTORICAL PROBLEMS. AS YOU CAN
SEE ON THIS MAP. THIS MAP
REPRESENTS 1976 IN LOS ANGELES
AND DOWNTOWN. L A. AS YOU CAN
SEE THERE. THERE'S A BIG BLUE
PORTION AND ORANGE SECTION AND
THEN THE YELLOW SECTION. THOSE
REPRESENT THE VARIOUS
REDEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WERE
HAPPENING IN THE 19 SEVENTIES
AND THEN YOU SEE WHAT IS SKID
ROW. THIS MAP REPRESENTS THE
CAN'T TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES
AROUND OUR ONGOING CONDITIONS.
THE FEAR, UM, OF REDEVELOPMENT
AND THE EXPANSION OF
REDEVELOPMENT. AND SO HERE, THE
FEAR OF REDEVELOPMENT, UM IN THE
19 SEVENTIES WAS THAT IT WOULD
WIPE OUT THE KINDS OF HOUSING
CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
SUPPORTED POOR LABORERS AND
THOSE WHO WERE HOMELESS. AND SO
THE FEAR OF REDEVELOPMENT, UM
CAN PUT PUSH PEOPLE TO COME
TOGETHER WITH DEVELOPERS TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF
WE KIND OF QUELL OR REDUCE THE
GOODIES THAT WOULD PRODUCE AN
ADDITION WITH DEVELOPERS CAME TO
THE TABLE. TO THINK ABOUT HOW
THEY COULD EXPAND DEVELOPMENT
AND END WITH THAT CAME THE 1976
CONTAINMENT POLICY, A POLICY
THAT SOUGHT TO CONTAIN POOR
PEOPLE THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES AND TO A 15 BLOCK RADIUS
THAT WE NOW CONSIDERED TODAY.
THIS INCLUDED THE ROUTINE
POLICING. OF SKID ROW WITHIN THE
BORDERS AND AROUND IT AS WELL AS
MOVING CERTAIN UM SOCIAL
SERVICES AND CHARITY
ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THIS AREA
CONTAINMENT, SO SOME OF US MAY
KNOW OF THIS HISTORY, BUT THIS
HISTORY IS AGAIN ROOTED WITHIN
THESE ONGOING CONDITIONS OF OUR
PAST OF REVITALIZATION THAT
DEEPENED REGIONAL INEQUALITY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO OFFER A
FEW THINGS ABOUT HOW WE CAN
LEARN FROM OUR PAST THAT I THINK
CAN BE USEFUL. BASED ON MY
RESEARCH ON UNDERSTANDING HOW
HOMELESS PEOPLE THEMSELVES HAVE
WORKED TO INTERVENE AND SOME OF
THE INEQUALITY THAT THEY FACE,
UM OVER TIME. AND SO I'VE
LEARNED SEVERAL LESSONS. ONE IS
THAT WE SHOULDN'T INCLUDE IN
HOUSE PEOPLE IN THE BUDGETING.
THAT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING
PRACTICES DO HAVE BEEN THINGS
THAT HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVE FOUGHT
FOR, AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
UNHEALTHY PEOPLE OVER TIME IN
OUR CITY'S HISTORY HAVE FOUGHT
FOR US TO BUILD COOPERATIVE
COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP MODELS,
RIGHT, NOT JUST PUTTING PEOPLE
IN UNITS RIGHT BUT HAVE GIVEN
THEM A SENSE OF BELONGING. THAT
WHERE THEY HAVE COLLECTIVE
OWNERSHIP OVER LOS ANGELES
CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS. AS I
MENTIONED VAGRANCY LAWS ARE THE
ROOT RIGHT OF COLONIAL SETTLER
COLONIALISM HERE AND CONTINUE
INTO THE ANTI HOMELESSNESS LAWS
THAT WE THAT WE STILL IMPLEMENT
TODAY, SO OUR CITY COUNCIL JUST
IMPLEMENTED 41 REALLY FIRED. 41
18 DE CRIMINALIZING REMOVING
THESE LAWS CONSIDERING OTHER
WAYS TO BUILD INTO
TRANSFORMATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
WAS SUPPORT HOMELESS PEOPLE AND
THESE ARE THE PRACTICES THAT
HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE FOUGHT FOR.
STOPPING ENCAMPMENT DISPLACES
ARE CRITICAL. THE ECHO PARK
RESEARCH COLLECTIVE DISCUSSED
HOW THE DISPLACEMENT OF THAT
ENCAMPMENT, UM LAST YEAR
RESULTED IN SEVEN DEATHS RIGHT
AND LET AND IN A LIMITED AMOUNT
OF PLACEMENT WITHIN THE KINDS OF
HOUSING CONSTRUCT INFRASTRUCTURE
HERE. SO STOPPING ENCAMPMENT
DISPLACEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT. OF
FUNDING TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMS
. OVER TIME IN MY RESEARCH ARE
FOUND THAT HOUSED PEOPLE WANTED
NOT JUST PROGRAMS THAT HELP
THEM, UH, SURVIVE, BUT PROGRAMS
THAT HELP THEM HAVE A SENSE OF
BELONGING PROGRAMS THAT HELP
THEM, UM GAVE THEM A SENSE OF
BEING AND THIS INCLUDED LIFE
FULFILLING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
RIGHT THAT ALLOWED THEM TO EXIST
WITHIN PUBLIC SPACE. RIGHT AND
HAVE A SENSE OF AUTONOMY. IN
ADDITION OF RE READ AND
RESEARCHED HOW HOMELESS PEOPLE
HAVE FOUGHT FOR CREATIVE SPACES
AND ARTISTRY AS THINGS THAT THAT
THAT THEY NEED, AND THIS IS
CRITICAL FOR THINKING ABOUT HOW
WE MIGHT FUN AND INVEST IN THOSE
KINDS OF SPACES, AND THEN,
LASTLY, SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT
THAT I'VE LEARNED FROM OUR PAST.
IS DECARCERATION THAT IF WE
CONSIDER THAT OUR OUR JAILS ARE
VERY MUCH CONNECTED TO THE
REVOLVING DOOR THAT PEOPLE
EXPERIENCE IN OUR SHELTER BEDS
AND ON THE STREETS THROUGH THE
COUNTY HOSPITALS IN VARIOUS
THINGS THAT REALLY MAKE UP
HOMELESSNESS, AND WE HAVE TO
CONSIDER THAT PEOPLE HOMELESS
PEOPLE INDEED EXPERIENCE
INCARCERATION, NOT JUST IN THE
JAIL CELL. BUT THROUGH OUR
SHELTERS THROUGH OUR THROUGH OUR
HOSPITALS AND TO CONSIDER TO
DIVESTING FROM THESE MORE
PUNITIVE PRACTICES THAT THEY
EXPERIENCE AND SO I'LL LEAVE US
WITH THEIR THEIR SERVICE.
SEVERAL REFERENCES AND I'M HAPPY
TO, UM, PROVIDE ANY QUESTIONS OR
ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
DASHER, MY SENIOR. THE DOSSIER.
MY APOLOGIES. UM I DO IF YOU
WANT TO JUST STAY SEATED FOR A
COUPLE OF MOMENTS AND WANT TO
WELCOME MY COLLEAGUE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THREE OF US FOR
COMING COMING. AND ALSO IF YOU
HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS AS WELL
AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF
YOU THAT ARE HERE AND THOSE OF
YOU THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE. UM
I'D LIKE TO JUST MAYBE TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT UM HOW
DOES THE COUNTY BASED ON YOUR
STUDIES AND THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES BEST MANAGE AND
CABINETS? UM I'M GLAD THAT YOU
BROUGHT UP THE ECHO PARK
SITUATION EVEN BEFORE THE, UM.
THE SITUATION THAT ESCALATED
WITH AN ECHO PARK. THERE WERE
REPORTS OUT OF ECHO PARK THAT UH
, SOME PEOPLE WERE BEING
TRAFFICKED. THERE WERE. CONCERNS
ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE. THERE WAS
IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THERE WAS
A YOUNG WOMAN THAT PASSED AWAY
DUE TO AN OVERDOSE IN ECHO PARK.
WELL WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT A
HUMANE APPROACH TO YOUR POINT.
AND HOW DO WE HELP THOSE WITH
SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES,
AS WELL AS THOSE WITH SEVERE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, WHICH IS A
DISEASE THAT NEEDS TO BE
TREATED. WHAT IS FROM WHAT
YOU'VE SEEN AND YOUR RESEARCH.
WHAT IS THE BEST METHODOLOGY AND
DOING THAT? AND DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT THE COUNTY HAS THE
RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
APPROPRIATELY? YEAH I WOULD SAY
RIGHT SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS
HAPPENING EVERYWHERE WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN VERY WEALTHY HOMES
RIGHT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING
ON OUR STREETS. AND SO I THINK
THERE IS OFTEN A FIXATION ON, UM
, SUBSTANCE YOUTH AS AS
PRIMARILY IMPORT ISSUE, AND IT'S
ACTUALLY LARGER THAN THAT. AND
SO I WANT TO GROUND THAT AS
THINKING ABOUT THEN WHAT IS
HUMANE IS ACTUALLY THINKING
ABOUT THAT THERE'S REAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND COMMUNAL AND
LARGER RACIAL HISTORIES THAT ARE
WHAT INFLUENCES SUBSTANCE USE.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I STUDIED A
GREAT DEAL OF HOW THE UNITED
AMERICAN INDIAN INVOLVEMENT
CENTER FOCUSED ON BUILDING
ALCOHOL RECOVERY PROGRAMS THAT
WERE BASED IN THEIR INDIGENOUS
CITY AS A WAY TO DEAL WITH THE
ISSUE OF ALCOHOLISM, WHICH AS IF
WE KNOW HISTORY OF WHERE
STUDENTS OF HISTORY WE KNOW THAT
ALCOHOLISM AND INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO
COLONIAL VIOLENCE AND GENOCIDE.
ALRIGHT SO WHEN WE CONSIDER THE
LARGER THESE LARGER ISSUES WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT CREATING NON
PUNITIVE PROGRAMS RIGHT THAT.
NOT THAT HEART THAT GET BACK TO
PEOPLE'S CULTURAL ROOTS AS A
CRITICAL PART OF THAT PRACTICE
OF WHAT WE CAN DO FOR PEOPLE ON
THE ON THE END ON THE FRONT END
OF SUBSTANCE TO USE AND THEN
INTERRUPTING INEQUALITY. RIGHT
SO I THINK WHEN IT COMES, CAME
TO THE ECHO PARK LAKE, UM,
ENCAMPMENT. THE GOAL WAS TO THIS
ULTIMATELY WHAT MANY PEOPLE
FOUND THROUGH THE USE LÀ
INSTITUTE FOR ANY EQUALITY AND
DEMOCRACY IS THAT THE PEOPLE
ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED AND FELT
LIKE THEY EXPERIENCED
DISPLACEMENT AND THEY WEREN'T
ACTUALLY PLACED INTO UM, KIND OF
HOUSING THAT WAS ACTUALLY
SUITING THEIR OVERALL WELL NEED
. THEY WERE JUST UNITS OR
TEMPORARY AND SO GOING BACK TO
THESE KINDS OF IDEAS OF LIKE DO
WE? DO WE CONSIDER THAT IF THE
UNIT THROUGH HH HH COST EVERY
UNIT ALMOST THROUGH H H H COST
$700,000 TO BUILD. UM THAT'S A
HOME IN LOS ANGELES. UM JUST
JUST SHORT UNDER A HOME IN LOS
ANGELES. SO HOW DO WE CONSIDER
THEN DEVELOPING SO THAT PEOPLE
HAVE A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER
THEIR SPACE ON OWNERSHIP OVER
WHERE THEY LIVE? SO I THINK IT'S
JUST RETHINKING. UM THE KINDS OF
SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE IS NOT
JUST WE NEED TO GET NUMBERS OFF
THE STREETS AND INTO WHAT'S
AVAILABLE. WE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT HOW? HOW CAN PEOPLE HAVE
HOME RIGHT? NOT JUST A UNIT OR
SHELTER. AND I THINK SO WE HAVE
TO GET TO THAT BOTTOM ROUTE IN
TERMS OF WHAT IS HUMANE
DISPLACEMENT. I THINK IF YOU
DON'T HANDLE THOSE LARGER THINGS
OF RACIAL INEQUALITY, BASED ON,
UM, EMPLOYMENT BASED ON HOUSING
, THEN YOU WERE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO SOLVE. WHY IS IT THAT
THE CAMERON IS THERE IN THE
FIRST PLACE? SO THAT'S WHERE I'M
SEEING. I SAW A GREAT DEAL OVER
HISTORY HOW PEOPLE AND HOUSE
PEOPLE THEMSELVES HAVE WORKED TO
ADDRESS THOSE LARGER ISSUES
RIGHT. THAT GOT IT, TOO, THAT
THE ROOT OF WHERE THEY WERE THE
NONPROFIT THAT YOU MENTIONED
WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY NOT ASSOCIATED WITH L,
A COUNTY. SO THAT'S AN
INDEPENDENT, NONPROFIT DOING
THEIR OWN WORK, RIGHT? IS THERE
A PROGRAM THAT YOU RUN INTO? OR
THAT YOU'VE RESEARCHED AND
STUDIED? ACTUALLY WITHIN LOS
ANGELES COUNTY. UM THE CONTINUUM
OF CARE THAT YOU THINK HAVE A
SIMILAR APPROACH OR THAT HAVE
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THAT MANNER.
WELL YOU AI IS ACTUALLY JUST
SOME BLOCKS AWAY. THEY'RE
LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.
SO THEY'RE IN THE CITY OF L. A
UM AND, UM THEY WOULD BE GREAT
TO TALK TO YOU. I THINK AGAIN.
MY PERSPECTIVE IS FROM, UM, THE
PERSPECTIVE AND RESEARCHERS FROM
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE SO I CAN'T
POINT TO YOU TO LIKE. SEVERAL
PROGRAMS CURRENTLY, BUT I CAN
TALK TO YOU ABOUT TALK TO YOU
ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS FOR PEOPLE
HOW THEY ORGANIZED AROUND THAT.
AND WHAT HAPPENED, SO I HOPE
THAT YES, VERY HELPFUL. THANK
YOU. UM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
FOR HOLDING THIS BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE HERE IN LOS ANGELES
. UH YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM ALL OF
THE PANELISTS, AND I WANT TO
THANK DR DOSSIER. I'M SORRY. I
DON'T WANT TO PRONOUNCE, UM, FOR
PROVIDING UM, THIS HISTORY AND,
YOU KNOW, TURN IT OF SOLUTIONS
THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT
AS WE'RE SETTING POLICY AND ALSO
, YOU KNOW, MAKING DECISIONS ON
HOW TO INVEST STATE FUNDS THAT
TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS. SO THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE AND TAKING
THE TIME TO DO THIS FOR ME.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND
11 FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU,
DOCTOR. THE HISTORY OF SKID ROW
, RIGHT STEMS ALSO TO VERY
CLEARLY TO YOUR POINT ON
DISPLACEMENT, COLONIALISM,
INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM. IT
STARTED OFF AS AS WHAT WAS LIKE
A VERY, VERY POOR NEIGHBORHOOD
OF DISPLACED NATIVE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
HERE IN LOS ANGELES. THAT HAS
GROWN TO NOW BE. THE EPICENTER
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FOR
HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
ETCETERA, YOU NAME IT. IT'S
THERE. CHILDREN THAT ARE ALSO
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
FAMILIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. UM AND IT SEEMS TO
ONLY GET BIGGER. UM. ANY ADVICE
BASED ON YOUR RESEARCH IN TERMS
OF AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE
PEOPLE ON THE GROUND THAT ARE
DOING EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY
CAN EVERY DAY TO BE SUPPORTIVE
TO BE HELPFUL. BUT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, THERE'S ALSO
LIKE THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS THAT HAS
LED US DECADES. FOLKS LIVING ON
ON ON THE STREETS. YOU BROUGHT
UP A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT
TEMPORARY PLACEMENT, AND SO IF
SOMEONE THAT IS EXPERIENCING
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT
LIVING ON THE STREET FOR YEARS,
IF NOT DECADES, VERY CHALLENGING
TO PUT THIS INDIVIDUAL THEN INTO
AN ISOLATED ROOM. AH STUDIO
APARTMENT. AWAY FROM THE
COMMUNITY THAT THEY'VE BEEN
ACCUSTOMED TO AND WHERE THEY
FEEL SAFE. HOW BASED ON WHAT
YOU'VE SEEN. WHAT IS WHAT IS
THEN THE APPROPRIATE OR WHAT
WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE
RESPONSE THAT MAYBE L. A COUNTY
NEEDS TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR
INDIVIDUALS THAT EXPERIENCING
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS VERSUS
THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY
PERHAPS BEEN DISPLACED BECAUSE
THEIR RENTS ARE TOO HIGH. THEY
CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN ECHO
PARK ANYMORE. THEY'RE LIVING IN
THEIR CARS, VARIOUS DIFFERENT
UM, SITUATIONS? YEAH. I MEAN, I
WOULD SAY THAT THE PICTURE OF
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IS VERY
LAYERED RIGHT PEOPLE. SOMEONE
CAN BE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, BUT
THEY'RE MOVING BETWEEN SHELTER
TO ST Tð. RESIDENTIAL HOTEL AS
SORROW HOSPITAL RIGHT THAT THE
KIND OF, UM MOVEMENT IT'S
CYCLING THAT REVOLVING DOOR WE
TALK ABOUT IS EVER PRESENT RIGHT
AND CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS. UM SO
I JUST WANT TO TAKE GROUND THAT
AND THEN THE THIS IS SKID ROW AS
A CHILD TO MAKE A CONNECTION TO
IS PART OF OUR THE SORT OF
FOUNDATION OF THE WAYS THAT WE
DEAL WITH ISSUES OF
UNEMPLOYMENT, RIGHT? THE
TEMPORARY HOUSING TO THE KINDS
OF WE HAVE LAWSON NOW, RIGHT? WE
HAVE VARIOUS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR
EVEN RIGHT. SHELTERS AND IN THE,
UM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO
SUPPORT THIS PROBLEM. AND WHILE
THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING IT,
JUST GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS OF
OUR COUNTRY, RIGHT? UM IT IS. IT
IS AGAIN NOT SEEING THAT THE
LARGER ISSUE THAT UM AND HOUSED
PEOPLE ARE BOTH PEOPLE WITHOUT
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORK AND OR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN, UM YOU
KNOW FROM GREATER RACIAL
HISTORIES, UM, EXPERIENCE GREAT
INEQUALITY, SO I FEEL I FEEL AS
THOUGH IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UM,
SKID ROW AS A LARGER COMPLEX
RIGHT THAT NOT ONLY JUST NOT
ONLY JUST TRYING TO SERVE PEOPLE
AND SUPPORT PEOPLE, BUT ALSO
HELPS TO UPLIFT OTHER ANY
QUALITY IN OUR IN OUR CITY. SO I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
BUT SKID ROW WORKS TO SUPPORT
INEQUALITY AS MUCH AS UM, IT IS
TO HELP PEOPLE SURVIVE, AND SO
WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THOSE
LARGER ISSUES OF EVERYONE
DESERVES NOT JUST THAT UNIT A
ROOF, RIGHT? BUT THEY DESERVE
HOME IN A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND
WELL BEING AND COMMUNITY ALSO
WITH THE PERFORMATIVE PERMANENT,
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THOSE PLACEMENTS, UM UM
SOME OF THOSE PLACEMENTS WITH
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. UM. UM OFTEN DON'T. UM THIS IS
FROM OUR RESEARCH, WORKING WITH
UM ANDRE MARIE HANCOCK ALFARO AT
USC, UM AND AS WELL AS SOME
COLLEAGUES THAT YOU SEE A LIGHT
HAVE WORKED TO DISCUSS. HOW THE
PLACEMENTS FOR PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING HAD NOT
CONSIDERED THE WANTON NEEDS OF
UNHAPPY PEOPLE, AND SO OFTEN,
PEOPLE WERE BEING PLACED IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY DIDN'T
HAVE AN AFFINITY TO PERMANENT,
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SO AGAIN, I
THINK IT'S JUST GOING BACK TO
THE HOLISTIC NEEDS OF EACH
PERSON AS WELL AS CREATING SENSE
OF OWNERSHIP AND COLLECTIVITY.
THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO TAKE
THIS MOMENT TO WELCOME
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JOHN SAWYER FOR
JOINING US. FOR THIS VERY
IMPORTANT HEARING ON ALI COUNTY
AND THE CITY OF LEON HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE
TO SAY A FEW WORDS, PLEASE LET
ME KNOW. PRESIDENT DESIGN. SO
COME JANUARY. UM 1ST 2023
ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, 59 WILL
EXPAND TO INCLUDE SKID ROW. SO
THIS OBVIOUSLY WILL BE A MAJOR
PART OF WHAT I WOULD BE WORKING
ON. OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS ON
HOMELESSNESS. UM I AM
FRUSTRATED. UM, FRUSTRATED TO
THE POINT OF. JUST REALLY
LOOKING AT ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES. WHAT PROGRAMS WORK?
I'M TIRED OF LISTENING TO WHAT
DOESN'T WORK. I WANT TO SUPPORT
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE VERY
SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING PEOPLE OFF
THE STREET INTO SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING. AND I'M TIRED OF
EXCUSES. AND, UM. I WOULD EVEN
RECOMMEND THAT WE DO NOT FUND
PROGRAMS THAT DON'T WORK ANYMORE
, AND THAT WE OVER FRONT
PROGRAMS THAT ARE VERY
SUCCESSFUL. WE'VE GOT JUST STOP.
JUST STOP LETTING THIS IF I
DRIVE DOWN THE STREET, I JUST
PARKED IN THE BACK OF THIS
BUILDING. AND SAW TENTS OF
PEOPLE THAT MEN THAT LOOK LIKE
ME. INTENSE AND. PROBABLY TELL
I'M A LITTLE INFURIATED SEEING
PEOPLE OF COLOR SEEING WOMEN
CHILDREN. UM OUT ON THE STREET.
UM THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS. YOU
NEED TO BE TREATED AS SUCH, AND
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO
GET THIS DONE. AND THOSE THAT
HAVE I HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT, AND
I WILL WORK WITH CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE. TO MAKE SURE THAT.
THAT NOT ONLY DID IT PROVIDED
THE FUNDING BECAUSE I DON'T
THINK MONEY IS THE PROBLEM RIGHT
NOW IS THE WILL TO GET IT DONE.
WE'LL SIT HERE AND WE'LL SAY
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ELECTRIC
CARS BY 2030. BUT WE WON'T SAY
WELL, SECURE HOMELESSNESS BY A
CERTAIN TIME WE NEED TO STEP
TIMELINES. WE NEED TO MAKE THIS
A SERIOUS PRIORITY. MAYBE THEY
MAKE IT. UM SOMETHING THAT
EVERYBODY IT'S GONNA ROAD. IN
THE SAME DIRECTION TO GET THIS
DONE, SO I'M HERE. HOPEFULLY TO
HERE. UM THE SECOND PART OF THIS
HOMELESS OPPORTUNITIES, BUT
ACCOUNTABILITY. IS WHAT I REALLY
WANT TO HEAR TODAY. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
THANK YOU, DOCTOR DOSSIER.
APPRECIATE IT. SO UH, THIS LAST
BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT THE
NEXT PANEL UM, WE HAD AN
UNPRECEDENTED BUDGET THIS LAST
BUDGET CYCLE AND ONE OF THE
REASONS THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE
THE SERIES OF HEARINGS ACROSS
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THIS
BEING THE SECOND IS THE
INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT AS I
MENTIONED IN MY EARLIER REMARKS
BEING DONE TO ADDRESS THIS VERY
THIS VERY ISSUE. UM ADDITIONALLY
, UM, THE GOOD DOCTOR REMINDED
ME OF THE FUNDING THAT THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA IS PUTTING FORWARD
WHEN IT COMES TO ENCAMPMENTS AND
CLEAN UP AND SUPPORT $48 MILLION
TO HELP PEOPLE LIVING IN
ENCAMPMENTS AND TRANSITION INTO
HOUSING. LOS ANGELES COUNTY IS
TO RECEIVE. IT'S THE BIGGEST
SHARE 14.96 MILLION TO SERVE 500
WOMEN AND FAMILIES LIVING IN THE
SKID ROW AREA OF LOS ANGELES.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY 11 MILLION TO
HELP 202 100 PERSONS EXPERIENCE
HOMELESSNESS AT THE SANTA ANA
RIVER BOTTOM ACROSS SEVERAL
COMMUNITIES. THE CITY AND COUNTY
OF SAN FRANCISCO. 10.85 MILLION
TO MEET THE NEEDS OF 345 ON
HOUSED PERSONS LIVING IN THE
AREAS OF VENICE AND POLK STREET
ALLEY IS LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN SAN
FRANCISCO. CITY OF OAKLAND 3.6
MILLION TO SERVE AN ADDITIONAL
50 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE WOODS
STREET ENCAMPMENTS. THEY HAVE
PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED 4.7 MILLION
TO SERVE 40 PERSONS IN THE IN
THE FIRST ROUND. THE CITY OF
OROVILLE 2.73 MILLION TO ASSIST
80 PEOPLE LIVING ON HOUSE ALONG
THE RAILROAD CORRIDOR OF
SOUTHERN OROVILLE CITY OF SAN
DIEGO. 2.45 MILLION TO SERVE 50
INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN
ENCAMPMENTS IN THE EAST VILLAGE
AREA OF DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO CITY
OF MONTEBELLO 1.7 MILLION TO 8
65 INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN
ENCAMPMENTS IN AN AREA HIGH RISK
OF THE REAL, UH, THE REAL HONDA
RIVER, WHICH FORMS IN THE EAST
EASTERN BORDER OF THE CITY AND
THE CITY OF READING 950,000 TO
SERVE 71 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. AND THE GREENWAY
SOUTH OF LAKE BOULEVARD NEAR THE
DOWNTOWN READING THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE. JUST PUT THIS OUT THIS
MORNING. THIS IS PART OF THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD
IN BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AS TO HOW
DO WE ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE
BIGGEST STRESSES? UH ALSO
SOMETHING THAT WE GRAPPLE WITH
IS HOW DO WE DO CLEANUP SUPPORT
AND ENHANCEMENTS? I'M SORRY.
CLEANUP AT ENCAMPMENTS IN A
HUMANE WAY THAT TREAT PEOPLE
WITH DIGNITY, RESPECT AND ALL OF
THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED AND
SUPPORT. BUT ALSO PROVIDE
PERMANENT SOLUTIONS, NOT
TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS. AND THE
OTHER ASPECT TO THAT IS THAT
WHEN PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AND
GREEN SPACE IS ALSO UM YOU KNOW?
WHERE MANY ENCAMPMENTS IT ALSO
DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THE FAMILIES
AROUND THOSE COMMUNITIES TO BE
ABLE TO USE PUBLIC SPACE, AND
THAT'S STILL A VERY IMPORTANT
ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO GRAPPLE
WITH MANY FAMILIES. MANY LOW
INCOME FAMILIES LIVE IN
APARTMENT BUILDINGS WHERE THEY
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO YARDS OR
PARKS. AMID THE PANDEMIC. WE SAW
THAT VERY SEVERELY AND THAT
CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE ANY PLACE
TO PLAY, AND WE SAW MANY
FAMILIES. LIVING ON TOP OF EACH
OTHER AND SMALL SPACES. THIS IS
THE REALITY OF MANY LOW INCOME
FAMILIES LIVING ACROSS THE CITY
OF LOS ANGELES. L A COUNTY AND
REALLY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AND SO HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT
EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO PARKS
OPEN SPACE IN A SAFE MANNER,
WHILE WE ALSO ADDRESS ISSUES OF
ENCAMPMENTS IN A HUMANE WAY THAT
TREATS PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY AND
OFFERS THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT AND
OUR NEXT PANEL, WE WILL BE
LOOKING AT EXACTLY THAT. AND THE
TWO AND THE TWO PANELS THAT
FOLLOW ACTUALLY, SO LET'S GET
STARTED. PANEL NUMBER TWO
OVERVIEW OF THE LOS ANGELES
REGIONS. HOMELESSNESS POPULATION
. CHRISTINA DICKSON, CHIEF
FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICER WITH THE LOS ANGELES
HOMELESS SERVICE AUTHORITY LOST
TO AND JEFFREY PROCTOR, DIRECTOR
OF FUNDING AND ALLOCATIONS WITH
THE LOS ANGELES HOMELESSNESS
SERVICES AUTHORITY, AS WELL.
LHASA AND I WILL ASK OUR
PANELISTS THAT WHEN YOU BEGIN TO
SPEAK AS PEOPLE ARE TUNING
TUNING IN. JUST REINTRODUCE
YOURSELF FOR THOSE THAT ARE
WATCHING. ONLINE. YOUR NAME AND
TITLE SHOULD SUFFICE. THANK YOU
AND WELCOME.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR I
THINK A GOOD TIME. AM I ON? YES
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME TODAY, MADAM CHAIR CARILLO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RIVAS AND
JOINED SO JOHN SAWYER. MY
PRONOUNS. MY NAME IS CRISTINA
DIXON AND MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE
HEARD AND I AM THE CHIEF
FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATION
OFFICER FOR THE LOS ANGELES
HOMELESS SERVICES AUTHORITY.
ALSO KNOWN AS LHASA. I AM JOINED
TODAY BY MY COLLEAGUE JEFF
PROCTOR, WHO IS LOSSES. DIRECTOR
OF FUNDING ALLOCATIONS. AND WE
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COME AND HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH YOU ABOUT THIS VERY
IMPORTANT ISSUE AND FOR US TO
PROVIDE OPENING REMARKS ABOUT
HOMELESSNESS AND ALSO ANGELES
COUNTY. I'M GOING TO START OFF.
BY PAINTING A BROAD PICTURE OF
THE LANDSCAPE OF HOMELESSNESS IN
THE COUNTY. SO DECADES OF BAD
POLICIES AT BOTH THE NATIONAL
AND LOCAL LEVEL HAS LED TO THE
CURRENT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS. THIS INCLUDES POLICIES
THAT WITHHELD WEALTH LAND. AND
HOME OWNERSHIP FOR PEOPLE OF
COLOR, MASS INCARCERATION AND
INADEQUATE SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE
EXITING PRISONS, JAILS,
HOSPITALS, FOSTER CARE AND THE
MILITARY. OVER THE YEARS LOCAL
PROPERTY OWNERS THAT CAMPAIGNS
TO SLOW DOWN HOUSING HOUSING
SUPPLY, WHICH LIMITED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, STOCK AND COST HOUSING
PRICES TO SKYROCKET, WHILE
INCOMES STAGNATED. WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE OVERALL RACIAL AND
ETHNICITY, DEMOGRAPHICS OF LS
VALLEY AREA'S HOMELESS
POPULATION, AS THE DOCTOR
MENTIONED, AND WE SEE RESULTS OF
THOSE POLICIES WE FIND THAT
BLACK PEOPLE REMAIN OVER
REPRESENTED AMONG OUR HOUSE
NEIGHBORS MAKING UP 30% OF THE
UNHAPPY HOUSED BUT ONLY 9% OF L.
A COUNTY'S POPULATION. WE ARE
ALSO SEEING A RISE IN THE NUMBER
OF LATINOS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND IN OUR 2022
COUNTS THEY MADE UP OVER 40. OF
THE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS, HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEMS
HAVE VASTLY EXPANDED AND
INCREASED ITS PERFORMANCE AND
EFFECTIVENESS TO ADDRESS THE
RISING HOMELESSNESS AND HAVE
HOUSED DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE EACH YEAR THAN BEFORE.
LOCAL FUNDS LIKE MEASURE H CAME
ONLINE. HOWEVER DESPITE OUR
SUCCESS OF ENDING HOMELESSNESS
FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS EACH YEAR,
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FALLING
INTO HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO
GROW. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
2020 POINT IN TIME COUNT SHOWED
A SHARP INCREASE. FROM THE 2019
COUNT WHEREBY L. A COUNTY'S ON
HOUSE POPULATION ROSE BY 13.
FROM 2019, TOTALING 66,436
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
AND 2020 AND THE CITY OF L. A
EXPERIENCED A 14% INCREASE WITH
9 41,290 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, UM, ON ANY GIVEN
NIGHT. THIS WAS BEFORE THE WORST
OF THE PANDEMIC, WHICH RESULTED
IN 437,000 WORKERS IN L. A
COUNTY LOSING THEIR JOBS IN
2020. TO UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION
. WHY HAS HOMELESSNESS? WHY HAS
THE HOMELESS POPULATION
INCREASED SO SIGNIFICANTLY IN
THE YEARS PRIOR TO THE BAN TO
THE PANDEMIC? WE MUST LOOK AT
THE DEEPER ROOT CAUSES THAT NEED
TO BE ADDRESSED WITHIN THE
LARGER MAINSTREAM SAFETY NET
SYSTEMS. TO SLOW DOWN THE FLOW
OF PEOPLE FALLING IN TO
HOMELESSNESS. LOS ANGELES AND
ADEQUATE HOUSING SUPPLY AND
INCOME INEQUALITY ARE DRIVING
FACTORS LEADING INDIVIDUALS TO
BEING WITHOUT A PLACE TO CALL
HOME. RESEARCH RESEARCH HAS
SHOWN THAT HOMELESSNESS STARTS
RISING WHEN MEDIAN RENTS IN A
REGION EXCEEDS 22. OF THE MEDIUM
INCOME, AND IT RISES EVEN MORE
SHARPLY AT 32. IN L. A COUNTY.
THE MEDIAN RENT IS 46.7% NEARLY
HALF OF THE MEDIAN INCOME THIS
IS LARGELY DUE TO THE LACK OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE L A
REGION IS 509,000 UNITS SHORT OF
MEETING THE CURRENT DEMAND.
FEARS OF THE PANDEMIC WOULD ONLY
EXACERBATE THE HOMELESSNESS
ISSUE LED TO FEDERAL, STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMING
TOGETHER UNDER THE SHARED GOAL
OF BRINGING R COVID VULNERABLE
HOUSING NEIGHBORS INSIDE,
LEADING TO THE LAUNCH OF
PROGRAMS LIKE PROJECT ROOM KEY
IN APRIL. 2020 INVESTMENTS FROM
OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS,
INCLUDING THE STATE MADE THE RE
HOUSING SYSTEM WORK BETTER,
SPECIFICALLY, PROJECT ROOM KEY
PROVIDED SHELTER TO OVER 10,500
PEOPLE IN L. A COUNTY OVER 40%
OF WHOM HAVE SINCE BEEN PLACED
INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. THIS IS
A VERY HIGH HOUSING. SUCCESS
RATE FOR INTERIM HOUSING. I
WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT PROJECT
ROOM KEY WAS MADE. UM IT WAS
MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE HAT
FUNDING AND THAT THE STATE
BROUGHT ONLINE WHILE LAS AWAITED
FEMA REIMBURSEMENT. UM HAVE
FUNDS WERE USED TO UPFRONT PRK
COSTS, ALLOWING LAWSUITS TO
HOUSE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY. KEY
STATE POLICY DECISIONS, COUPLED
WITH STATE FUNDING ENHANCED THE
LOS ANGELES CONTINUUM CAPACITY
TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO
HOMELESSNESS. MORE SPECIFICALLY
, THE VICTIM MORATORIUM, COUPLED
WITH FUNDING FOR EVICTION
PREVENTION, INCREASED
INVESTMENTS IN INTERIM HOUSING
TO A LARGE PROJECT ROOM KEY AS
WELL AS PROJECT HOME KEY AND
EXPANDED RENTAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS. KEPT MANY ON HOUSING
RESIDENTS INDOORS. THAT'S GIVING
THEM THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE
SAFE, SOCIAL DISTANCING. AS A
RESULT OF THESE INVESTMENTS AND
DECISIONS, THE 2022 COUNTS
SHOWED ONLY A SLIGHT UPTICK AND
HOMELESSNESS OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS. WELL IT IS TOO SOON TO
KNOW WHAT THIS YEAR'S COUNT
RESULTS WILL MEAN LONG TERM. THE
NUMBERS SUGGEST THE FOUNDING OF
THE CURVE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS
LEADERS WERE SAW HIGHER
INCREASES. 2022 HOMELESS COUNT
ESTIMATED THAT 69,144 PEOPLE
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS ON ANY
GIVEN NIGHT IN L, A COUNTY 4.1%
INCREASE FROM 2020. IN THE CITY
OF LOS ANGELES. IT IS ESTIMATED
THAT 41,980 PEOPLE EXPERIENCE
HOMELESSNESS ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT
AT 1.7% INCREASE FROM 2020. THE
NUMBERS FROM THIS YEAR'S
HOMELESS COUNT ALSO SHOWED A 17%
INCREASE IN TENTS VEHICLES AND
MAKE SURE SHELTERS ON OUR
STREETS AND SIDEWALKS FROM 2020.
HOWEVER THERE WERE FOR YOUR
PEOPLE IN THEM LARGELY DUE TO
SOCIAL DISTANCING, AS WELL AS
THE PAUSE AND ENCAMPMENT,
CLEANUPS BY THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY. AT THE SAME TIME, L A
COUNTY'S ON SHELTER POPULATION
ROSE BY 1% SO WE ARE SEEING, UM
IS IT WHAT? WHAT? SO WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IS AN INCREASE IN THE
VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF HOMELESSNESS
WITHOUT A CORRESPONDING RISE IN
THE NUMBER OF OUR UNSHELTERED
NEIGHBORS, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THAT
THE VISIBLE ELEMENTS OF
HOMELESSNESS INCREASE THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE IN THOSE TENTS,
VEHICLES AND MAKESHIFT SHELTERS
DID NOT. SO HOW DO WE KNOW THIS
WHEN WE SURVEYED DURING THE
HOMELESS COUNT WE ASKED PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN CARS, TENTS AND RVS
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING WITH
THEM? THIS YEAR, MORE PEOPLE
WERE LIVING ALONE AND WE SAW AN
INCREASE IN ENCAMPMENTS WITH
MULTIPLE TENTS. FOR INDIVIDUAL.
WE ALSO SAW AN INCREASE IN
ILLEGAL DUMPING AROUND CAMPUS
ENCAMPMENTS. ADDITIONALLY
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE
RE HOUSING SYSTEM RESULTED IN
MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN SHELTER,
REPRESENTING 30% OF PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AT ANY
GIVEN TIME. DURING 2020 TO
20,596 PEOPLE WERE IN SHELTER
AND L, A COUNTY AND INCREASE OF
12% FROM 2020 AND 13,522 AND L.
A CITY WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF
8.7% FROM 2020. THE EXPANSION
AND SHELTER WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN
SHELTER OPTIONS OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS THAT BY THE CITY
AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES,
INVESTMENTS FROM THE STATE AND
SHELTER, INCLUDING PROGRAMS LIKE
A BRIDGE HOME, TINY HOMES,
PROJECT HONKY AND PROJECT ROOM
KEY THAT TO OVER 62% INCREASE
AND SHELTER BEDS ACROSS THE
COUNTY. THE ANSWER HIM INVENTORY
WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES
COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM GREW BY
15,617 SHELTER BEDS. AVAILABLE
ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT IN 2020 AND
2019 TO 25,263 2022. I'M SORRY.
CAN YOU REPEAT THOSE NUMBERS?
ONE MORE? YES MA'AM. UM SO IN
THE HOUSING INVENTORY GREW FROM
15,617 AND 2019 TO 25,263 AND
2022. SO YES, SHELTER BEDS. THE
NUMBER OF SHELTER BEDS. SO
THEY'LL SHELTER IS NOT A LONG
TERM SOLUTION. BRINGING OUR
NEIGHBORS INSIDE SAVES LIVES AND
PLACES THEM ON A PATH TO EXIT
HOMELESSNESS. BEFORE MOVING ON.
WE SHOULD NOTE THAT DURING THE
PANDEMIC ONE TIME FEDERAL, UM
PANDEMIC ASSISTANCE POLICIES
HELPED KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR
HOMES AND EXPANDED SHELTER.
HOWEVER POLICIES LIKE EVICTION
MORATORIUMS AND ONE TIME FUNDING
SOURCES THAT MADE AN IMPACT ARE
NOW ENDING. AND BECAUSE
HOMELESSNESS IS A LAGGING
INDICATOR, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT
FUTURE HOMELESS COUNTS SHOULD
COULD SHOW SIGNIFICANT
INCREASES. I WOULD LIKE TO LIFT
UP THAT OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS
, THE LOS ANGELES CONTINUE OF
CARE HAS MADE OVER 84,000
PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENTS,
WHICH IS ENOUGH TO FILL DODGER
STADIUM. 1.5 TIMES. LAST YEAR
ALONE, LHASA AND OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS MADE 21,213 PERMANENT
HOUSING PLACEMENTS IN THE CITY
OF L. A, UM AND THIS HAS A AN
AND THE CITY OF L. A HAS
APPROVED AFFORDABLE, MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE PAST
FIVE YEARS THAN IN THE PREVIOUS
30 YEARS. IT IS POSSIBLE TO END
HOMELESSNESS IF ELLA KEEPS
FOCUSING ON SOLVING THE ROOT
CAUSES OF THE ISSUE. WHAT WE
KNOW IS THAT THE BIGGEST FACTOR
DRIVING HOMELESSNESS IS THAT
HOUSING IS UNAFFORDABLE. FOR
JUST ABOUT EVERYONE. WE NEED TO
MOVE FASTER TO INCREASE OUR
HOUSING SUPPLY ACROSS THE COUNTY
BY MORE THAN 800,000 UNITS IN
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO MAKE UP
THE GAP. POLICY MAKERS, SUCH AS
YOURSELF AT EVERY LEVEL NEEDS TO
MAKE SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGES
TO STEP UP THE PACE. WE ALSO
NEED TO. WE ALSO NEED A 5 TO 1
PERMANENT HOUSING TO SHELTER
RATIO TO QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY
MOVE MORE OF AN HOUSE NEIGHBORS
INTO HOUSING. RIGHT NOW, OUR
SYSTEM IS CLOSER TO A 1 TO 1
RATIO. OVERALL THE COUNT SHOWED
US THAT POLICY AND INVESTMENTS
MATTER DEDICATED FUNDING TO
INTERIM HOUSING KEPT IN HOUSE
RESIDENTS OFF THE STREETS DURING
THE PANDEMIC. HOWEVER THESE ARE
NOT PERMANENT SOLUTIONS. WE NEED
ONGOING INVESTMENTS FROM THE
STATE FOR MORE PERMANENT HOUSING
AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
PROGRAMS, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY
HELP AND HOMELESSNESS. WE ARE
DEFINITELY IN A PRECARIOUS
POSITION WITH POLICIES AND
INVESTMENTS ENDING. AS PANDEMIC
AIR SAFETY NETS AND ONE TIME
FUNDING SOURCES. UM GO OFFLINE,
MORE INCOME. MORE LOW INCOME
ANGELENOS. I'M SORRY, MAY FALL
INTO HOMELESSNESS. IS THAT
CLOSED? THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
CANNOT BE FIXED BY ONE SINGLE
ENTITY. IT WILL TAKE THE SAME
URGENCY AND COLLABORATION FROM
FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS, AS WE SAW IN
RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC TO
CONTINUE TO MAKE THE IMPACT AND
FLATTEN THE CURVE. WE URGE YOU
TO CONTINUE TO PRY PRIORITIZE
ONGOING FUNDING TOWARDS POLICY
AND INVESTMENTS, WHICH WE KNOW
WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I
WILL NOW TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT
YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT. VERY, UM, DETAILED.
INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK THAT'S
BEING DONE. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT
DATA AND FACTS AND NUMBERS, SO I
WANT TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT AND
ALSO OPENED IT UP TO MY
COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THE SHELTER
BEDS. SO YOU MENTIONED 15,617
SHELTER BEDS IN 2019. WHERE CAN
YOU TELL US WHERE THOSE ARE ARE
THOSE HERE PREDOMINANTLY AND THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND THE SKID
ROW AREA OR THOSE SPREAD OUT
THERE, SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
HOW MANY IN THE CITY OF L. A. DO
WE KNOW HOW MANY ANSWERS I DON'T
KNOW THAT THAT DATA OFF AND WE
COULD DEFINITELY GET THAT NUMBER
FOR YOU. OKAY I THINK WE WOULD
BE VERY INTERESTED IN KNOWING
SINCE THE MAJORITY OF THE
CONCENTRATION THAT WE SEE IS
WITHIN THE SKID ROW DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES COMMUNITY. UM WHAT ARE
THE SHELTER BEDS WITHIN THIS
PARTICULAR AREA? AND THEN HOW
FAR DO INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO
TRAVEL TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A
BED AND A SHELTER? SO IN 2022,
THAT NUMBER ROSE FROM 15,006 17
TO 25,000 TO 63. THAT'S AN
INCREASE OF 9646 NEW BEDS. GREAT
STEP FORWARD, BUT CLEARLY NOT
ENOUGH AND WHAT'S NEEDED AND
AGAIN, THAT'S UM TEMPORARY
CURIOUS AS TO WHERE THE NEW BEDS
ARE. SO THOSE BEDS ARE PRIMARILY
IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT.
ROOKIE SO PROJECT ROOM KEY CAME
ONLINE. AND THIS WAS THE PROJECT
WHERE MOTELS WERE LEASED. AND
HOTELS RELEASED. SO THERE'S
SEVERAL LOCATIONS IN L. A COUNTY
. BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE SOME OF
THOSE BETS ARE COMING OFF LINE.
BUT THERE ARE STRATEGIES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE ARE MORE LONG
TERM BEDS. BUT THE GOAL IS NOT
TO HAVE PEOPLE SAYING INTERIM
HOUSING IS TO MOVE THEM INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING. A LOT OF
THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE WITH WITH
THOSE SITES DEMOBILIZING THEY'RE
BEING PUT INTO PERMANENT HOUSING
, SO THEY'RE BEING MADE THEIR
CONNECTIONS ARE BEING MADE TO
GET THEM INTO A PERMANENT PLACE
TO CALL HOME BECAUSE THE INTERIM
IS JUST MEANT FOR THE INTERIMS
WITH MEANT TO GET THEM OFF OF
THE STREET SO THAT THEY'RE SAFE.
AND YOU CAN START HELPING THEM
RESOLVE WHATEVER THE ISSUES THAT
THEY HAVE, BUT THE GOAL IS TO
GET THEM INTO A PERMANENT
HOUSING PLACEMENT. WHAT'S UM, I
THINK VERY IMPACTFUL OF THE
MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY IS I
REPRESENT NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES
, WHICH IS RIGHT ADJUST ADJACENT
TO DOWNTOWN IN SKID ROW. MR JOHN
SAWYER WILL BE REPRESENTING THE
SKID ROW AREA AND REPRESENTS
SOUTH LOS ANGELES. AND MS RIVAS
REPRESENTS THE SAN FERNANDO
VALLEY, WHICH HAS SEEN A HUGE
INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS BUT
PARTICULARLY IN ON HOUSE
FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. AND SO
WHEN WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS
WHEN I'M ASKING QUESTIONS
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE TEMPORARY
BEDS AND PROJECT ROOM KEY, I
KNOW THE PROJECTS WITHIN MY AREA
THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM UNDER
STATESIDE AT THE VERY MINIMUM
THAT IF WE HAVE HOUSED FOLKS IN
PROJECT ROOM KEY TEMPORARILY AND
PROJECT ROOM KEY, AND THOSE
MOTELS AND HOTELS ARE BEING UH,
NOW ALLEVIATED OF THIS PROGRAM,
AND THIS PROGRAM WON'T EXIST.
HOW MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS
WILL BE DISPLACED? WHERE WILL
THEY GO? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? AND
HOW CAN WE AVOID UM FOLKS, YOU
KNOW, GOING BACK ON THE STREET
AND LIVING IN A TENT ETCETERA
CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE
DETAIL HERE. JEFF PROCTOR,
DIRECTOR OF EXCUSE ME, DOCTOR
DIRECTOR OF FUNDING ALLOCATIONS
FOR LHASA. SO WE'VE BEEN
PARTNERING WITH CITY AND COUNTY
ON THE DEMOBILIZATION OF PROJECT
ROOM KEEP ESSENTIALLY, SINCE
IT'S A DECEPTION, WE KNEW THAT
THIS WAS GOING TO BE A TIME
LIMITED PROGRAM AND THAT FOLKS
WHO ENTERED INTO THOSE HOTELS,
WE NEED A PLACE TO GO ONCE OUT
OF THE PANDEMIC. IT ENDED OR THE
PROGRAM ITS ONSET. AND SO TODAY
WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY RE HOUSE
PLACE. I THINK 4000 PEOPLE FROM
PROJECT ROOM HE INTO PERMANENT
HOUSING. I THINK RIGHT NOW WE
ONLY HAVE MAYBE TWO OR THREE
HOTELS STILL ONLINE, ONE
DOWNTOWN. THE GRAND IN VENICE
BEACH. THERE'S THE CADILLAC AND
THERE MAY BE ONE OF THEM THAT
I'M MISSING. SO THERE'S A FEW
100 ROOMS STILL LEFT ONLINE. UM
IN TERMS OF SHELTERING
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL STILL
YOU KNOW, SHORT TERM PROGRAMS.
THERE WILL STILL BE IN OPERATION
ONCE ROOM KEY SUNSETS THE CITY.
THE CITY IN PARTICULAR HAS
MASSIVELY EXPANDED ITS
SHELTERING, UM, CAPACITY THROUGH
THE ROADMAP TO RECOVERY, AND
THERE'S ABOUT 6000. SHORT TERM
HOUSING INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN INVESTED THAT WILL STILL
CONTINUE AFTER HOME KEY SUNSETS
. AND THEN THERE ARE STILL
THOUSANDS OF PERMANENT HOUSING
RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE
SYSTEM THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY
CREATED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE THAT
EITHER HAD ENTERED INTO ROOM KEY
HOTELS OR WERE OTHERWISE COVID
VULNERABLE. THERE WERE THERE WAS
A MASSIVE INFUSION OF EMERGENCY
HOUSING VOUCHERS, WHICH IS A
PERMANENT RENTAL SUBSIDY. THAT
HAD HAD MADE AVAILABLE TO CITY
AND COUNTY. WE STILL HAVE A
LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE VOUCHERS,
UH, IN PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE ARE
MOVING INTO UNITS OR HAVE MOVED
IN FOR THE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE
RENTAL SUBSIDY. UM AND WE ALSO
THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
CITY. UM AND THROUGH HUD HAVE
HAD WATCHED A RECOVERY REHOUSING
PROGRAM, WHICH WAS TIME LIMITED
SUBSIDY, YOU KNOW, RAPID
REHOUSING MODEL AND THEY'RE
THEY'RE STILL THIS YEAR. THERE
ARE STILL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
THAT SUBSIDY AVAILABLE FOR
PERSONS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVEN'T YET AND
PLACED INTO HOUSING THAT
REPRESENTS, YOU KNOW THOUSANDS
OF SWATS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN
ROOM KEY OR OTHERWISE CALL FOR
VULNERABLE AND EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. UM LET'S LET'S GO BACK A
LITTLE BIT ON THE 9646 NEW BEDS
LOOKING FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE
DATA AS TO WHERE THOSE BEDS ARE.
BUT OF THAT, LET'S SAY CLOSE TO
10,000 RIGHT OR LET'S SAY 9700.
WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE
9700 NEW BEDS THAT WERE PLACED
INTO PERMANENT HOUSING? THE SO
THE BEDS REPRESENT, UM, LIKE ANY
CAPACITY AND GIVEN POINT IN
TIME, SO THERE'S ESSENTIALLY
25,000 BEDS WITHIN THE SYSTEM AS
OPPOSED TO, UM AND THOSE BEDS
WILL TURN OVER. UM SO WE'RE
SERVING. I THINK I THINK ARE WE
HAD SERVED IN THE 24,000 PEOPLE
IN SHELTER IN THE PAST YEAR? UM,
AND THEN OF THOSE WHO ENTER OUR
SHELTER SYSTEM, I THINK THE LAST
ALMOST COUNT DATA SHOWED ABOUT
17% OF SHELTER PARTICIPANTS. Dð.
GO ON TO PERMANENT HOUSING EACH
YEAR. UM AND SO THERE ARE THERE
ARE SOME CHALLENGES, MAKING SURE
WE GET EVERYONE FROM SHELTER
PROGRAMS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING
. UM BUT WE SAW WITH ROOM IN
PARTICULAR. I REALLY SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM 40% OF THOSE IN ROOM KEY
ONE UNDER PERMANENT HOUSING, SO
THERE'S PROMISING PRACTICES IN
TERMS OF, UM, HOW WE DELIVER
SHELTER BETTER DELIVER SHELTERS
AND THAT MORE FOLKS ARE GOING
INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. SO BASED
ON YOUR EXPERIENCE AND DATA
PROJECT ROOM KEY WENT FROM
TEMPORARY HOUSING. TO 40% OF
FOLKS RECEIVING PERMANENT
HOUSING. HOW MANY SERVICED. I
THINK 10,000 PERSONS HAVE BEEN
SERVED IN ROOM KEY OVER THE
COURSE OF THE PROGRAM. 10,000
AND THEN 40% WENT OKAY. LOOKS
LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WHAT DO
YOU THINK STOPS HIGHER INCREASE
IN PERMANENT HOUSING SUPPORT. UM
I MEAN, ONE OF THE PRIMARY
CHALLENGES WITH RE HOUSING ANY
PERSON EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
IS SOME OF THE REALLY JUST THE
BARRIERS TO ENTRY TO BE RE
HOUSED. UM, IF THERE AREN'T YOU
KNOW ISN'T ISN'T AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IF THERE AREN'T UM, YOU
KNOW, PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY MEANT FOR LOW
INCOME PERSONS WERE WORKING IN A
COMPETITIVE RENTAL MARKET WHERE
THERE IS VERY LITTLE BACON SWEET
VACANCY ABOUT 3% VACANCY IN THE
RENTAL MARKET. VERY HIGH COSTS
OF RENT MEDIAN RENT FOR STUDIO
OR ONE BEDROOM. UM YOU KNOW IS
PRETTY COSTLY. A LOT OF RENTAL
PROGRAMS, NOT ALL OF THEM. BUT
WATER RENTAL PROGRAMS ARE TIED
TO HEADS FMR AND WE SEE THROUGH
LIKE ZILLOW AND OTHER SORT OF
RENTAL DATA THAT YOU KNOW THE
MARKET RENT IS TYPICALLY ABOUT
30 TO 40% HIGHER THAN WHAT HARD
IS CONSIDERING THE FAIR MARKET
RENT FOR A STUDIO OR ONE
BEDROOM. SO EVEN WITH CASE
MANAGEMENT WITH RENTAL
ASSISTANCE. IT CAN BE VERY
CHALLENGING TO GET A PERSON. TO
FIND A UNIT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO
FIND AN AFFORDABLE UNIT. AND
THEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE OTHER
SORT OF BARRIERS TO HOUSING. UM
YOU KNOW SOME OF THE
DISCRETIONARY PRACTICES THAT
LANDLORDS WILL YOU KNOW, THERE'S
UM, CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
AND CREDIT CHECKS AND ALL THOSE
KINDS OF THINGS EVICTION HISTORY
THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT
YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHICH
IS LARGELY BLACK AND INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE. SO ALL THESE OTHER
SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE. YOU KNOW,
JUST ACTIVELY DISCRIMINATING,
DISPLACING AND JUST
DISENFRANCHISING PEOPLE, ALL
THOSE THINGS THAT EXPERIENCES
THEN MAKE IT CHALLENGING TO
SUCCESSFULLY RE. HOW'S THAT
PERSON? UM SO WITHOUT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, UM DEEP RENTAL SUBSIDY
PERMANENT RENTAL SUBSIDY. THOSE
ARE SOME OF THE PRIMARY
CHALLENGES AND ALSO FAIR
ENFORCEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING. I
WOULD SAY. AND THEN IF I COULD
JUST ADD, I THINK, UM, ANOTHER
BARRIER IS JUST HAVING PAPERWORK
RIGHT A LOT OF TIMES. PEOPLE
WHEN THEY'RE READY. THEY MAY NOT
HAVE WHAT IS BEING REQUIRED SO
MAKING SURE THAT THEIR SUPPORT
FOR THEM TO GET THEIR LIKE HAVE
THEIR DOCUMENTATION BE DOCUMENT
READY, AND ONE OF THE
INTERVENTIONS THAT WAS PUT IN
PLACE DURING PROJECT ROOM KEY,
BASED ON THOSE NEEDS IS HOUSING,
NAVIGATION AND HAVING SOMEONE
WHO CAN NAVIGATE THE PERSON
THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO GOING
WITH THEM, SHOWING THEM THE
UNITS AND IT WAS PARTICULARLY
CHALLENGING DURING THE PANDEMIC
BECAUSE YOU REALLY COULDN'T GO
SEE UNITS SO BEING AT THE READY
TO MAKE REAL TIME ADJUSTMENTS TO
PROCESS, UM, PROVED TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT'S WHERE
WE'RE SEEING THAT, YOU KNOW.
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS BEING CONNECTED, BUT
JUST BEING HAVING FLEXIBLE FUNDS
TO BE ABLE TO BE NIMBLE AND MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS IS WHAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. I THINK JEFF MADE A
GOOD POINT AROUND HOW CURRENT,
UM RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAMS WERE
TIED TO THE HOOD, FMR AND SO IF
THAT'S TOO LOW RIGHT FOR MARKET
LIKE L A, AND IT'S HARD TO GO
EVEN GO IN, EVEN WITH A VOUCHER
BECAUSE MOST LANDLORDS WON'T
TAKE IT. UM AND SO WE NEED
LANDLORDS WHO ARE WANTING TO BE
A PART OF THE SOLUTION WHO CAN
COME IN AND SUPPORT THE WORK. WE
ALSO NEED YOU KNOW, WE ARE
WORKING WITH HOOD TO MAKE THE
CASE FOR WHY THE AWAY MARKETS.
FMR SHOULD BE RAISED SO THAT WE
CAN BE ABLE TO GO IN WITH THOSE
VOUCHERS AND HOW PEOPLE TO FIND
PLACES THAT THEY CAN HAVE
AFFORDABLE WITH THE SUPPORT OF
THOSE RESOURCES. THANK YOU FOR
THIS OVERVIEW OF THESE TRENDS
AND FOR YOUR SPECIFIC NUMBERS
THAT YOU PRESENTED, UM MY
QUESTION IS MORE GENERAL, YOU
KNOW, BASED ON THIS DATA, OR THE
MOST RECENT, UM, POINT IN TIME
COUNT UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU
THINK? DO YOU SEE ANY TRENDS OR
WHAT IS THIS DATA SUGGEST? AND
YOU KNOW, FOR THE FUTURE. ARE WE
DOING BETTER? WHAT YOU KNOW.
JUST CURIOUS. JUST FOR YOUR FROM
FOR YOUR OPINIONS ON THIS. I'LL
START AND THEN I'LL INVITE MY
COLLEAGUE JEFF TO CHIME IN. UM I
THINK WE ARE SEEING IMPROVEMENT
, RIGHT? WE'RE SEEING THAT WE'RE
MAKING PROGRESS. I KNOW IT'S IT
DOESN'T SEEM THAT WAY. WHEN YOU
GO OUT AND YOU DRIVE AND YOU SEE
, UM YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING
OUT ON THE STREETS, BUT THE FACT
THAT WE GOT PEOPLE INDOORS
DURING THE PANDEMIC IS PRETTY
GROUNDBREAKING. ONE OF THE OTHER
THINGS WE FOUND WITH A PROJECT
ROOM KEY PROGRAM. IS THAT WHAT
ATTRACTED PEOPLE TO THAT PROGRAM
IS THEY GOT THEIR OWN ROOM.
RIGHT? TRADITIONALLY THE SHELTER
OPTIONS WERE CONGREGATE, AND A
LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE
THAT WAS AN OPTION FOR THEM.
THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS. RIGHT SO I FEEL
LIKE, UM SOME OF THE BEST THINGS
THAT WE CAN DO OUR ENSURING THAT
WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
TO MAKE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO
INDIVIDUALS, A LOT OF WOMEN WHO
ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
DON'T WANT TO GO INTO CONGREGATE
SHELTERS, RIGHT, SO WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
OFFER THEM SOMETHING THAT THEY
WILL FEEL LIKE IT'S GREAT FOR
THEM THE SAME THING WITH
FAMILIES RIGHT A LOT OF TIMES
FAMILIES. UM GET, UM DISPLACED
OR THEY CAN'T YOU KNOW IF
THERE'S A SON WHO MAYBE 17 OR 18
, HE CAN'T GO INTO SOME OF THE
SHELTERS WITH THE MOTHER. SO YOU
KNOW, BEING INNOVATIVE AND BEING
CREATIVE AND HAVING THE
RESOURCES LIKE THE HAT FUNDS,
WHICH WERE REALLY FLEXIBLE FUNDS
THAT ALLOWED US TO HAVE AN
OPTION. UM, AND SO THAT IT'S
PLACING ITS KIND OF PAIRING THE
PERSON WITH THE RESOURCES THAT
ARE BEST FOR THEM AND THEN
MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE OPTIONS
AVAILABLE. SO THE PANDEMIC WAS
GROUNDBREAKING. I MEAN, THE FACT
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO STAND UP
THOSE SITES I REMEMBER BACK IN
17 18. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
LEASING UP MOTELS AND IT WAS WE
COULDN'T GET PAST CERTAIN POINTS
IN THE PANDEMIC CAME AND IT WAS
LIKE ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS WERE
REMOVED, AND SO IF WE CAN
CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNDER THAT
SENSE OF URGENCY WITH THIS ISSUE
, WE CAN MAKE INROADS. RIGHT WE
KNOW WHAT WORKS. WE JUST NEED TO
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO INVEST IN
WHAT WORKS. THANK YOU. AND UM, I
KNOW YOU ALSO MENTIONED, UM
LANDLORDS AND HOW WE NEED MORE
THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK. UM,
WITH YOU WRITE TO PLACE
INDIVIDUALS, AND THIS YEAR I HAD
A BILL. IT DIDN'T MAKE IT, BUT
IT WOULD HAVE, UM NOT REQUIRED
CREDIT CHECKS. RIGHT IF SOMEONE
HAD A VOUCHER GOVERNMENT
SPONSORED LIKE A SECTION EIGHT
OR ANY OTHER. VOUCHER SINCE
THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED
FOR THE VOUCHER. UM THAT'S
ALREADY THE CREDIT, RIGHT, UH,
THAT THE LANDLORD NEEDS. BUT
UNFORTUNATELY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE
ASSOCIATIONS THAT REPRESENT
LANDLORDS DON'T AGREE, AND SO WE
NEED TO WORK WITH THEM. LIKE
WHAT ABOUT THAT? UM, ARE THEY
NOT COMFORTABLE WITH. YEAH I
THINK IT'S CALLING PEOPLE IN.
RIGHT UM AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT
WE'RE REALLY WANTING TO. TO DEAL
WITH IS HOW THAT CALL TO ACTION
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST
STOP WITH. THE UNCOMFORTABLENESS
AROUND CERTAIN THINGS, BUT IT'S
HAVING THE CONVERSATION. WHAT
WILL YOU ACCEPT, RIGHT? AND IF
THERE IS SUPPORT ATTACHED TO
THAT. AND YOU KNOW THAT SOMEONE
IS GOING TO BE THERE SUPPORTING
THAT INDIVIDUAL, THEN MAYBE
THAT'S WHAT THE LANDLORD NEEDS
TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THAT
VOUCHER. SO WE WANT TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION. WE INVITE
LANDLORDS TO THE TABLE BECAUSE
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND. WHAT ARE
THE BARRIERS AND HOW CAN WE WORK
WITH THEM AROUND CREATING AN
OPTION, TOO? GET PEOPLE HOUSE
BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO
END. HOMELESSNESS IS HOUSING. HI
AND. AND I KNOW YOUR
ORGANIZATION IS CALLED LOS
ANGELES HOUSING SERVICES
AUTHORITY. UM. I WORK FOR A
MAYOR THAT USED TO SAY YOU NEED
TO PUT ONE PERSON IN CHARGE.
THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY TO BLAME
SOMEBODY TO FIRE SOMEBODY. THAT
WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. YOU
MENTIONED COVID. AND IF YOU
REALLY THINK ABOUT COVID,
WHETHER WITH DR FAUCI OR THE
PUBLIC HEALTH BARBARA FERRER
HERE, THERE WAS ONE PERSON IN
CHARGE. WHAT IS YOUR AUTHORITY?
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF HOMELESSNESS
HERE IN LOS ANGELES IN THE STATE
ANYWHERE THERE IS NO ONE PERSON
IN CHARGE. I BELIEVE I REMEMBER
WHEN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WHEN
YOUR ORGANIZATION WAS DEVELOPED.
IT WAS CRACKED IN THE WAY THAT
COUNTY AND CITY WITH BOTH WORK
TOGETHER. I DON'T NOT CERTAIN
THAT'S REALLY WORKING TOGETHER.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE
IS NO ONE LIKE YOU'RE ASKING FOR
LEGISLATION. SHOULD WE PUT
LAFAYETTE IN CHARGE? AND GIVE
YOU THE AUTHORITY TO BRING
EVERYBODY TOGETHER. TO ENSURE
THAT WE CAN BUILD A HOUSING BY
WHATEVER DATE YOU SAID. AND MAKE
THOSE I MEAN, DR FAUCI FORCED US
TO WEAR MASKS FORCED US TO GO
AHEAD AND GET THEM TESTED FORCED
US TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO
THAT WE ARE HERE NOW WE'RE IN AN
AUDITORIUM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO
WEAR MASKS. AND WE'RE WE CAN
BEAT IN ROOMS TOGETHER INSTEAD
OF ZOOMS, BUT THAT TOOK FOURTH.
UM COLLEAGUE HERE WHO TRIED TO
GET ONE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE
STATE LEVEL. AND IT DIDN'T
HAPPEN. UM AND WE WERE TO BLAME
TO ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE
RUNNING AWAY FROM IT. WE'RE NOT
EVEN WRAPPING ARMS AROUND AND
TAKING CHARGE OF IT. SO ONE.
WHAT IS YOUR AUTHORITY? I MEAN,
I HEAR AUTHORITY IN YOUR NAME.
BUT NOT TRYING TO GIVE YOU A
HARD TIME. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU
JUST GO COORDINATOR. NOT
NECESSARILY HAVE THE AUTHORITY
TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE
SOMETHING HAPPEN. UM WE CAN DO
ALL THE LEGISLATION IN THE
WORLD. BUT IT'S NEVER
LEGISLATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
OUR PROBLEM IS IMPLEMENTATION,
NOT LEGISLATION. WE SO AT THE
END OF THE DAY. UM IF WE COULD
PUT SOMEBODY IN CHARGE. IS THAT
YOU THAT PUT ONE PERSON IN
CHARGE IN THE COUNTY LEVEL CITY
LEVEL THAT CAN BRING ALL THESE
RESOURCES NEED TO MARRY THE
RESOURCES A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.
THAT'S INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE
THIS GETS DONE. BUT THERE IS NO
ONE PERSON IN CHARGE. SO IT JUST
KIND OF YOUR FEELINGS LIKE THAT.
OR IS THIS ARE YOU PAY GRADE AND
I DON'T WANT TO GET YOU IN
TROUBLE. PROBABLY THE LATTER. UM
WHAT I WILL SAY IS, THERE ARE A
LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT
. THERE WAS A RECENT BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION. UM AND THE COUNTY IS
TAKING THE LEAD ON WORKING WITH
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO
EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS TO
COMMISSIONERS ARE VERY INVOLVED.
AND SO OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE
CITY UM AND WE SHARE IN THAT
SENTIMENT, RIGHT? WE DO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PART OF
THE SOLUTION. AND WE'RE HERE TO
SERVE AND WHATEVER CAPACITY THAT
IS NEEDED JUST TO GIVE YOU A
SENSE OF LOSSES, ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITY. I SAID, I'M ON
THE FINANCE SIDE, SO I'M THE
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHIEF
, SO A LARGE PART OF MY ROLE IS
TO MAKE SURE THAT CONTRACTS ARE
ISSUED AND ONCE THEY'RE ISSUED
PAYMENTS ARE ISSUED. ONCE
PAYMENTS ARE ISSUED THAT THEN WE
THEN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS
ARE BEING SPENT DOWN AND
COMPLIANCE. WE ALSO, UM ON JEFF
SIDE. WE DO THE FUNDING AND THE
ALLOCATION SO WE'RE PASSED
THROUGH ENTITY FOR A LOT OF
THESE FUNDING SOURCES. SO IT
COMES IN THROUGH THE CITY OR THE
COUNTY AND IT FLOWS THROUGH
LHASA WERE ALSO THE LEAD
COORDINATOR OF THE COC THE
CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR L. A
COUNTY. AND SO THE FEDERAL
RESOURCES COME FLOW THROUGH
LHASA. WE THEN WORKED IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE PERMANENT
THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE CONTRACTS OR
ISSUE WE DO HAVE A PROGRAMMATIC
FUNCTION WHERE WE DO OUTREACH
AND COORDINATE OUTREACH ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY SO TO YOUR POINT. A LOT
OF THE ROLE THAT LOST A PLACE IS
OF THAT ADMINISTRATOR THAT
COORDINATOR OF THOSE RESOURCES,
AND IN SOME INSTANCES, WE HAVE
AUTHORITY TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS OR TO ADVOCATE
BUT WITH REGARDS TO WHO OWNS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF ENDING
HOMELESSNESS. UM I WOULD SAY
THAT IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY
AND LHASA IS THERE TO HELP GUIDE
AND INFORM WHAT BEST PRACTICES
WE WOULD RECOMMEND WITH THE
THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP OF THE
AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT
ARE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO GUIDE
AND INFORM WHAT SOLUTIONS SHOULD
BE IMPLEMENTED. AND I WOULD
SUBMIT THAT THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT
WORKING. THAT YOU HAVE THIS
COLLABORATION. DO YOU NEED ONE
PERSON, ONE ENTITY IN CHARGE.
SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU MAKE SURE
THEY COMPLY WITH THE CONTRACT.
DID YOU LOOK AT ACCOUNTABILITY
BUT EFFECTIVENESS, DO YOU? YOU
KNOW, I UNDERSTAND AS WIDGETS
KHN AND YOU NEED TO DO A B C, D
AND E. BUT THEN YOU DO YOU STILL
TRACK TO MAKE SURE THAT PERSON
DOESN'T GO BACK INTO
HOMELESSNESS? THEY'RE NOT BACK
ON DRUGS, AND I BET THEY DID
BACK IN THE MENTAL HEALTH
PROBLEMS. OR IS IT YOU DID THIS?
THAT'S FINE. WE GAVE YOU THE
MONEY. BUT THE EFFECTIVENESS
ZERO. AND WE DON'T KNOW. AND
THEN THE GROUPS THAT ARE DOING
REALLY WELL. THEY GET THE SAME
AMOUNT OF MONEY GROUPS THAT
AREN'T DOING AS WELL. DO YOU
ACTUALLY LIKE A BUSINESS?
ACTUALLY LOOK AT HOW EFFECTIVE
THESE PROGRAMS ARE. WE DO. WE DO
HAVE SOME PROCESSES IN PLACE
THAT TRACK PERFORMANCE. UM, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REALLY
BIG ON IS ENSURING THAT WE'RE
PROVIDING TECHNICAL SYSTEM AND
CAPACITY BUILDING TO OUR PARTNER
AGENCIES. WE SEE THEM AS THE
EXPERTS ON THE GROUND. THEY HAVE
THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE EXPERIENCE
AND DOING THE WORK. AND OUR JOB
IS TO HELP SUPPORT THEM TO BE
MORE EFFECTIVE IN DOING THAT,
WHEN THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE
SOMEONE IS FALLING SHORT OF
WHAT'S BEING EXPECTED OF THEM.
WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COURSE
CORRECTIONS AND WE'RE THERE TO
SUPPORT THEM ALONG THE WAY. UM,
AS WE'VE GROWN, AND LAWSON HAS
GROWN EXPONENTIALLY, WITH THE
INCREASES IN FUNDING THAT HAVE
COME ONLINE, WE'VE HAD TO BUILD
UP THAT INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT
BECAUSE WE WERE $75 MILLION
ORGANIZATION. WE'RE NOW 800
MILLION. AND I THINK WHAT
OFTENTIMES GETS LOST IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS IS THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED,
NOT JUST THAT LOSS OF LEVEL BUT
EVEN AT THE PROVIDER LEVELS TO
BE ABLE TO KEEP PACE AND BE ABLE
TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEW
EXPECTATIONS, AND SO WE'RE
PUTTING NEW MEASURES IN PLACE
WITH, YOU KNOW, ONE TIME
INVESTMENTS AND FLEXIBLE FUNDS,
LIKE THE STATE FUNDING HELPS
THAT AND WE HAVE THE HOMELESS
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
THAT DOES HELP US TRACK AND SEE
WHERE CLIENTS ARE AND WHO'S
COMING IN. AND HOW MANY TIMES
THEY'RE COMING IN. BUT YOU KNOW,
THE THING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IS
IT'S. IT'S A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE
, RIGHT? AND THESE ARE HUMAN
BEINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET TO A
PLACE WHERE THEY'RE STABLE. AND
THEN THEY MIGHT FALL BACK INTO.
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER CHALLENGES
THAT THEY FACE. WE JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY
NET SOMETHING THERE TO CATCH
THEM AND GET THEM ACCESS TO THE
RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED,
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS ALONG
THE WAY, CAN YOU PROVIDE US
THOSE METRICS OR THE DOLLARS YOU
THAT YOU'RE USING SO THAT WE CAN
GET A SENSE OF WHAT'S BEING
DONE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, UM. TO MY COLLEAGUES. BOTH OF YOU
RAISED INCREDIBLE POINTS AND I
WANT TO PIVOT TO THE NEXT PANEL
JUST BASED ON WHO'S IN CHARGE.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THANK YOU RAISE
AN EXCELLENT POINT AND LET ME
JUST POINT TO THE BIG ELEPHANT
IN THE ROOM WHEN IT COMES TO
ALLIED COUNTY LOSS, A CITY OF
LOS ANGELES IS THAT LOSS A
CURRENTLY HAS AN INTERIM
DIRECTOR, CORRECT, WHO WAS
SCHEDULED TO BE HERE AND
COULDN'T MAKE IT AND APPRECIATE
YOU BOTH BEING HERE IN SUPPORT.
THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, MS.
MARTIN RESIGNED IN EARLIER.
EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND ONE OF
THE KEY COMPONENTS THAT SHE
SPOKE ABOUT. WAS THAT LHASA
EMPLOYEES WERE EARNING AS LITTLE
AS $33,000 A YEAR AND SHE HAD
TRIED TO RAISE THEIR
COMPENSATION UP TO $50,000 A
YEAR. AND SHE STATED THE
EMPLOYEES OF THE LOS ANGELES
HOMELESS SERVICE AUTHORITY
SHOULD NOT MAKE SO LITTLE THAT
THEY QUALIFY FOR HOMELESS
SERVICES THEMSELVES. THAT'S
INCREDIBLY TELLING. ABOUT THE
WORKFORCE ASSOCIATED RIGHT GOOD
PEOPLE EVERY DAY TRYING TO DO
GOOD THINGS WHO THEY THEMSELVES
ARE HAVING A HARD TIME PAYING
THE RENT AND WHO POTENTIALLY
BASED ON THEIR SALARY. UM EARN
AS LITTLE, UH, TO QUALIFY FOR
THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE TRYING
TO GET OTHERS TO APPLY FOR I
THINK THERE'S AN THAT'S AN
IMPORTANT PIECE, BECAUSE WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT
DO OUTREACH, OUTREACH,
COORDINATION, OUTREACH SUPPORT
SUPPORT SERVICES. THEY'RE GOING
OUT TO ENCAMPMENTS. A LOT OF
SOCIAL WORKERS ARE YOUNG PEOPLE
, YOUNG WOMEN SPECIFICALLY THAT
ARE GOING INTO POTENTIAL AREAS
WHERE THEY THEMSELVES MAY NOT
FEEL SAFE. AH I'VE HAD
CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AS WELL IN WHICH
OFFICERS HAVE ALSO, UM,
EXPERIENCED ATTACKS. ONE FEMALE
LAPD OFFICER WENT INTO AN
ENCAMPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
WAS STABBED WITH A SYRINGE. WHO
LATER HAD TO GET TESTED AND MAKE
SURE THAT SHE WAS OKAY BECAUSE
SHE ALSO HAD SMALL CHILDREN.
SOMEONE EXPERIENCING AN EPISODE
THAT CLEARLY SHOULD HAVE
RECEIVED HELP. THERE ARE
EVERYDAY FOLKS THAT ARE TRYING
TO DO GOOD WORK. WHO ARE ALSO,
UM, TRYING TO IMPROVE THE
CONDITIONS OF OUR CITY. AND
TRYING TO DO THE VERY BEST THEY
CAN TO FIGURE OUT. HOW DO WE
MOVE FORWARD? RIGHT? AND I THINK
FROM COMMUNITIES PERSPECTIVES
NONE OF US WANT TO SEE
ENCAMPMENTS. IN PARKS ON
SIDEWALKS. AH, AND SIDEWALKS ON
THE WAY TO SCHOOL WHERE CHILDREN
ARE STEPPING OVER, FOLKS.
THERE'S FECAL MATTER ON THE
FLOOR. UM, IT'S DISTRESSING.
I'VE SEEN SOME HER INDIVIDUALS
ON WHEELCHAIRS NOT BE ABLE TO
CROSS STREETS THERE ON THE
WHEELCHAIR ON THE STREET BECAUSE
THERE THERE CAN'T USE THE
SIDEWALK. ALL OF THIS POST IS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO
COMMUNITY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOOD FOLKS
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW
TO GET FOLKS YOU KNOW, INTO
TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IT. THE NEXT PANEL IS WHAT
IS THE OUTREACH LOOK LIKE WHAT
IS CONSIDERED A WIN. IS IT ONE
TOUCH? IS IT GOING TO AN
ENCAMPMENT SAYING, HEY, DO YOU
NEED HELP AND IS THAT
CONSIDERED? YOU KNOW, UM, A WIN
IN TERMS OF A NUMBER THAT GETS
CHECKED OFF TO SEE LIKE WE
REACHED X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THIS
DAY AND THIS WEEK AND THIS MONTH
AND THIS YEAR AND WE WERE ABLE
TO GET THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE
SUPPORT. SO LET'S UM AND THAT
THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH L. A
COUNTY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
WITHIN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
SO LET'S BRING UP OUR TWO
ADDITIONAL PANELISTS, AND WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A LITTLE
BIT OF ROOM. ON THE TABLE. UM
AND LUCKILY AS MR JOHN SAWYER
SAID, WE'RE COMING OUT OF COVID
, AND WE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT
CLOSER NOW AS LONG AS YOU GUYS
FEEL COMFORTABLE, BUT LET'S
BRING UP BRIAN BUCHNER, THE
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYSTS
FOR THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE
OFFICE OF THE CITY
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES, AND
ELIZABETH. BEN I SHY, UH,
PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY FOR THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY HOMELESS
INITIATIVE AND AGAIN FOR FOLKS
THAT ARE TUNING IN. IF WHEN YOU
ANSWER A QUESTION, IF YOU CAN
REPEAT YOUR NAME AND YOUR TITLE,
PLEASE THANK YOU.
PLEASE. PLEASE BEGIN. UM. TOSS A
COIN, HOWEVER YOU WHOEVER WANTS
TO GO FIRST YOU CAN HAVE WE CAN
HAVE THE COUNTY OR WE CAN HAVE
THE CITY.
HOW'S THIS? DOES IT WORK? GREAT
WELL, GOOD MORNING, UM MADAM
CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE HERE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN LOS
ANGELES. MY NAME IS BRIAN
BUCKNER, AND I'M, THE LOS
ANGELES CITY HOMELESSNESS
COORDINATOR. IN THE OFFICE OF
THE CITY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
HOMELESSNESS IS A COMPLEX,
MULTIDIMENSIONAL CHALLENGE THAT
MUST BE ADDRESSED THROUGH AN
INTEGRATED AND COMPREHENSIVE
NETWORK OF RESOURCES SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND GOVERNMENTAL
AGENCIES. IN LOS ANGELES. THIS
REQUIRES COORDINATED EFFORTS OF
THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND LHASA
AMONG MANY OTHER PARTNERS.
RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR
COORDINATION, THE CITY COUNTY IN
LHASA HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER
FOR YEARS TO INCREASE THE
INTEGRATION OF AVAILABLE
RESOURCES AND ENSURE THAT ALL
FUNDING STREAMS ARE FULLY
LEVERAGED. THIS COORDINATION
BETWEEN THE CITY COUNTY AND
LHASA AND REGIONAL EFFORTS TO
COMBAT HOMELESSNESS HAPPENS BOTH
FORMALLY THROUGH JOINT PROJECTS
AND INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS AND
INFORMALLY WITH FREQUENT CROSS
AGENCY COLLABORATIONS. I CAN
ATTEST PERSONALLY, THAT THERE
ARE NUMEROUS REGULAR
COORDINATION CALLS AND MEETINGS
BETWEEN THE THREE PARTNERS,
INCLUDING HIGH LEVEL
COORDINATION CALLS, MANY OF
WHICH INVOLVE DIRECT
PARTICIPATION FROM POLICYMAKERS
AND THEIR STUFF. AND MORE
GRANULAR MEETINGS TO DISCUSS
DATA AND PERFORMANCE METRICS.
FUNDING ISSUES, PROJECT
MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY,
DISCRETE OPERATIONS AND OUTREACH
PRIORITIES AND ACTIVITIES. GIVEN
THE SIGNIFICANT EXISTING
COORDINATION AMONG AND BETWEEN
US, I'M CONFIDENT THE CITY
COUNTY AND LOS A WILL CONTINUE
TO STRENGTHEN HOMELESS SERVICES
FOR ALL CITY AND COUNTY
RESIDENTS AND INCREASE THE
REACHING CAPACITY OF THE
CONTINUUM OF CARE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. SO TODAY WE'RE HERE
TO TALK ABOUT STATE FUNDING AND
HOW LOS ANGELES HAS LEVERAGE
THESE CRITICAL RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT THE IMPORTANT WORK
HAPPENING ON THE GROUND ACROSS
THE CITY. SINCE 2018 THE STATE
THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE
GOVERNOR, AND THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE HAS ALLOCATED DIRECT
AND FLEXIBLE AID TO THE CITY
THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS HEAT.
HAVE ENCAMPMENT, RESOLUTION FUND
AND HOME KEY GRANT PROGRAMS. THE
CITY IS COMMITTED TO WORKING
WITH OUR PARTNERS TO ENSURE THIS
FUNDING IS DEPLOYED BOTH RAPIDLY
AND ON THE MOST EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE
TO THE LONG TERM REDUCTION OF
HOMELESSNESS. IN OCTOBER OF 2018
. THE CITY WAS AWARDED $85
MILLION THROUGH HEAP. IN MARCH,
2020. THE CITY WAS AWARDED $117
MILLION THROUGH HALF WON THE
FIRST ROUND OF HELP. IN JULY,
2021. THE CITY WAS AWARDED $55
MILLION THROUGH HAVE TO IN JULY
OF 2022. THE CITY WAS AWARDED
$243 MILLION THROUGH THE THIRD
ROUND OF HOW AND WE'LL BE
SUBMITTING OUR HELP FOR
APPLICATION SHORTLY BY THE END
OF NEXT MONTH. THAT MEANS
COLLECTIVELY. TO DATE, THE CITY
HAS BEEN AWARDED MORE THAN $400
MILLION THROUGH THESE FLEXIBLE
HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
AND IF YOU INCLUDE HAVE FOUR,
WHICH WE EXPECT TO BE THE SAME
OR VERY SIMILAR TO OUR HAVE
THREE ALLOCATION. THAT'S ANOTHER
$143 MILLION. THE CITY HAS
WORKED WITH URGENCY AND
EFFICIENCY TO MAXIMIZE THE
IMPACT OF THESE DOLLARS IN
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL. IN TOTAL STATE
INVESTMENTS IN LOS ANGELES.
HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIES HAVE
HELPED TO DELIVER THE FOLLOWING
RESULTS. THE CITY HAS CREATED
5915 INTERIM HOUSING BEDS THAT'S
NON HOME KEY BEDS. THROUGH
PROGRAMS SUCH AS A BRIDGE HOME
AND BY BUILDING MORE THAN 14
TINY HOME VILLAGES WITH ANOTHER
FIVE OR MORE IN DEVELOPMENT OR
UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE
ACQUIRED 2383 UNITS OF INTERIM
AND PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH
THE HOME KEY PROGRAM. AND IN THE
MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC IS NOTED
BY OUR LOSS OF COLLEAGUES. WE
STOOD UP 18 TOTAL PROJECT ROOM
KEY HOTELS WITH A TOTAL OF 2235
ROOMS. THESE CRITICAL STATE
PROGRAMS HAVE SATAN HAVE SAVED
LIVES. MAY HAVE BEEN VITAL TO
THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO BUILD A
MORE ROBUST HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSE SYSTEM. AND AT THE SAME
TIME THE CITY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PIPELINE FROM THE CHIEFLY BY
PROPOSITION H. H. H IS ON TRACK
TO DELIVER ON ITS PROMISE TO
TRIPLE THE CITY'S AFFORDABLE AND
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
PIPELINE. AND DEVELOPED 10,510
UNITS OF HOUSING BY 2026.
SPECIFICALLY WITH THE GROUND TO
HEAP AND HALF THE CITY REMAINS
COMMITTED TO MAKING CRITICAL
SYSTEM LINED INVESTMENTS TO
IMPROVE SAFETY, ACCESS, HOUSING
OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
FLEXIBLE STATE FUNDS HAVE FILLED
GAPS LEFT BY OTHER MORE
CONSTRAINED FEDERAL FUNDS, SUCH
AS THOSE PROVIDED BY FEMA AND
HUD. HE'D BEEN HAVING PARTICULAR
HAVE PROVIDED CRITICAL OPERATING
FUNDS TO MAKE CAPITAL
INVESTMENTS SUCH AS THOSE
SUPPORTED BY THE INNOVATIVE HOME
KEY PROGRAM. FEASIBLE THROUGH
THE PROVISION OF WRAPAROUND
SERVICES AND STAFFING SUPPORT.
HAVE FUNDS HAVE ALSO ALLOWED THE
CITY TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE DRAMATICALLY
INCREASED SHELTER AND HOUSING
CAPACITY IN THE WAKE OF COVID
19. THE CITY HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE
OF BOTH HEATH UNHAPPY AND HAPPY
TO FUND OUR PREVENTION, WORK,
HOUSING, NAVIGATION, OUTREACH,
PUBLIC HEALTH AND HYGIENE
SERVICES AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE
NEW STREET ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
AND SHELTER. TYPOLOGY IS
INCLUDING OUR TINY HOME
VILLAGES. WE HAVE ALSO USED
SIGNIFICANT HEAT AND HAVE FUNDS
MORE THAN $30 MILLION IN TOTAL
TO SUPPORT OUR ONGOING WORK TO
ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN SKID
ROW. TODAY WE HAVE COMPLETELY
PROGRAMMED HEAP. I HAVE ONE AND
APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF HAVE
TO. WE HAVE NOT YET PROGRAMMED
ANY OF THE HAVE THREE FUNDS, BUT
WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF
HAVE THREE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO
CONTINUE EXISTING SERVICES AND
OPERATIONS AT OUR CURRENT
HOUSING AND SHELTER LOCATIONS.
THROUGH HEAP IN THE FIRST TWO
ROUNDS OF HAT. THE CITY HAS
ALLOCATED MORE THAN $94 MILLION
TO SUPPORT A BRIDGE, HOME
CAPITAL AND OPERATIONS. MORE
THAN $22 MILLION FOR OUR COVID
19 HOMELESSNESS RECOVERY ROADMAP
THAT JEFF MENTIONED EARLIER.
OVER $30 MILLION FOR SKID ROW.
OVER $33 MILLION FOR PREVENTION
AND SHELTER DIVERSION TO
PERMANENT HOUSING. OVER $3
MILLION FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE
AND RAPID RE HOUSING. OVER $41
MILLION FOR ST STRATEGY,
OUTREACH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND
HYGIENE. AND NEARLY $20 MILLION
FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS OR WHO ARE AT RISK
OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND AS I MENTIONED THE HELP
THREE ALLOCATION IS JUST OVER
143 MILLION AND WHILE WE HAVEN'T
PROGRAMMED THESE DOLLARS, YET
ALMOST HALF WILL GO TO SUPPORT
ONGOING OPERATING COSTS FOR OUR
EXISTING INTERIM HOUSING SITES,
AND NEARLY 20% WILL BE ALLOCATED
FOR STREET OUTREACH, HYGIENE AND
PREVENTION AND SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES. DUE TO THE ONE TIME
NATURE OF THIS FUNDING THE NEW
SHELTERS AND SERVICES THAT WERE
QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY CREATED
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH
HELP FUNDING ARE FACING LARGE
FISCAL CLIFFS, IF HAPPENS, NOT
RENEWED. WITHOUT CONTINUED STATE
SUPPORT. THESE SERVICES WILL
CEASE TO EXIST, AND SHELTERS
WILL HAVE TO BE CLOSED AT THE
END OF THE HALF FOR FUNDING
PERIOD. AND I MUST EMPHASIZE IF
THAT FUNDING IS NOT EXTENDED, OR
IF ELIGIBLE USES ARE RESTRICTED,
AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED. DOZENS
OF HOMELESSNESS INTERVENTIONS
WOULD NEED TO BE DEMOBILIZED.
CRITICAL SERVICES DISCONTINUED
AND THOUSANDS OF OUR MOST
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WOULD
LIKELY BE FORCED BACK ONTO THE
STREETS ONCE FUNDS ARE FULLY
EXPENDED. SO, TO THAT END, WE
RECOMMEND THAT THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE GOVERNOR CONSIDER MAKING
THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS TO
HAVE ONGOING FUNDING FOR HELP.
WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THE STATE'S
BUDGET IS EXPERIENCING SOME
VOLATILITY, AND THAT WE MAY SEE
A DEFICIT, RESULTING IN SOME
FUNDING CUTS. WE CONTINUE TO
STRESS THE NECESSITY OF ONGOING
FUNDING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AND CONTINUUM OF CARE. AT THE
VERY LEAST, WE URGED THE
LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER
MAINTAINING THE EXISTING $1
BILLION PER YEAR ALLOCATION FOR
AT LEAST THE NEXT THREE FISCAL
YEARS. SECOND MAINTAIN EXISTING
FLEXIBILITY WITHIN HALF. ALLOWS
THE CITY TO LEVERAGE LOCAL
COUNTY STATE AND FEDERAL
DOLLARS, WHICH ARE OFTEN MUCH
MORE RESTRICTIVE. THE EXISTING
FLEXIBILITY ALLOWS THE CITY TO
MIX AND MATCH FUNDING SOURCES TO
MAINTAIN EXISTING OPERATIONS,
COMPILED MATCHING FUNDS FOR
OTHER PROGRAMS AND PRIORITIZE
THE MOST PRESSING LOCAL NEEDS.
THIRD TIME FRAMES MORE REALISTIC
, STANDARDIZED EXPECTATIONS AND
REQUIREMENTS AND OFFER BONUS
FUNDING. WHILE WE'RE GRATEFUL
FOR THE GENEROUS RESOURCES
PROVIDED BY THE 3RD AND 4TH
ROUNDS OF HAVE THE CONDENSED
TIMELINE IS CONTRIBUTING TO
SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT STAFFING
CHALLENGES. THE LEGISLATURE MAY
WISH TO CONTINUE OR CONSIDER A
MULTIYEAR RATHER THAN ANNUAL
APPLICATION. AND IF THE
LEGISLATURE PROVIDED MULTIYEAR
FUNDING, WE MAY BE IN A STRONGER
POSITION TO SET MORE AMBITIOUS
GOALS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE BONUS
FUNDING. NEXT WE'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOME KEY THE
CITY'S PROGRAM. HOME KEY HAS
PROVIDED AN ESSENTIAL LIFELINE
FOR THE CITY TO ACQUIRE UNITS AT
SCALE AND AT A COST THAT IS VERY
OFTEN LESS THAN WHAT IT WOULD
COST FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. WHILE
THE CASH MATCH HAS PROVED TO BE
CHALLENGING, THE CITY HAS BEEN
FORTUNATE RECIPIENT OF
SIGNIFICANT STATE FUNDS FOR MANY
HOME KEY PROJECTS IN BOTH ROUNDS
ONE AND TWO. IN ROUND ONE, THE
CITY AND THE CITY'S HOUSING
AUTHORITY WERE AWARDED OVER $120
MILLION FOR THE PURCHASE OF 15
PROPERTIES TOTALLING 750 ROOMS
AND UNITS. WE RECEIVED AN
ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION TO FUND
SHELTER OPERATING EXPENSES IN
THE CITY ALSO DEDICATED $150
MILLION IN ITS OWN FEDERAL
FUNDING TO BOTH MATCH THESE
GRANTS AND ACQUIRE OTHER SITES.
FOR ROUND TWO, THE CITY
SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR NINE
SITES. WITH 928 UNITS AND THE
CITY'S HOUSING AUTHORITIES
SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR AN
ADDITIONAL SIX SITES WITH 349
UNITS. AT THIS TIME, ALL OF THE
CITY AND HOUSING AUTHORITIES
PROJECTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED. IN
TOTAL, THE CITY FAMILY WILL HAVE
RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $537 MILLION
ACROSS TWO ROUNDS OF HOME KEY,
CREATING A TOTAL OF 2383 UNITS.
EACH OF THESE MORE THAN 2300
UNITS THAT WE'VE ACQUIRED OR
WILL ACQUIRE MEANS SOMEONE NOW
HAS A PERMANENT PLACE TO CALL
HOME AND THEIR EXPERIENCE OF
HOMELESSNESS. STILL TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF ANGELENOS REMAIN
HOUSED AND MANY MORE STRUGGLE TO
PAY RENT DUE TO THE RISING COST
OF HOUSING. PROVIDING PERMANENT
HOUSING. IS THE BEST WAY TO
SUCCESSFULLY AND THEIR
HOMELESSNESS. THAT'S WHAT MAKES
HONKY SUCH AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM.
THESE ARE UNITS THAT CAN BE
DEPLOYED IMMEDIATELY, OR IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND AT
LEAST AS COMPARED TO NEW
CONSTRUCTION TO GET PEOPLE OFF
THE STREETS. AND OFTEN LOWER
COST. AND IT WILL KEEP THEM OFF
THE STREETS WITH THE PERMANENT
HOME. TO THAT END, WE RECOMMEND
THE FOLLOWING FUN, FUTURE ROUNDS
OF HOME KEY HE HAS PROVEN TO BE
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PROGRAM BECAUSE
IT HAS ENABLED US TO ACQUIRE
UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES AND
QUICKLY INCREASE THE CITY'S
PERMANENT HOUSING STOCK HELPING
US TO GET MORE ANGELENOS OFF THE
STREETS AND INTO PERMANENT
HOUSING. JUST HOME KEY FUNDING
RESTRICTIONS AND ELIGIBLE USES.
INCLUDE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO
EXISTING SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
STOCK. INCREASED OPERATING FUNDS
FROM 3 TO 5 YEARS. INCREASED PER
UNIT FUNDING CAP, ESPECIALLY IN
HIGH COST CITIES LIKE LOS
ANGELES. MAINTAIN OR INCREASE
CAPITAL FUNDS LIMITS. INCREASED
OPERATING SUBSIDIES. AND LOWER
MATCHING COMMITMENTS. AND
FINALLY TALK ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS.
HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS PRESENT
UNIQUE AND COMPLEX CHALLENGES
FOR THE CITY AS THEY DO FOR ANY
COMMUNITY. AND WE MUST STRIKE A
BALANCE OR TRY TO BETWEEN
DEMANDS FOR SWIFT ACTION AND THE
REALITY THAT PERMANENT
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS HOUSING
WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TAKE
TIME AND INVESTMENT TO BRING TO
SCALE. ULTIMATELY WE KNOW THAT
WHEN PEOPLE'S HOUSING AND
SERVICE NEEDS ARE LEFT
UNADDRESSED ENCAMPMENTS WILL
PERSIST IN EFFORTS TO RESOLVE
THEM WILL ONLY MEAN THAT THEY
APPEAR AGAIN IN ANOTHER
NEIGHBORHOOD, OR MAYBE EVEN
RIGHT BACK WHERE THEY WERE.
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LIVE IN
UNHEALTHY AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS
IN THESE ENCAMPMENTS IS NOT JUST
NOT SUSTAINABLE. IT'S NOT
HUMANE. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF
THE CITY'S SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT IN EXPANDING THE
CAPACITY OF OUR INTERIM HOUSING
SYSTEM. MUCH OF WHICH CAME FROM
STATE GRANTS. UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY
ACTUALLY DECREASED OVER THE LAST
TWO YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE
LATEST BIT COUNT IS NOTED BY OUR
LOSS OF COLLEAGUES, AND YET THE
NUMBER OF ENCAMPMENTS ACTUALLY
INCREASED BY 17. AND AS I
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE CITY
IS ALLOCATED A SIGNIFICANT
SHERIFF. IT'S HAPPY RESOURCES
TOWARD HOMELESS OUTREACH, STREET
HYGIENE AND OTHER SERVICES
TARGETING UNSHELTERED ANGELENOS.
IN FACT, WHILE I'M TESTIFYING
BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING, MY
OFFICE'S REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXPAND THE
CITY'S STREET MEDICINE PROGRAM
USING HEP $2. IS BEING HEARD BY
OUR CITY COUNCIL IS HOMELESSNESS
AND POVERTY COMMITTEE AND A
SHOUT OUT TO MY STAFF FOR
COVERING THAT REPORT WHILE I'M
HERE WITH YOU THIS MORNING IN
ADDITION TO THE HALF DOLLARS
THAT WE'RE PUTTING TO USE ON THE
STREETS TO SERVED PEOPLE WHERE
THEY ARE THE CITY WAS ALSO
AWARDED $1.7 MILLION FROM THE
FIRST ROUND OF THE ENCAMPMENT
RESOLUTION FUND PROGRAM TO
PROVIDE HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
ALONG THE BANKS OF THE LOS
ANGELES RIVER. IN COUNCIL
DISTRICT FOUR. WE'RE WORKING
WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE
PEOPLE ASSISTING THE
HOMELESSNESS OR PATH TO
IMPLEMENT THIS GRANT. AND JUST
YESTERDAY. CAL I CH ANNOUNCED
THAT THE JOINT CITY COUNTY IN
LHASA APPLICATION AND AS YOU
MENTIONED CHAIR TO SERVE 500,
WOMEN AND FAMILIES ON SKID ROW
WILL BE AWARDED NEARLY $15
MILLION AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GET
STARTED WITH THAT WORK. WE
EXPECT TO APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL
CAMERA RESOLUTION GRANTS IN THIS
NEXT ROUND. THE METHODOLOGY FOR
ENCAMPMENT. RESOLUTION
STRATEGIES ACTUALLY STARTED LAST
YEAR WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL
ADOPTED ITS FIRST CITYWIDE
STREET ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY.
EXCUSE ME. THE STRATEGY INCLUDES
A ROBUST CROSS DEPARTMENTAL
APPROACH TO RESOLVING
ENCAMPMENTS. THE STRATEGY
UTILIZES A COMMAND CENTER
APPROACH WITH REGULAR
COORDINATION MEETINGS AMONG ALL
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND PARTNER
AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH
ENCAMPMENT, PLANNING AND
RESPONSE. THIS APPROACH INVOLVES
ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND
COORDINATION AND IS EMPLOYED BY
THE CEOS CITYWIDE HOMELESS
OUTREACH TEAM AS WELL AS BY THE
CITY'S UNIFIED HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSE CENTER, OR YOU, HRC.
AND TO BE CLEAR THE CITY
STRATEGY DOES NOT JUST MOVE
PEOPLE OUT OF THE AREA. THE GOAL
IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO MOVE
PEOPLE INDOORS, WHILE AT THE
SAME TIME ADDRESSING HEALTH AND
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES AND THE
IMPACT OF UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
INCLUDING OUR OWN HOUSE
COMMUNITIES. THE CITY ALWAYS
LEADS WITH OUTREACH, CONNECTIONS
TO SERVICES AND HOUSING AND
SHELTER WHEN AVAILABLE. AND
PRINCIPALLY, THE STRATEGY
ESTABLISHED A FRAMEWORK THAT
PROVIDES FOR CENTRAL
COORDINATION. PREPARES PLANS FOR
EACH OUTREACH EFFORT. ACCESS IS
A WIDE RANGE OF RESOURCES AND
ENSURES ROLE CLARITY. ENSURES
FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW ASSIGNMENT
OF RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF EACH ENCAMPMENT AS THEY ARISE
AND SHIFT. ENSURES THAT ALL
PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO FOCUS
ON THEIR ROLE. ENSURES CLEAR,
CONSISTENT AND HONEST
COMMUNICATION. AND FULLY
DOCUMENTS AND TRACKS ALL ASPECTS
OF THE STRATEGY'S IMPLEMENTATION
TO ALLOW FOR ROBUST ANALYSIS AND
REVIEW AND STRICT
ACCOUNTABILITY. ALONG THESE
LINES. THE ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION
GRANT PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH THE
CITY'S SHIFT TOWARDS
PRIORITIZING THESE PLACE BASED
STRATEGIES LIKE THE STREET
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND THE
CITY'S ENCAMPMENT TO HOME
PROGRAM. ENCAMPMENT, THE HOME
MODEL EMERGED IN 2021 AS AN
INTEGRAL PART OF THE CITY
STRATEGY TO ADDRESS LARGE
HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN PUBLIC
SPACES. TO SUPPORT ON HOUSED
ANGELENOS ON THEIR PATH TO
PERMANENT HOUSING. THIS STRATEGY
LEADS WITH HOUSING SERVICES AND
COMPASSION. AND CAN'T GET THE
HOME'S MAIN GOAL IS TO SAFELY
BRING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS INDOORS. ALLOW FOR
THE STORAGE OF THEIR PERSONAL
BELONGINGS AND CLEAN AND MANAGE
PUBLIC SPACES. RECENT OPERATIONS
HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN DIVERSE
SETTINGS WITH UNIQUE NEEDS,
INCLUDING OCEAN FRONT WALK IN
VENICE BEACH. MACARTHUR PARK,
WESTCHESTER PARK, PUEBLO AND
DOWNTOWN L, A ADJACENT TO THE
CIVIC CENTER. THROUGH THESE
EFFORTS OVER 800 UNSHELTERED,
INDIVIDUALS MOVED INDOORS. WITH
THEIR FEEDBACK ON OTHER STATE
FUNDING PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S
HALF FOR THE ENCAMPMENT
RESOLUTION FUND MAXIMUM
FLEXIBILITY ALLOWS CITIES,
COUNTIES AND CONTINUUM OF CARE
TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE LOCATION
SPECIFIC STRATEGIES. DESIGNED TO
ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE
INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN THESE
ENCAMPMENTS AND MOVING THEM
INSIDE TO SHELTER AND HOUSING
AND ON A PATHWAY TO STAY SAFE
AND STABLE HOUSING. RELATED TO
THE CITY'S ENCAMPMENT STRATEGY.
WE DID RECEIVE A QUESTION FROM
THE COMMUNITY ASKING HOW THE
CITY WILL FUND THE FIVE YEAR
PLAN, I ASSUME, AND I MAY BE
INCORRECT. I APOLOGIZE IF I AM
THAT THE QUESTIONS, REFERRING TO
THE FIVE YEAR PLAN RELATED TO
THE ALLIANCE LAWSUIT. LIMITED
INFORMATION I CAN PROVIDE ABOUT
THAT BECAUSE THE ONGOING
NEGOTIATIONS UM RIGHT NOW, BUT
WHAT I CAN SAY IS WHAT'S BEEN
REPORTED PUBLICLY. AND THAT IS
UNDER THE AGREEMENT. THE COUNTY
OR COUNTY PARTNERS, KEARNY
COUNTY PARTNERS WILL COMMIT $236
MILLION TO FUND INCREASED
SERVICES OUTREACH AN INTERIM
HOUSING FOR ON HOUSED ANGELENOS
, AND THAT WILL BE ON TOP OF THE
$532 MILLION AND MEASURE AGE AND
STATE FUNDS THE COUNTY HAS
COMMITTED THIS YEAR TO PREVENT
AND ADJUST HOMELESSNESS WITH
THEIR OWN STRATEGIES. THE
SETTLEMENT ALSO PROVIDES COUNTY
OPERATIONAL AND SERVICE SUPPORT
AND EVERY SHELTER AND HOUSING
PROJECT ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY
PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT. IT
GIVES ACCESS TO UNLICENSED BEDS
FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE SUFFERING
FROM MENTAL ILLNESS WITHIN THE
CITY. IT ADDS SEVERAL 100
LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER BEDS. AND
INCREASES THE NUMBER OF
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS AND
MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH TEAMS TO
HELP IN HOUSING AREAS WITH THE
HIGHEST NEED ACROSS THE CITY.
THE NEW FUNDING WOULD PAY FOR
WRAP AROUND SERVICES SUCH AS
CASE MANAGEMENT, MEDICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER SERVICES FOR
ELIGIBLE OCCUPANTS OF THE OVER
10,000 PERMANENT HOUSING UNITS
AND OVER 3000 INTERIM HOUSING
BEDS THE CITY HAS COMMITTED TO
BUILDING IS A PART OF A SEPARATE
SETTLEMENT WITH THE ALLIANCE. WE
ARE COMMITTED TO A SHARED SET OF
SOLUTIONS AND THIS AGREEMENT
BOTH HOLDS US ACCOUNTABLE TO
MAKE THE NECESSARY INVESTMENTS
TO HELP SOLVE THIS CRISIS AND
REPRESENTS AN HISTORIC ALLIANCE
THAT WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK ABOUT THE CITY'S EFFORTS
TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN LOS
ANGELES IF I COULD LEAVE THE
COMMITTEE WITH JUST OUR TWO TOP
LINE TAKEAWAYS, IT WOULD BE TO
DEDICATE ONGOING FUNDING TO
SUPPORTING LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
AND TO MAINTAINING EXISTING
FLEXIBILITY, WHICH ALLOWS THESE
SAME JURISDICTIONS TO DEVELOP
AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS THAT
REFLECT LOCAL PRIORITIES AND
NEEDS WHILE ALSO ENSURING STRICT
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOW THOSE
FUNDS ARE USED. I REALIZED I
HAVE NOT TOUCHED ON ALL THE
QUESTIONS WE RECEIVED FROM THE
COMMITTEE, BUT I WAS HOPING TO
KEEP MY REMARKS SHORT, WHICH I
PROBABLY FAILED AT MISERABLY.
APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE, BUT
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT
OVERVIEW ON THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES. SPECIFICALLY WE BOTH MY
COLLEAGUE AND I HAVE SEVERAL
QUESTIONS FOR YOU FOR THE CITY.
I THINK THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO NOT DO SHORT REMARKS LIKE WE
WANT THE DETAILS. WE WANT THE IN
DEPTH. CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE
DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO
THINGS. HEARINGS LOCALLY, OFTEN.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO
IS DO BOTH THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY PERSPECTIVES. THE
COORDINATION ON HOW YOU BOTH
WORK TOGETHER. AND THEN WE'LL
WE'LL THEN FOLLOW UP WITH SOME
QUESTIONS. GOOD MORNING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CHAIR
CARILLO. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE CLEAR. CITY
COUNTY LHASA, RIGHT? OKAY.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY
BEFORE YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS
ELIZABETH BEN ISHAI. I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
HOMELESS INITIATIVE. THE
HOMELESS INITIATIVE IS THE
CENTRAL COORDINATING BODY FOR
THE COUNTY'S WORK RELATED TO
HOMELESSNESS AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES,
CITY GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS. WE WORK ON
POLICIES AND ADMINISTER FUNDING
ACROSS A RANGE OF AREAS,
INCLUDING HOMELESS PREVENTION,
STREET OUTREACH, INTERIM HOUSING
, PERMANENT HOUSING AND
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. IN MY
REMARKS TODAY, I WILL PROVIDE
SOME BACKGROUND ON THE HOMELESS
INITIATIVE AND OUR APPROACH TO
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AND I
WILL BE COMMENTING ON ISSUES
RELATED TO THE STATES. HAP GRANT
PROGRAM, THE STATE'S HOME KEY
PROGRAM AND CAMP, MINT ISSUES
AND OTHER ISSUES PERTAINING TO
OUR PARTNERSHIPS. IN 2015, THE
L. A COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CREATED THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE
, CHARGING IT WITH CREATING A
STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS. THE PLAN WAS
DEVELOPED AFTER EXTENSIVE
COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT AND THE VOTERS OF L.
A COUNTY ULTIMATELY APPROVED
MEASURE H A QUARTER CENT SALES
TAX THAT IS USED TO IMPLEMENT
THE BOARD APPROVED PLAN. IN THE
FIRST FIVE YEARS OF MEASURE AGE,
NEARLY 85,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
PLACED IN PERMANENT HOUSING AND
NEARLY 115,000 IN INTERIM
HOUSING WITH 40% OF THOSE
PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENTS AND
53% OF THE INTERIM HOUSING
PLACEMENTS ATTRIBUTED TO
PROGRAMS FUNDED IN WHOLE OR IN
PART BY MEASURE. H. GENERALLY.
ONCE PEOPLE ARE HOUSED, THEY
REMAIN HOUSED. BUT THERE ARE
ABOUT 10 TO 15% OF PEOPLE WHO
EXIT TO PERMANENT HOUSING AND
THEN RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS.
DESPITE THE SUCCESSES WE HAVE
SEEN SINCE THE INCEPTION OF
MEASURE H. AS YOU KNOW, THE
CRISIS IS GROWING. BASED ON OUR
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AND
CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS DRIVEN IN
PART BY THE GROWING NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO BECOME HOMELESS AND
THEN STRUGGLE TO EXIT THE SYSTEM
REMAINING WITHIN IT FOR AT LEAST
SIX MONTHS. IN THE COURSE OF A
YEAR. WE VIEW THESE INDIVIDUALS
AND FAMILIES AS PERSISTENTLY
UNDERSERVED. TO TRY TO ADDRESS
THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN
HOMELESSNESS. THE HOMELESS
INITIATIVE RECENTLY REVISED AND
REFRESHED ITS STRATEGIC PLAN,
DRAWING ON FURTHER COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, RESEARCH AND DATA IN
APRIL, 2020 TO OUR BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS APPROVED A NEW
FRAMEWORK TO END HOMELESSNESS IN
L. A COUNTY. THIS NEW FRAMEWORK
OPERATES ACROSS FIVE PILLARS.
COORDINATE PREVENT, CONNECT
HOUSE AND STABILIZE. CRUCIALLY
THE NEW FRAMEWORK INVOLVES THREE
KEY PARTNERS. OUR HOMELESS RE
HOUSING SYSTEM ARE MAINSTREAM
COUNTY SYSTEMS SUCH AS HEALTH,
PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES,
PROBATION AND OTHER COUNTY
DEPARTMENTS AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS
WITH THE 88 CITIES AND SEVEN
COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT. IN THE
IN THE L. A COUNTY REGION. EACH
OF THESE PARTNERS PLAYS A
CRITICAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING OUR
CURRENT CRISIS. WE ARE LOOKING
TO OUR MAINSTREAM SYSTEMS TO
QUICKLY IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE
AT RISK HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING HOUSING CRISES WHEN
THEY ENGAGE WITH THE COUNTY
SYSTEM. WE BELIEVE THIS SHOULD
HELP TO REDUCE THE INFLOW INTO
HOMELESSNESS. WE ARE LOOKING TO
OUR HOMELESS RE HOUSING SYSTEM
TO FOCUS PRIMARILY, BUT NOT
EXCLUSIVELY ON THOSE
PERSISTENTLY UNDERSERVED FOLKS
WHO NEED MORE INTENSIVE
INTERVENTIONS. AND FINALLY WE
ARE SEEKING TO BUILD OUR
COLLABORATIONS WITH CITIES AND
COGS WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING
THE SUPPLY OF PERMANENT HOUSING
AND WORKING TOGETHER TO RESOLVE
ENCAMPMENTS BY MOVING THEIR
OCCUPANTS INTO HOUSING. AS YOU
KNOW, L A COUNTY IS ONE OF SEVEN
JURISDICTIONS IN THE L. A COUNTY
REGION THAT RECEIVES A HALF
GRANT FROM THE STATE. THE COUNTY
IS GRATEFUL FOR THIS FUNDING,
WHICH IS MAKING A SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT. IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE
APPRECIATIVE OF PERHAPS
FLEXIBILITY. THIS ENABLES US TO
INVEST FUNDING WHERE IT IS
NEEDED, MOST GIVEN WHERE WE ARE
INVESTING OUR MEASURE H AND
OTHER ONE TIME STATE AND FEDERAL
FUNDING PRIOR TO HALF THE COUNTY
HAD ALREADY BEEN USING MEASURE H
TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND THE
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HOMELESS
SERVICES IN L. A COUNTY. L. A
COUNTY HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED
THE PIPELINE TO BUILD AND BRING
INCREASING NUMBERS OF INTERIM
HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING UNITS ONLINE EACH YEAR.
WITH MEASURE H. THE COUNTY IS
FUNDING MORE THAN 16,000
INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT
SERVICES, OR CMS SLOTS, WHICH
PROVIDE THE SUPPORT OF SERVICES
TO PEOPLE IN PERMANENT,
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. IN ADDITION,
THE COUNTY IS FUNDING
APPROXIMATELY 2000 INTERIM
HOUSING BEDS WITH MEASURE H
HAPPENS NOW ALSO BEING USED TO
SUPPORT I CMS AND INTERIM
HOUSING COSTS. ONE OF THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WITH HAP
INCLUDES THE FACT THAT WE HAVE
LEVERAGED THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS
OF HAP LARGELY TO FUND INTERIM
HOUSING AND PERMANENT,
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING GROWTH AND
OPERATIONS. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A
REPLACEMENT FUNDING SOURCE. WHEN
THESE ONE TIME HAVE FUNDS ARE
EXHAUSTED. TO PROVIDE SOME
FURTHER DETAILS. THE COUNTY'S
TOTAL HAP ONE AND TWO
ALLOCATIONS WERE $64.3 MILLION
AND $29.4 MILLION, RESPECTIVELY
, TOTALING 93.7 MILLION. THE
COUNTY INVESTED IN ALMOST 90% OF
THAT TOTAL. OVER $81 MILLION TO
HELP FUND THE COST OF GROWTH AND
OUR INTERIM HOUSING AND
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PORTFOLIO, MOSTLY TO FUND
OPERATIONS COST COSTS, BUT ALSO
A SMALL AMOUNT FOR INTERIM
HOUSING CAPITAL. WE INVESTED THE
BALANCE ON HOUSING AND SERVICES
FOR TRANSITION AGED YOUTH OR TAE
, SURPASSING THE MINIMUM SET
ASIDE FOR TAE REQUIRED BY THE
STATE. TODAY AT L. A COUNTY HAS
EXPANDED 91% OF ITS HALF ONE AND
TWO ALLOCATIONS. PERHAPS THREE.
THE COUNTY'S TOTAL GRANT IS
$82.3 MILLION. THE COUNTY
CONTINUES TO INVEST MOST OF ITS
HAVE THREE FUNDING ABOUT 70% TO
SUPPORT OUR INTERIM HOUSING AND
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PORTFOLIO. IN ADDITION, THE
COUNTY IS USING NEARLY $11
MILLION TO CREATE A CITIES AND
COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT'S INTERIM
HOUSING SERVICES FUND TO SUPPORT
SERVICES AT INTERIM HOUSING
SITES DEVELOPED BY ANY OF OUR 88
CITIES AND SEVEN COG PARTNERS.
WE HAVE ALSO SET ASIDE $2.6
MILLION IN HALF FOR OPERATING
COSTS FOR CITIES AND TRIBAL
ENTITIES PURSUING FUNDING FOR
PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH THE
STATE'S HOME KEY PROGRAM.
FINALLY, $4 MILLION WAS
ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT OUR EVERY
WOMAN HOUSED ACTION PLAN FOR
WOMEN AND FAMILIES ON SKID ROW.
ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES DO
AFFECT THE IMPACT OF HAP.
ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE FUNDS HAVE
BEEN EXPENDED, THERE HAVE BEEN
CHALLENGES TO GETTING THIS
FUNDING OUT. THESE ARE LARGELY
ADMINISTRATIVE. EACH ROUND OF
HALF HAS ITS OWN APPLICATION,
CONTRACTING AND REPORTING
PROCESSES, WHICH HAVE CREATED A
SEVERAL MONTH PROCESS BEFORE
EACH YEAR'S NEW GRANT IS
AVAILABLE TO EXPAND. FOR EXAMPLE
, IN JULY 2021 THE GOVERNOR
APPROVED HAVE THREE FUNDING AS
PART OF THE STATE BUDGET IN MAY
, 2022 WE CONTRACTED WITH THE
STATE AND RECEIVED ARE 20% HALF
THREE INITIAL DISBURSEMENT.
TODAY WE ARE STILL WAITING TO
EXECUTE THE SEPARATE CONTRACT
WITH THE STATE TO RECEIVE THE
80% BALANCE OF OUR HALF THREE
GRANDS. AS YOU KNOW, HALF ROUND
THREE INCLUDED REQUIREMENTS FOR
LOCAL ACTION PLANS. THE COUNTY
HAS ENJOYED STRONG COORDINATION
AND COLLABORATION WITH OUR LOSS
, A AND L. A CITY PARTNERS,
INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SHARED QUANTIFIABLE OUTCOME
GOALS FROM THE H D I S BASELINE
DATA CALYX CH SENT TO US TO USE
. THE COUNTY ALSO COLLABORATED
CLOSELY WITH CALYX CH IN
DEVELOPING OUR PLANS. BUT THE
COUNTY, LHASA AND L. A CITY
DEVELOPED OUR OWN BUDGETS AND
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS FOR HOW WE
WOULD INVEST OUR SEPARATE HALF
GRANTS. EACH OF OUR
JURISDICTIONS WORK WITHIN
SEPARATE SYSTEMS TO DEVELOP OUR
HOMELESS SERVICES, BUDGETS OF
WHICH HAPPENS ONLY A SMALL PIECE
, EVEN THOUGH THE PERFORMANCE OF
OUR OVERALL HOMELESS SYSTEM IS
TIED TO COMMON, MEASURABLE GOALS
THAT WE HAVE JOINTLY CREATED
BUDGETARILY. WE ARE STILL
SEPARATE. L A COUNTY HAD ALREADY
CREATED OUR LOCAL ACTION PLAN
SEPARATE AND PRIOR TO THE
CREATION OF HAPPY AND WE
CONTINUE TO REFINE AND
STRENGTHEN IT, INCLUDING WITH A
NEW FRAMEWORK APPROVED BY OUR
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. TO SHIFT
TO THE HOME KEY PROGRAM, THE
COUNTY HAS TAKEN FULL ADVANTAGE
OF THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES
OFFERED THROUGH THE STATE'S HOME
KEY PROGRAM. THE COUNTY WAS
AWARDED FUNDS FOR 10 HUNKY ROUND
ONE PROJECTS AND 14 HOME KEY
ROUND TWO PROJECTS TOTALING 24
SEPARATE PROJECTS. THE MAJORITY
OF THESE ARE HOTEL MOTEL
CONVERSIONS. NINE OF THE
COUNTY'S HOME KEY ONE SITES HAVE
BEEN OPERATING AS INTERIM
HOUSING SINCE THEY WERE ACQUIRED
IN 2020, BUT WILL CONVERT TO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN
THE COMING YEARS. THESE SITES
HAVE ALREADY SERVED MORE THAN
1500 PEOPLE. ONE OF OUR HOME KEY
ONE SITES, IS ALREADY OPERATING
AS PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND HAS 63 TENANTS. WITH HOME
KEY TO THE COUNTY AND ITS CO
APPLICANTS WERE AWARDED FIVE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROJECTS TO YOUTH INTERIM
HOUSING PROJECTS, SIX FAMILY
INTERIM HOUSING PROJECTS AND ONE
VETERANS INTERIM HOUSING
PROJECT. AS WITH MANY
JURISDICTIONS OPERATING FUNDS
ARE THE GREATEST LIMITING FACTOR
ON OUR PURSUIT OF HOME KEY
PROJECTS. FOR A HUNKY ONE AND
TWO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROJECTS. ONCE THE STATES
OPERATING SUBSIDY HAS BEEN
EXHAUSTED THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY
WILL UTILIZE HEAD PROJECT BASED
VOUCHERS. TO COVER OPERATING
COSTS OF ITS PSH PROJECTS AND
ONE TIME FEDERAL AMERICAN RESCUE
PLAN ACT, FUNDING AND LOCAL
MEASURE AGE FUNDING FOR
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. HOWEVER OUR
HOUSING AUTHORITY THE L. A
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY,
OR L A. C D A IS RAPIDLY
APPROACHING ITS CAP ON PROJECT
BASED VOUCHERS, MEANING THAT FOR
FUTURE ROUNDS OF HOME KEY WE
WILL REQUIRE ALTERNATIVE
APPROACHES. ONCE OUR AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS ARE
EXHAUSTED BY THE END OF 2026
ONCE MEASURE AGE SUNSETS IN 2027
, IDENTIFYING ONGOING FUNDING
FOR SERVICES AT HOME KEY SITES
WILL BE A MAJOR CHALLENGE.
OVERALL THE HONKY PROGRAM HAS
PROVEN TO BE A MORE COST
EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
WHEN COMPARED TO NEW
CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING COUNTY HOME. KEY UNITS
ARE AVERAGING UNDER $400,000 PER
UNIT IN COMPARISON, ACCORDING TO
THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING
PARTNERSHIP, MEDIA AND TOTAL
DEVELOPMENT COSTS FOR NEW
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN 2021 IS
ABOUT $580,000. ENCAMPMENTS
CONTINUE TO POSE CHALLENGES TO
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN L,
A COUNTY AND RAISED CONCERNS FOR
HOUSED INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN
THE VICINITY OF THESE
ENCAMPMENTS. THE COUNTY USES ITS
ROBUST OUTREACH SYSTEM TO
ADDRESS IN CANADA. IT'S THE
AVERAGE SYSTEM IN THE COUNTY IS
ADMINISTERED BY LHASA, THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL
HEALTH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
VARIOUS SERVICE PROVIDER
AGENCIES. THE KEY GUIDING
PRINCIPLES FOR OUTREACH INCLUDE
PROVIDING A TRAUMA INFORMED
HOUSING FIRST ALIGNED OUTREACH
RESPONSE THAT AIMS TO MEET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT AND
RECOGNIZES THE UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT EACH CLIENT
FACES USING MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES AND
NONJUDGMENTAL APPROACH IS TO
BUILD TRUST. OUTREACH MUST BE
PROACTIVE AND IS BASED ON
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. ALL OF OUR
OUTREACH TEAMS PROVIDE BASIC
NECESSITIES AND CONNECTIONS TO A
VARIETY OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE
ABUSE AND CONNECTIONS TO INTERIM
AND PERMANENT HOUSING. AS WAS
MENTIONED LHASA APPLIED FOR AND
WAS JUST AWARDED A STATE
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION GRANT AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND
CITY, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH SERVICES AND MENTAL
HEALTH AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER. UM
AND AS AS YOU MENTIONED THE
COUNTY AND ITS PARTNERS WILL
RECEIVE NEARLY $15 MILLION TO
SERVE WOMEN AND FAMILIES IN THE
SKID ROW AREA. THIS IS AN
ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE GROUP OF
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT
REPRESENTS CALIFORNIA'S MOST
VISIBLE SYMBOL OF HOMELESSNESS.
THE PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED FOR
THE ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION. GRANT
WAS DEVELOPED AS A PART OF A
VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. PER
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MOTION BY
THE 1ST AND 2ND SUPERVISORIAL
DISTRICTS. THE COUNTY CONVENED A
WORKGROUP TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO
ASSIST WOMEN IN THE SKID ROW
AREA. THE WORK GROUP DEVELOPED
THE EVERY WOMAN HOUSED PLAN. IN
ADDITION TO THE ENCAMPMENT
RESOLUTION, GRANT L. A COUNTY IS
INVESTING $4 MILLION OF HALF
THREE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THIS
EFFORT, INCLUDING FOR INTERIM
SHELTER, OUTREACH TEAMS, TIME
LIMITED SUBSIDIES, CASE
MANAGEMENT AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
TO CONCLUDE ONCE AGAIN. I WOULD
LIKE TO REITERATE THAT THE
COUNTY IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE
STATE'S LEADERSHIP ON THE ISSUES
RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS AND ITS
COMMITMENT OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT
CRITICAL PROBLEM PROGRAMS HERE
IN L. A COUNTY WE HOPE TO SEE AN
ONGOING COMMITMENT FROM THE
STATE TO PROVIDE HAP FUNDING AT
A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED LEVEL
TO ADDRESS THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF
OUR HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
CRISIS. WE ALSO HOPE TO SEE AN
ONGOING FUNDING COMMITMENT THAT
SIMPLIFIES AND STREAMLINES THE
REQUIREMENTS THAT CURRENTLY VARY
ACROSS ALL OF THE ONE TIME
SILOED HOMELESS RELATED FUNDING
STREAMS RECENTLY ALLOCATED BY
THE STATE, SUCH AS THE
ENCAMPMENT, RESOLUTION GRANTS
CAL WORKS HOUSING SUPPORT
PROGRAM, BRINGING FAMILIES HOME
AND HOME SAFE, AMONG OTHER
RECENT PROGRAMS. AND
UNFORTUNATELY, ALTHOUGH THE
FUNDING IS SUPPORTING MUCH
NEEDED PROGRAMS, THE STATE'S
ALLOCATION OF MANY SEPARATELY
FUNDED PROGRAMS ORGANIZED BY
ELIGIBLE SUB POPULATION IS VERY
ADMINISTRATIVELY BURDENSOME AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL, IT REINFORCES
FRAGMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE
REDUNDANCIES ACROSS OUR LOCAL
SYSTEM AND MAKES IT CHALLENGING
FOR LOCAL REGIONS TO SCALE UP IN
A HOLISTIC MANNER. WE'RE ALSO
HOPEFUL THAT THE STATE WILL
PROVIDE ONGOING OPERATING
FUNDING FOR ALL FUTURE HOME KEEP
PROJECTS AND PARTNER WITH THE
COUNTY AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS
IN ITS FURTHER ADVOCACY WITH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REGARDING
PROJECT BASED VOUCHER CAPS. I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK CHAIR
CARILLO AND THE COMMITTEE FOR
CONVENING THIS HEARING AND FOR
GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH STATE
PROGRAMS. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR THAT ONE MORE
PRESENTATION. CHRISTINA DICKSON,
CHIEF FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
OFFICER WITH NASA AGAIN WHAT
WE'LL DO IS WE'LL GO THROUGH
HALF FUNDING. THEN WE'LL TAKE
TURNS DOING THAT. THEN WE'LL GO
INTO THE ENCAMPMENTS AND THEN
THE OUTREACH AND THEN WE CAN END
WITH SOME KEY HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE
WANT TO SHARE. SO FOR LHASA, THE
HAT FUNDING HAS BEEN AN
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IN MAKING
THE RE HOUSING. UM SYSTEM WORK
MORE EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY. HAPPY GIVES US THE
FLEXIBILITY TO INVEST IN THE
SYSTEM IN WAYS THAT PROMOTE
GREATER BALANCE. FOR EXAMPLE,
WHILE THE CITY USERS HAVE TO ADD
INVESTMENTS AND INTERIM HOUSING
LHASA HAS USED HAVE TO FUND
SERVICES AND RENTAL SUBSIDIES
THAT HELP MOVE PEOPLE FROM THE
INTERIM HOUSING AND INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING. AND THE
COUNTY HAS USED TO SHOW A
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS
LET'S JUST MENTIONED. PAPA'S
DEFINITELY CREATED MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION
WITH BOTH THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY. AND SINCE THE STATE
FUNDING HAS COME ON BOARD,
HOMELESS SERVICES, UM WHAT THE
STATE FUNDING CAME ABOARD IN
2018. IT HAS MADE CONTINUE TO
MAKE, UM ONE TIME INVESTMENT.
EVERY YEAR, AND WE APPRECIATE
THOSE ONE TIME INVESTMENTS.
SINCE WE, UM BUT WE WOULD
DEFINITELY LIKE TO ENCOURAGE
ONGOING FUNDING FROM THE STATE
TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS. FOR A
LOT OF THE REASONS THAT BOTH
BRIAN AND LIZ POINTED OUT WHEN
WE MAKE INVESTMENTS INTO THESE
PERMANENT OR LONG, LONGER TERM
PROGRAMS TO HAVE ONE TIME
PLANNING ATTACHED TO THEM CAN
CREATE SOME CHALLENGES. SO WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
ONGOING FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ONCE HOUSE CAN
STAY HOUSED. FOR EXAMPLE, I'M
JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF
GLASSES USED USAGE OF HAT AND WE
USED WE UTILIZE HAVE THROUGH
INTERVENTIONS LIKE PROBLEM
SOLVING, WHICH PROVIDES FLEXIBLE
DOLLARS AND INFUSIONS OF CASH TO
PEOPLE WHO NEED TO QUICKLY
RESOLVE PROBLEMS THAT COULD LEAD
TO OR PROLONGED THEIR
HOMELESSNESS. THIS RESOURCE
COVERS ANYTHING FROM BACK GRANT
TO SECURITY DEPOSITS TO CAR
REPAIRS. SINCE JULY, 2021 HALF
FUNDED PROBLEM SOLVING
INTERVENTIONS HAS RESULTED IN
MORE THAN 2000 POSITIVE HOUSING
OUTCOMES. HAVE HELPED MAINTAIN
CORE PARTS OF OUR SHELTER
SYSTEMS LIKE THE NEED FOR
SHELTER BEDS AND FACILITATE
PLACEMENTS OF OUR FAMILIES INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING. SAYS HAD
CLIENTS WHO WERE SO FOR EXAMPLE
, THERE WAS A CLIENT WHO WAS
SEPARATED FROM HIS FAMILY. AFTER
HE FELL INTO HOMELESSNESS. HE
WAS REFERRED TO A SHELTER BY ONE
OF THE OUR OUTREACH TEAM MEMBERS
AND WAS ENROLLED INTO THE
RECOVERY HOUSING PROGRAM WHERE
HE WAS MATCHED WITH THE ONE
BEDROOM UNIT NEAR HIS FAMILY.
THE CLIENT HAS SINCE STATED THAT
HIS ASSISTANCE THIS ASSISTANCE
HAS HELPED HIM BECOME CLOSER TO
HIS FAMILY BECAUSE HE'S CLOSE BY
THEM, AND HE'S NOW A BETTER
FATHER AND GRANDFATHER. HE HAS A
SAFE PLACE FOR HIS HIS
GRANDCHILDREN, AND HE CAN VISIT
AS HE SAID, POP UP ON THEM AT
ANY TIME. SO TO ALSO GIVE ME
JUST A SENSE OF THE FUNDING THAT
LOSS HAS RECEIVED. SO I'M LHASA
RECEIVED FIRST. THE FIRST TWO
ROUNDS OF HAP TOTAL 98 MILLION.
AND ROUGHLY 44 MILLION OF THAT
HAS BEEN SPENT. UM THE TOTAL
ENTITLEMENT FOR HALF ROUND THREE
IS 82 MILLION, AND LHASA HAS
RECEIVED 16 MILLION OF THAT
FUNDING AND HAS ALLOCATED THAT
THROUGH CONTRACTING MOST OF THAT
THOSE RESOURCES, SO WHEN WE GET
THE LUMP SUM WE LOOK TO
ALLOCATED ACROSS OUR CONTRACTS.
UM, AND THEN WE NEED TO HAVE
THAT MONEY ONCE IT GETS RECEIVED
TO COME ONLINE SO THAT WE CAN
THEN RELEASE UM AND START
SPINNING DOWN ON THE ALLOCATION.
UM. SOME OTHER POINTS THAT WE
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT AS A
RESULT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE
RECEIVED, UM, THE EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TO PROTECT UNSHELTERED
PERSONS DURING THE PANDEMIC HAS
ALLOWED BOXES TO MOBILIZE AND
IMPLEMENT THE PRODUCT PROJECT
ROOM KEY SITES, UM, AND YOU KNOW
THE BENEFIT OF THIS FUNDING
SOURCE, UM, ALLOWED US TO USE
THAT THE HAT FUNDS WHILE WE
WAITED FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SO I'M
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JEFF
AND HE'LL GIVE SOME MORE INSIGHT
INTO WHAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE
ENHANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH
THE FUNDING. THANK YOU. CENA
AGAIN. JEFF PROCTOR, DIRECTOR OF
FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR LOSS OF
SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AROUND
HAPPENS, QUESTIONS AROUND
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN BUILT USING HALF DOLLARS.
WE HEARD FROM OUR CITY AND
COUNTY PARTNERS HERE AROUND THE
CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS TO EXPAND
INTERIM HOUSING IN PERMANENT
HOUSING. ONE BIT OF ROLE CLARITY
BETWEEN OUR AGENCIES IS THAT YOU
KNOW WHAT IS NOT A PUBLIC
HOUSING AUTHORITIES, SO IT'S NOT
PART OF OUR MISSION TO ACQUIRE
DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL. BUT
AS LOST ANGELES ALMOST SERVICES
AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW OUR PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY IS OVERSIGHT OF
THE RE HOUSING SYSTEM AND MAKING
SURE THAT SERVICES OF IT ARE
AVAILABLE FOR PERSONS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. SO
WHILST IT HAS USED ITS
ALLOCATION OF HALF DOLLARS TO
EXPAND IN HANDS SERVICES FOR
THOSE PERSONS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS ARE AT RISK OF
HOMELESSNESS. AND SO WHAT'S A
HAS USED OUR DOLLARS FOR
PREVENTION DIVERSION EFFORTS
THROUGH OUR PROBLEM SOLVING
PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PARTICIPANT
CENTERED INTERVENTION. THAT'S A
INTENDED TO RAPIDLY RESOLVE AND
EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS OR A
PERSON WHO IS RAPIDLY RESOLVE A
PERSON AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS
AND WHATEVER THEIR HOUSING
CRISIS MAYBE THERE'S ALSO BEEN
USED FOR SERVICES AND OPERATIONS
FOR INTERIM HOUSING PROGRAMS
COUNTYWIDE AS WELL AS FOR TIME,
LIMITED SUBSIDY RENTAL PROGRAMS
LIKE OUR RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM
AND HAS ALSO BEEN USED FOR
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND
CAPACITY BUILDING BUILDING FOR
THE ENTIRE HOMELESS SERVICE
SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
SYSTEM AS WELL RESOURCED TO
CONDUCT THE WORK. CARRY OUT THE
WORK, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW BEST
PRACTICES FOR THE DAY TO DAY.
OPERATIONS ARE CASE MANAGER
PROGRAM STAFF MIGHT DO AS WELL
AS SUPPORTS FOR BACK OFFICE
FUNCTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S A ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH
FROM THE ENTIRE AGENCY RECEIVING
IN ADMINISTERING THE DOLLARS
FROM US. AND I WOULD ALSO ADD
THAT THE DIFFERENT ROUNDS OF HAP
HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN DIFFERENT
WAYS. HALF 1.5 TO PRIMARILY TO
SUPPORT UM, THE CONTINUATION OF
PROGRAMS THAT HAD BEEN STOOD UP
THROUGH THE INITIAL HEAP PROGRAM
AND THEN THROUGH FEMA
REIMBURSEMENT THAT WAS ELIGIBLE
WITH OUR HALF DOLLARS AND
THROUGH HALF AROUND THREE.
THAT'S REALLY BEEN ADDITIVE TO
OUR SYSTEM. WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY
EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE PROGRAM'S
SO NOW JUST, UM GO INTO SOME
SOME THOUGHTS AROUND ENCAMPMENTS
AND HOW THEY PULL SOME
CHALLENGES TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO
IN 2021 LOSS OF PUBLISHED BEST
PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING STREET
ENCAMPMENTS. UM IT'S A DOCUMENT
, WHICH PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR
SERVICE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY
PARTNERS ON THE MOST EFFECTIVE
WAYS TO CONDUCT LOCATION,
SPECIFIC OUTREACH TO BRING THOSE
LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS INSIDE TO
SHELTER AND HOUSING. CONSULTED
WITH NUMEROUS SERVICE PROVIDERS
WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER. EXPERTS
ON SHELTERING IN HOUSED THE BEST
PRACTICES. REPORT OFFERS
GUIDANCE FOR BALANCING THE NEED
OF LOCATION SPECIFIC OUTREACH,
WHICH, WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF A
REGIONAL TRAUMA, INFORMED
APPROACH TO UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS THAT PLACES PEOPLE
ON THE PATH TO A STABLE,
PERMANENT HOME. THE BEST
PRACTICES ARE GROUNDED IN THE
FOLLOWING FIVE KEY PRINCIPLES,
ALL OF WHICH MUST BE ADDRESSED
TO EFFECTIVELY MOVE PEOPLE FROM
AN ENCAMPMENT INTO HOUSING AND A
LASTING SUSTAINABLE WAY. SO WE
WANT TO PROVIDE AMPLE TIME TO
ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
ENCAMPMENT DURING THIS IMPORTANT
TRANSITION. WE WANT TO ENSURE
VOLUNTARY CLIENT CENTERED AND
TRAUMA, INFORMED CARE PROVIDE
ADEQUATE APPROPRIATE AND LOW
BARRIER RESOURCES, IDENTIFY AND
EXPERIENCE SERVICE PARTNER WITH
DEEP TIES TO THE COMMUNITY AND
LET THEM LEAD ESTABLISHED STRONG
TEAM COORDINATION. AND THEN
JEFF, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
HOW HAVE FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED?
TO DEAL WITH THE ENCAMPMENTS.
THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU,
ACTUALLY, UM, SO WHAT'S A, UH
BUT ONE OF THINGS WE FIND. I
THINK BRIAN MENTIONED THIS
INTIMATE. HIS OPENING REMARKS IS
THAT SOME OF THE OUTREACH
EFFORTS WORK BEST WHEN THEY'RE
ACTUALLY OUR RESOURCES AVAILABLE
TO OFFER TO A PERSON WHO'S
EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS. UM AND THAT, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU'RE ENGAGING WITH
SOMEONE IN THERE ISN'T A
TANGIBLE THING TO OFFER THEM. IT
CAN BE CHALLENGED TO ENGAGE WITH
THAT PERSON AND MAKE MEANINGFUL
CONNECTIONS. SO WITH THE LASSO
WITH OUR HAP, ONE OF THE
INVESTMENTS WE MADE WAS IN OUR
OUR OUTREACH TEAMS, UH, FOSSIL
THAT REACHED TEAMS ARE ACCESSING
ENGAGEMENT HOMELESS. EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TEAMS AND PROVIDING
THEM WITH RESOURCES THAT THEY
HAVE AVAILABLE AT THE READY WHEN
SO WHEN THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH
FOLKS ON THE STREET THAT THEY
HAVE SOMETHING THEY CAN OFFER,
LIKE SOMETHING JUST EVEN LIKE
MODAL VOUCHER, A TAXI VOUCHER
SOMETHING TO GET THEM TO A
TEMPORARY INTERIM HOUSING
ENVIRONMENT AND THAT FROM THERE
WERE THEN PARTNERING WITH THE
REST OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDER
NETWORK. UM TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S ONGOING SERVICES
AVAILABLE FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO
WE'VE WE'VE SHELTERED SO THAT
THEY'RE NOT JUST PLACED INTO A
SHELTER OUR MOTEL BED WITHOUT
ANY OTHER RESOURCES THAT THERE
THEN CONNECTED WITH ONE OF OUR
LEAD AGENCIES IN THE SPA TO
PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT. THE
MAJORITY OF LOSSES. UM, FUNDING
IS AVAILABLE FOR PERSONS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS. WITH
THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS BEING
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE OPERATIONS
OF INTERIM HOUSING PROGRAMS AND
FOR A TIME LIMITED SUBSIDY
PROGRAMS RENTAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM SO THAT WHEN OUR REACH
WORKERS AROUND THE STREETS THAT
THEY HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
TO, YOU KNOW, PLACE THE PERSON
INTO A TEMPORARY SHELTER BED,
AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE IN THAT
SHELTER BED, GETTING THEM
PRIORITY ACCESS TO OUR TIME
LIMITED SUBSIDY RAP RAPID
REHOUSING PROGRAMS. SO NOW TALK
ABOUT STREET OUTREACH, WHICH WAS
ONE OF THE TOPICS CHAIR THAT YOU
HADN'T MENTIONED. SO SINCE 72%
OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND ELLIE ARE
UNSHELTERED, A STRONG, COHESIVE
AND FULL GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
OUTREACH SYSTEM IS CRITICAL.
APPROXIMATELY 214 OUTREACH TEAMS
OF MORE THAN 850 PEOPLE SERVE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY'S 4000. 0
4083 SQUARE MILES, WHICH IS A SO
THERE'S 214 TEAMS AND THAT'S A
TEAM OF TWO AND THAT TOTALS WITH
MORE OF MORE THAN 850 PEOPLE.
WHO SERVED LOS ANGELES. SO WE
HAVE SOME TEAMS THAT AREN'T SO
WE HAVE SOME OUTREACH WORKERS
THAT AREN'T PART OF TEAMS. BUT
THE TEAMS ARE THERE 214 TEAMS,
AND THEN THERE'S TOTAL A TOTAL
OF 850 OUTREACH WORKERS. SO THIS
INCLUDES 93 LOST AHEAD TEAMS WHO
WORK CLOSELY WITH 70, DHS FUNDED
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS, DMH
HOME TEAMS WHO SUPPORT THE
GRAVELY DISABLED AND OTHER
GENERALIST TEAMS. TEAMS BUILD
REPORT AND CONNECT THEIR CLIENTS
TO SERVICES RANGING FROM MEDICAL
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO
HOUSING OUTREACH HAS ALSO BEEN A
LIFELINE CRITICAL TO L. A STREET
COVID RESPONSE SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC
REACHES THE FIRST POINT, THE
FIRST TOUCH POINT FOR SOMEONE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRUST
EXPERIENCE. OUTREACH WORKERS
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE STRUGGLING
WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
CHALLENGES. FOR SOME TRUST
BUILDING IS THE CRITICAL FIRST
STEP. FOR OTHERS. THEY ARE ON A
PATH TO SELF RESOLVE THEIR
HOMELESSNESS WITH LITTLE OR NO
ASSISTANCE OF THE RE HOUSING
SYSTEM. OTHERS MAY BE IN NEED OF
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT OR
MENTAL HEALTH CARE, OUTREACH
TEAMS, TRIAGE PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND
WORK TO CONNECT THOSE WHOM THEY
CAN WHOM THEY CAN INTERIM
HOUSING, KNOWING THAT IT IS NOT
THE RIGHT PATH FOR EVERYONE THEY
ENGAGE WITH. OUTREACH TEAMS
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE
LIVING ON THE STREETS AND
ENCAMPMENTS TO HELP THEM ACCESS
ACCESS, INTERIM HOUSING AND
OTHER SERVICES, INCLUDING
PERMANENT HOUSING. PEOPLE ARE
ENROLLED IN OUTREACH PROGRAMS
THROUGH THE H M I A SYSTEM WHICH
IS OUR HOMELESS MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEM OF PAWN BEING
CONTACTED BY AN OUTREACH TEAM.
ENGAGEMENT CAN OCCUR QUICKLY OR
OVER TIME, AS REPORTERS BUILT
WHEN A PARTICIPANT IS READY TO
BEGIN WORKING ON A CASE PLAN
WITH AN OUTREACH WORKER. THE
OUTREACH TEAMS WILL INCLUDE A
GENEROUS, WHICH IS AN OUTREACH
TEAM, AND THIS IS LOSSES.
HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT TEAMS WHO
WORK IN PAIRS. THERE WILL ALSO
BE CONNECTED TO A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY OUTREACH TEAM
, WHICH IS DHS'S HOUSING FOR
HEALTH TEAMS MADE UP OF CASE
MANAGERS AND THESE ARE
SPECIALISTS IN HEALTH, MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. THEN
THERE'S ALSO SPECIALTY OUTREACH
TEAMS THAT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE
HOMES. SO BASED ON WHAT THE
OUTREACH THE INITIAL CONTACT
SEES DOUBLE, THEN MAKE SURE THAT
THE RIGHT TEAM GOES OUT AND
FOLLOWS UP WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL.
IN ADDITION TO THE MANY TEAMS
CONDUCTING OUTREACH LHASA AND
IT'S COUNTY PARTNERS AT DMH AND
DHS HAVE BUILT OUT A ROBUST
SYSTEM OF OUTREACH COORDINATION
TO ENSURE THAT TEAMS ARE
COVERING THE ENTIRE COUNTY WHILE
ALSO ENSURING A CONCENTRATION OF
RESOURCES IN THOSE MOST IMPACTED
BY UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
THAT'S THE EMPLOYEES THE TEAM
ABOUT REACH COORDINATORS WHO
WORK WITH OUR COORDINATORS IN
EACH OF THE SERVICE PLANNING
AREAS OR SPAS TO ENSURE THAT
GAPS ARE IDENTIFIED AND TO
DEPLOY TEAMS WERE NEEDED BASED
ON EVENTS, INCLUDING EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TO COVID, OR WILDFIRES.
THESE COORDINATORS ALSO ASSIST
THE AVERAGE TEAMS WITH ENSURING
THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THE
SERVICES OF THE SPECIALIZED
TEAMS LIKE THE DMH HOME TEAMS OR
VETERANS OUTREACH. THESE
COORDINATORS ALSO ASSIGNED TEAMS
TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR
OUTREACH ASSISTANCE THAT COME
THROUGH OUR OUTREACH PORTAL APP
CALLED ELLIE HOT. WHICH IS A WEB
BASED APPLICATION THAT ALLOWS
POLICE FIRE ELECTED OFFICIALS
AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC,
INCLUDING THOSE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS TO REQUESTS THAT AN
OUTREACH TEAM PROVIDES SERVICES
TO SPECIFIC LOCATIONS. DID YOU
HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT? SO
WE'LL NOW END WITH WHAT OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE. AND WHAT
CAN THE STATE DO PARTNER BETTER
WITH LOCAL, UM JURISDICTIONS
SUCH AS THE CITY, THE COUNTY IN
LHASA, SO WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THE
STATES APART, PRIORITIZED BEING
ABLE TO USE HAT FOR ACQUISITION
, UM, AND RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM
THE STATE GENERAL SERVICES TO
ASSIST WITH THE UNIT ACQUISITION
SIMILAR TO PRIVATE HOME KEY.
BRIAN MENTIONED THE BENEFIT OF
HAVING THOSE SITES AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THEY ARE LESS COSTLY
THAN BUILDING NEW UNITS. SO
BEING ABLE TO JUST SUB
SUPPORTING WHAT HE SAID AROUND
INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKING SURE
THAT WE CAN USE IT TO ENHANCE
EXISTING STRUCTURES ARE VERY
USEFUL. WE'RE FINDING THAT ARE
EXISTING SHELTER SYSTEM IS AGED
. AND SO WHILE IT'S GREAT TO
BRING NEWS SHELTERS ONLINE, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HELP
ENHANCE THE EXISTING STRUCTURES
SO THAT THEY DON'T GO OFFLINE.
UM WE ALSO WOULD ENCOURAGE THE
STATE. UM TO CREATE MORE
ACCOUNTABILITY TOWARDS ENTITIES
AND, UM AND THEY'RE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING GOALS. WE NEED MORE
PERMANENT HOUSING SO GREATER
SUPPORT WITH WORKING WITH THE
PERMANENT HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO
ENSURE THAT THEIR YOU KNOW
DURING THAT PART TO ENSURE THAT
THE RECENT RESEARCHES ARE
AVAILABLE TO GET VOUCHERS TURNED
OVER AND PEOPLE LEAVE STUFF INTO
THOSE UNITS WOULD BE GREAT. WE
WOULD ENCOURAGE THE STATES
ALLOCATE ONGOING, FLEXIBLE
FUNDING BY IDENTIFYING A LONG
TERM OR PERMANENT SOURCE TO FIND
HOMELESSNESS. THIS WOULD HELP TO
DO AWAY WITH HAVING TO DO
MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS AND THEN
LASTLY, WE WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE
TO USE HAVE FUNDS TO SUPPORT
MORE INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENTS
AND SUPPLEMENT COUNTY STATE
FEDERAL FUNDS TO COVER MORE OF
THE OPERATIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH PROVIDING UM, SHELTER
SERVICES. SO THANK YOU, AND WE
ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT A VERY ROBUST PRESENTATION.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WOULD
SAY AS AS WE OPENED IT UP FOR
DIALOGUE AND SOON OPENING UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THOSE THAT
ARE IN THE ROOM TODAY. WE'RE
GONNA DO THIS AGAIN. CLEARLY,
IT'S A MUCH NEEDED CONVERSATION.
UM, AS WE GET INTO JANUARY, 23.
THE GOVERNOR WILL PUT OUT HIS
PROPOSAL. UH THE LEGISLATURE
WILL PUT OUT A COUNTERPROPOSAL.
WE'LL HAVE HEARINGS. RELATED TO
FUNDING AND PROGRAMS, ETCETERA.
I THINK WHAT WOULD BE CRITICAL
AS FOLKS ARE WATCHING. AND AS WE
REVIEW THIS, WHICH WE WILL, WE
WILL REVIEW THIS HEARING FOR A
LOT OF, UM THE NUGGETS THAT WERE
EXPLAINED TODAY. IT WOULD BE
VERY HELPFUL. I THINK, IF THE
PUBLIC AND EVEN IN THROUGH OUR
ARCHIVES HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION
AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION
OUTSIDE OF THE PAPER COPIES
BECAUSE PAPER GETS LOST. EMAILS
GET LOST THOUSANDS OF EMAILS. I
HAVEN'T READ. I'M SORRY. I
APOLOGIZE, BUT I THINK THAT'S
JUST THE REALITY OF THE WORK
RIGHT. AND SO I THINK HAVING
THIS INFORMATION READILY
AVAILABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
ARCHIVE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I WILL ASK IF YOU COULD PROVIDE
WHEN LACK OF A BETTER WORD FLOW
CHART. OF YOUR TEAMS, THE 214
TEAMS 850 PEOPLE, DIVIDED THEM
BY COORDINATORS. AND WHO DOES
WHAT? AND HOW IS THAT DONE?
ETCETERA WILL BE VERY HELPFUL
FOR US UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS
ON THE GROUND AND THEN? LASTLY I
DON'T THINK YOU PROVIDED IN
WRITING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
YES, OKAY. IT'S IN THIS ONE,
OKAY? OKAY OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY
OKAY. OKAY. GOT IT AGAIN. SUPER
HELPFUL TO HAVE EVERYTHING JUST
AVAILABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
SHOW FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING AS
WELL AS WE MAKE THESE HEARINGS.
TRANSPARENT YOU KNOW,
ACCOUNTABILITY IS IMPORTANT AS
WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOLUTIONS.
I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO MY
COLLEAGUES BEFORE I PROCEED WITH
SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AS
WELL. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PRESENTATIONS. UM AND
EXPLANATIONS ON WHAT. UM WHAT
ARE THE CHALLENGES RIGHT AND
RECEIVING THE STATE FUNDING? YOU
KNOW, WHEN WE'RE IN SACRAMENTO?
WE WANT SOME OF US, RIGHT? WE DO
WANT TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING. I
HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST ALONG
WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON AN
ONGOING SOURCE OF FUNDING. I
THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
HOW CAN YOU PLAN FOR THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS IF YOU DON'T
EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
NEXT JUNE IN TERMS OF UM,
ALLOCATING FUNDS TO HOMELESSNESS
INTO YOUR PROGRAMS. UM AND BUT
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH, UM
LEGISLATORS ARE THEY FEEL WELL.
WE JUST GAVE THEM A BILLION
DOLLARS AND I STILL SEE
ENCAMPMENTS ON THE STREET. AH
IT'S NOT COMMUNICATED TO US. UM
WHAT THE SUCCESS IS WITH. WITH
THE FUNDS AND. AND YOU KNOW WE
HAVE IT HERE. I GUESS YOU KNOW
SOME NUMBERS, BUT I JUST YOU
KNOW IF I COULD TELL ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES. THIS IS WHAT
HAPPENED IN LOS ANGELES L, A
COUNTY LIKE, HOW WOULD YOU
COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM?
BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES VOTING
AND MAKING THESE DECISIONS. UM
AND THEY'RE HESITANT TO
SOMETIMES TO ADVOCATE FOR,
INCLUDING MEMBERS FROM LOS
ANGELES COUNTY DON'T WANT TO
ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING FOR
HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THEY SAY,
NOT WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. AND
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DISHING OUT
DOLLARS AND WE DON'T SEE RESULTS
, BUT FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, I'M
HEARING SOME, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU
SAID, THERE'S PROGRESS. THERE
ARE RESULTS AND IT'S NOT GETTING
TO US. IN A WAY FOR US TO FEEL
THAT THERE HAS BEEN SUCCESS. AND
I MEAN THE REST OF THE
LEGISLATORS. YOU KNOW, L A
COUNTY HAS UM OVER 30
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COUNTY
FROM EVERY REGION IN THE COUNTY
, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
ALWAYS GET CONCERNED ABOUT.
EVERY YEAR WHEN WE'RE COMING
AROUND ON MAKING THOSE DECISIONS
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, ALSO, IT'S
SOME. IT'S OUR ISSUES AND WE
DON'T HAVE UH, A CENTRALIZED. UM
SYSTEM OR, LIKE REGGIE SAID A
PERSON IN CHARGE SOMEONE IN
CHARGE ONE OF YOU MENTIONED, YOU
KNOW THESE DIFFERENT OR MULTIPLE
APPLICATIONS BASED ON DIFFERENT
POPULATIONS THAT MAKE IT HARD
FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TRACK
AND MORE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. I
MEAN, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON. UM YOU
KNOW THERE. WE ARE ALSO
PRESENTING BARRIERS TO FUNDING.
UM AND FOR YOU BEING SUCCESSFUL.
AH AND SO ANOTHER ISSUE AND I'LL
STOP AFTER THIS THAT I'VE
THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT AND HAVE
WORKED WITH SOME ADVOCATES ON IS
THE ISSUE OF THE HOMELESS SECTOR
STAFF, ESPECIALLY FRONTLINE
WORKERS, WHERE ONE THAT LIKE THE
CHAIR MENTIONED EARLIER. THEY
MAY BE MAKING, UM, SO LITTLE
THAT THEY EVEN QUALIFY FOR SOME
OF THESE PROGRAMS AND MAYBE ARE
AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. AND TO
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PROMOTE
EQUITY? AMONGST THEM AND RETAIN,
UM, STAFF. THAT ARE CRITICAL TO
THESE PROGRAMS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
UM TO HELPING HOMELESS
INDIVIDUALS WITH NAVIGATION LIKE
YOU. ONE OF YOU MENTIONED YOU
KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO
RETAIN THEM TO PROVIDE TRAINING
? UM AND I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT THE STATE SHOULD
BE HELPING WITH IN TERMS OF
FUNDING INVESTING, BECAUSE IF
YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW STAFF NEXT
YEAR THAT HAS TO START ALL OVER
AND YOU HAVE TO TRAIN THEM
AGAIN. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE AS
EFFECTIVE WITH THOSE DOLLARS AS
YOU COULD BE. AND I HOPE THAT WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS AN
INVESTMENT IN THE WORKFORCE,
ESPECIALLY THE FRONT LINE
WORKERS. UM THANK YOU. SOMETHING
FOR JEFF PROCTOR DIRECT INJECTED
FUNDING ALLEGATIONS OF THE LOSS
AGAIN. UM I THINK A FEW THINGS I
CAN SHARE. MAYBE IN RESPONSE. UM
DO YOU THINK DO TAKEAWAYS THAT I
HEARD WAS ONE WAS, UM, MAYBE
SOME CHALLENGES WITH POINTING TO
LIKE SUCCESSES. WITH THE HALF
PROGRAM AND THE OTHER ON THE
WORKFORCE CAPACITY ISSUES. UM
THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT
EARLIER AROUND. YOU KNOW HER
QUESTION AROUND TRENDS THAT WE
SEE ANY TRENDS OR TAKEAWAYS. WE
SEE IN THE HOMELESS DATA, I
THINK, UM THE DATA POINT THAT
MIGHT BE YOU KNOW, HELPFUL TO
THINK ABOUT, AND THEN SOME OF
THE SUCCESSES THAT WOULD HAPPEN,
PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO
THAT IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
THAT WERE RE HOUSING IN OUR
SYSTEM EVERY YEAR ABOUT 20
44,000 EACH YEAR. UM, IF YOU
COULD STOP ONE MORE PERSON FROM
FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS. OUR
SYSTEM COULD RE HOW'S EVERYONE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITHIN
ABOUT THREE YEARS, RIGHT? BUT
THERE IS THIS MASSIVE INFLOW
ISSUE, SO WE'RE DEALING WITH
FOLKS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ON THE
STREET THAT WERE, YOU KNOW,
DOING OUR BEST TO REHOUSE THEM
AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. MEANWHILE
THERE'S MORE FALLING INTO
HOMELESSNESS INTO THE SYSTEM
THAT WERE ABLE TO RE HOUSE EACH
DAY, AND THAT'S SORT OF THE REAL
CHALLENGE. UM WITH HALF THE ONE
OF THE SUCCESSES ON THE WEST
SIDE THAT WE SEE IS HOW
SUCCESSFUL WE'VE BEEN WITH OUR
PROBLEM SOLVING INTERVENTION,
WHICH IS, UM, IT'S A PRACTICE.
UH, THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED
COUNTYWIDE FOR ALL OF OUR
PROGRAMS, ALL OF OUR SERVICES
WHERE IT'S MEANT TO BE SORT OF
ONE OF THE FIRST ENGAGEMENTS AS
A DIVERSION FROM THE SYSTEM OF
POSSIBLE IT'S MEANT TO BE
PARTICIPANTS ENTERED A
CONVERSATION TO KIND OF FIGURE
OUT WHAT IS THE NEED THAT THAT
PERSON IS EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW
THAT WILL HELP THEM RESOLVE
THEIR HOUSING CRISIS. UM AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH, YOU
KNOW, SOME SUPPORTIVE CASE
MANAGEMENT. BY TOUCH FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE. THAT COULD MEAN
SOMETHING LIKE, UM WE'RE PAYING
FOR RENTAL ARREARS TO HELP KEEP
THEM IN A UNIT. IF THAT'S WHAT
IT NEEDS. IT COULD ALSO BE
PAYING FOR THEM TO RELOCATE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM THERE'S NO
WAY TO RESOLVE THE RELATION WITH
THE LANDLORD. IT COULD MEAN A
BUS TICKET OR A PLANE TICKET. IT
COULD MEAN GROCERIES OR
UTILITIES TO RE TO BE REUNIFIED
WITH FAMILY. WE'VE HAD 2000
SUCCESSFUL HOUSING OUTCOMES
THROUGH THE HAPPY PROGRAM IN
PARTICULAR THROUGH OUR PROBLEM
SOLVING PROGRAM SINCE AH SINCE
HALF WAS LAUNCHED, SO YOU KNOW,
ROUGHLY 10% OF OUR HOUSING
OUTCOMES EACH YEAR, ACTUALLY
PROBLEM SOLVING SUCCESSES. SO
UM, IT, UH, 11 WAY TO SAY THAT
YOU KNOW, RESOURCES FOR
REHOUSING ARE IMPORTANT BUT ALSO
FOR PREVENTION, SO IF WE CAN DO
MORE TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS IN
THE FIRST PLACE, MAKES BETTER
AVAILABILITY FOR US TO USE THE
LIMITED ARE THAT THERE ARE FOR
HOMELESSNESS TO REHOUSE FOLKS.
UM AND THEN FOR THE WORKFORCE
CAPACITY, I WOULD ALSO ADD. I
MEAN, ECHO EVERYTHING YOU JUST
SAID, UM, WE'VE GOT A WORKFORCE
THAT'S OVERBURDENED. YOU KNOW
THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW THEY'RE
WEARING MULTIPLE HATS THERE ON
THE STREET MEETING WITH CLIENTS
CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES EVERY
DAY. THEY'RE DOING REPORTS.
THEY'RE DOING THE ADMINISTRATIVE
WORK ALL THAT IN THERE, YOU
KNOW. FREQUENTLY UM, VERY LOW
WAGES. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH
OUR HALF DOLLARS FOR IS A EACH
EACH ROUND OF HAPPILY HAVE
INVESTED SOME INTO CAPACITY
BUILDING AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO DO THAT WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT TO DO THE
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO DO
TRAINING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO
HELP PROFESSIONALIZE, UM, THE
INDUSTRY WHERE WE CAN PROVIDING,
YOU KNOW BEST, UH, BEST
PRACTICES. TRAININGS SKILLS.
TRAININGS LIKE LEARNING
COMMUNITIES TO HELP SORT OF
SHARE BEST PRACTICES TOGETHER.
THEN ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE
AGENCIES ALSO OUR RESOURCE TO DO
ALL THE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIVE
THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO TO
KEEP THE DOORS OPEN TO KEEP THE
LIGHTS ON. BECAUSE FREQUENTLY
THEY'RE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW,
PRETTY MINIMAL MARGINS. LITTLE
LITTLE, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, SORT
OF WORKING CAPITAL TO FLOAT
DURING, LIKE TOUGH TIMES. SO IN
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING
THE DOLLARS TO SUPPORT YOU KNOW
THE INDIVIDUALS DOING THE WORK,
THE AGENCY IS DOING THE WORK.
AND I'M LIKE YOU MENTIONED AS
WELL WITH LIKE EQUITY, MAKING
SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING NEW
PROVIDERS TO THE TABLE, SMALLER
PROVIDERS TO THE TABLE GETTING
PROVIDERS THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF
THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE
SERVING, UM, AND MAKING SURE
THAT YOU KNOW EQUITY IS EMBEDDED
INTO THE PROGRAMMING AND THE
SERVICES THAT WE DELIVER. AND IF
I COULD JUST ADD JUST SOME
POINTS TO WHAT JUST MENTIONED.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE KEYS THAT
WE KEEP LIFTING UP AS THIS
ONGOING FUNDING, RIGHT? UM SO
YOU KNOW, I'M THE BUDGET PERSON
RIGHT? AND IT'S HARD TO ALLOCATE
SALARIES TO ONE TIME FUNDING.
RIGHT SO EVEN WHEN YOU DO A
SALARY ADJUSTMENT, UM, THAT IS
INCREASING YOUR OVERHEAD COSTS
FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. AND
SO THAT CREATES CHALLENGES. SO
HAVING AN ONGOING FUNDING SOURCE
THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE
AROUND FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT
OF TIME GIVES YOU THE
FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO
INCREASE THOSE SALARIES. UM, SO
I WAS JUST ECHO THAT AND THEN TO
JEFF'S POINT, WE DID LAUNCH A
TRAINING ACADEMY THAT IS
AVAILABLE FOR LOSS OF STAFF, BUT
ALSO TO OUR PARTNER AGENCIES.
AND IT IS INTENDED TO HELP, YOU
KNOW, ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE
RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT THAT
THEY NEED. THE OTHER THING IS
MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
TECHNOLOGY RIGHT BECAUSE WHEN
THEY'RE OUT ON THE STREET,
ENGAGING WITH INDIVIDUALS AND
GOING INTO SYSTEMS WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT TOOLS, AND THAT'S WHERE
THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
COME INTO PLAY. SO IF THESE
FUNDS ARE VERY RESTRICTED TO
PROGRAMMATIC RELATED SERVICES
AND NOT THINKING ABOUT THE
OPERATIONAL OR THE OVERHEAD
RELATED THINGS THAT NEED TO BE
INCLUDED TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM
BEING DELIVERED, THEN WORK. OUR
HANDS ARE KIND OF TIED AND WERE,
YOU KNOW KIND OF ROBBING PETER
TO PAY PAUL AND TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS
IN PLACE? TO SUPPORT THE WORK.
THAT'S A VERY GREAT POINT. YOU
KNOW, I USED TO RUN A NONPROFIT
AND ALL THE FOUNDATIONS JUST
WANT EVERYTHING TO GO TO THE
PROGRAMS 100% AND WE LOOK BAD IF
WE'RE USING IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE
OPERATIONAL, BUT YOU NEED THAT
TO RUN YOUR PROGRAMS. YOU NEED
TECHNOLOGY YOU NEED THE
OPERATIONAL YOU DON'T SUPPORT
THANK YOU. THIS HAS BEEN GOOD.
UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE IS A IS THIS TERM
PART CALLED PERCEPTION IS
REALITY. I REMEMBER WHEN MAYOR
GARCETTI AND I WERE TALKING TO
CONSTITUENT OF MINE, AND HE
BRAGGED ABOUT ALL THE UNITS HE
HAD PUT ONLINE AND HOW GREAT
WORK THAT THE CITY WAS DOING.
AND AFTER YOU LEFT MY
CONSTITUENTS SAID I DON'T SEE
ANY DIFFERENCE THAT HOMELESSNESS
CAMP MINT DOWN THE STREET FROM
MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL HAS
INCREASED EVERY DAY. SO FAR AS
I'M CONCERNED HOMELESSNESS IS
GETTING OUT OF CONTROL. AND I
CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THAT, BECAUSE
I WORK ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I
KNOW THE DATA SHOWS THAT CRIME
HAS GONE DOWN. BUT IF YOU FEEL
IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT SAFE
IF YOU FEEL THAT CRIME IS GOING
UP, THEN CRIME IS GOING UP AS
FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED, AND SO
THAT'S PART OF YOUR YOUR
CHALLENGE, NOT ONLY WITH THE
PUBLIC BUT WITH ELECTED
OFFICIALS, WHO THEN HAVE
CONSTITUENTS AND SAY, WHY DO YOU
KEEP GIVING MONEY? TO THESE
PROGRAMS WHEN WE DON'T SEE
ANYTHING, UM, ANYTHING HAPPENING
THAT CAN SHOW AN INVISIBLE
CHANGES. AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW
YOU RECONCILE THAT, BUT I WOULD
I WOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER A
PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN START TO
SHOW SOME VISIBLE. CHANGES OR
IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT THE PUBLIC
WILL WANT TO GIVE MORE AND THEN
THEY WILL ENCOURAGE US. TO GIVE
YOU MORE. UM AND THEN IN FULL
DISCLOSURE, UM I RETIRED AS THE
CHIEF MANAGEMENT ANALYSTS FOR
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN 2012.
AS DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE FOR
THE CIVIL LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT
OF GENERAL SERVICES ASSET
MANAGEMENT DIVISION. WHICH WAS
THEN BROKEN UP, PART OF IT WENT
TO THE CEO'S OFFICE. I KNOW
THERE'S ABOUT 1000 VACANT
PROPERTIES THAT HAVE COME TO THE
END OF THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES, FORMER
POLICE STATIONS, FIRE STATIONS,
LIBRARIES VACANT LOTS. ANYTHING,
YOU NAME IT ALL OVER THE CITY. A
SIGNIFICANT PART OF BUILDING
HOUSING LAND ACQUISITION. YOU
COULD IMMEDIATELY START
BUILDING. UNITS ON THOSE LOTS
EXCEPT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL
CONSIDERATIONS. YOU CAN'T GET IT
DONE. BUT IF WE REALLY HAVE THE
CITY OF L A REALLY WANTED TO DO
THAT. I'M LOOKING AT YOU'RE ABLE
TO BUILD THESE AT $130,000 IN
THE AVERAGE COST AND GETTING
10,510 UNITS BY 2026. I RATHER
GIVE YOU MONEY. TO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF UNITS ON THOSE LOTS.
SO YOU CAN GET THERE. MAYBE 30
OR 40,000? BECAUSE YOU CAN GET
THAT YOU'RE NOT TO WORRY ABOUT
THE LAND ACQUISITION COSTS AND
YOU PROBABLY CAN BUILD WITHOUT A
WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEMS FROM THE
COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST
BUILD BY RIGHT. HOWEVER. THE
CITY ISN'T DOING THAT. THESE ARE
THE KIND OF FRUSTRATING THINGS
WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THAT WE KNOW WE CAN GET
THERE. BUT YOU NEED THE
POLITICAL WILL AND THE STRENGTH
OR ONE PERSON IN CHARGE THAT'S
GOING TO DEMAND THAT THAT GETS
DONE. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S
HAPPENING, AND I KNOW UM,
PROBABLY YOUR HANDS ARE TIGHT.
UM I WOULD RECOMMEND BECAUSE THE
PART OF THE GENERAL SERVICES
THAT ACTUALLY DID THE ANALYSIS
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S
NOW ARRESTING THE CEO'S OFFICE
USED TO BE IN MY DEPARTMENT
UNDER ME, AND I USED TO DO THAT
AND GOT REJECTED EVERY TIME BUT
WE HAVE TO HOLD ANOTHER. YOU CAN
TELL US A PERSONAL THING WITH
ME. UM BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS
CRISIS, WE ALSO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE.
GETTING THESE UNITS AND MAYBE
ULTIMATELY HAVE THAT. BUT MY
OTHER PROBLEM IS WE STILL
WORKING IN SILOS AS I HEARD YOU
SPEAKING. UM AND AS I'M READING
THROUGH THIS, IT SAYS PROPERTY
CHASE IS UNPRECEDENTED $1.2
BILLION BOND MEASURE PRESSED BY
VOTERS, UM HERE. IT SAYS,
HOWEVER, UM YOUR BUILDING ALL
THESE UNITS, BUT THIS IS,
HOWEVER, 1000 H H H UNITS
CURRENTLY LACKED AND IDENTIFIED
OPERATING SUBSIDIES. SO I DON'T
KNOW IF THAT MEANS YOU DON'T
HAVE THE SUBSIDIES TO DO
PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS THE
COUNTY. SO THAT MEANS THERE'S A
DISCONNECT WITH THE COUNTY AND
THE CITY, WHICH ALSO HAS A
CHURCH MONEY THAT SHOULD BE ABLE
TO DO THE PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS
PROBABLY EVEN AS IMPORTANT AS
BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO
IT'S LIKE WE CAN BUILD THE
INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT THEN THE
INFRASTRUCTURE STATES FALLOW,
BUT WE CAN'T FEEL IT BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE TO PROGRAMMING IN
THERE. WE HAD A PROGRAMMING, BUT
WE DON'T HAVE THE BUILDINGS TO
PUT THEM IN. WHEN ARE WE GOING
TO GET TOGETHER? AND WORK
TOGETHER TO DO BOTH, SO WE CAN
GET THEM BOTH ONLINE AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE TO GET IT DONE. AND
AFTER FRUSTRATING PART FOR US,
YOU WANT US TO GIVE US MORE
MONEY FOR HEP AND H H A. P AND
ER AND ALL THIS ALPHABET SOUP OF
PROGRAMS. UM BUT THAT'S NOT
GETTING US WHAT WE WANT. THAT'S
WHY YOU CAN'T GET ONGOING
FUNDING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT
CERTAIN THAT YOU'RE USING THIS
MONEY EFFECTIVELY. UM, AND
INEFFICIENT WAY THAT YOU
ACTUALLY CURVING. IT FEELS MORE
LIKE YOU'RE PERPETUATING A
HOMELESS SYSTEM THAT YOU
BUILDING THAT'S GETTING BIGGER
AND BIGGER. WHAT DO YOU SAY YOUR
BUDGET WAS? WHATEVER NOW 800
MILLION OR WHATEVER IT WAS
BEFORE TWO NOW IN LHASA. AND YOU
STILL CAN'T GET PEOPLE RAISES.
YOU, CAN YOU CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW
FRUSTRATING THAT IS? YOU GOT
MORE MONEY, BUT YOU CAN'T DO
MORE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY
YEAR THE NUMBERS GET HIGHER AND
HIGHER AND HIGHER IF THIS WERE A
BUSINESS WE WOULD HAVE GONE OUT
OF BUSINESS A LONG TIME AGO. AND
SO I AM. WHAT YOU'RE SEEING OR
HEARING FROM ME AS A FRUSTRATION
OF THE PUBLIC. FRUSTRATION OF
ELECTED OFFICIALS. UM WE AT THIS
POINT UM, IF YOU CAN TELL ME HOW
YOU GUYS ARE WORKING TOGETHER,
NOT IN SILOS AND HAVING A
MEETING YOU TALK ABOUT IT, BUT
HOW ARE YOU, ACTUALLY
COORDINATING? ALL OF IT TOGETHER
, OR EVEN USING BEST PRACTICES
ARE LOOKING AT THE RESOURCES
THAT YOU HAVE. TO BE ABLE TO DO
THE BEST FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
LIVING OUT ON THE STREET RIGHT
NOW, BECAUSE I DON'T GET THE
FEELING THAT'S HAPPENING. AND IF
YOU WANT THE STATE TO STEP IN, I
DON'T THINK YOU WANT THAT
BECAUSE ONCE WE COME UP WITH A
SOLUTION, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
LIKE IT. YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIKE IT, BUT I
WILL TELL YOU, THE PUBLIC WILL
LIKE IT AND WE'LL GET SOMETHING
DONE. OKAY AND THE PROBABLY
TALKED TOO LONG. SO THERE'S NO
CROSS PROBLEM IZATION THAT THE
THANK YOU FOR THAT MR JOHN
SAWYER. THE QUESTION IS, IS
ACTUALLY QUITE GOOD. HOW ARE THE
THREE ENTITIES THE CITY, THE
COUNTY AND LHASA WORKING
TOGETHER? TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE
CONCERNS JUST LAID UP. YEAH. UM. I MEAN, ALL OF YOUR POINTS.
OBVIOUSLY IN QUESTIONS ARE
EXACTLY RIGHT. AND I THINK WHAT
I CAN SAY, UM, IN ADDITION TO
WHAT I SAID IN MY REMARKS ABOUT
HOW CLOSELY THE THREE ENTITIES
ACTUALLY DO WORK TOGETHER ON A
DAY TO DAY BASIS, UM OUR
CALENDARS WOULD BE EVIDENCE OF
THAT. AND WITH ALL THE MEETINGS
THAT WERE IN TOGETHER UH HUH.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS
RIGHT NOW. I THINK CHRISTINA AND
JEFF MENTIONED THE ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS AROUND LHASA
GOVERNANCE. THE ROLE OF LHASA IN
THE SYSTEM. THERE ARE
SIMULTANEOUS CONVERSATIONS
AROUND THE ACTUAL PARTNERSHIP
AND WHAT THAT STRUCTURE LOOKS
LIKE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY AND THE CITY AND COUNTY
IN LHASA. UM IT'S IN PART
RELATED TO THE ALLIANCE LAWSUIT,
SO THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT THAT
THAT I THINK WE CAN REALLY SAY
AT THIS POINT AGAIN BECAUSE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND
NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING. UM BUT
I THINK WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT
FROM THE POLICYMAKERS ON DOWN TO
THE STAFF AND THE DEPARTMENTS TO
THE NONPROFIT, I THINK EVERYONE
RECOGNIZES THAT THERE NEEDS TO
BE A MAJOR SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT
THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND THE
LEADERS OF THE SYSTEM ARE
WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK
YOU'RE I THINK YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT THAT KIND
OF COORDINATION WASN'T HAPPENING
AT THE LEVEL. I THINK THAT IT
NEEDED TO BE HAPPENING. AND THE
PROOF WAS IN. THE LACK OF
PROGRESS FROM FROM WHAT NOT JUST
ELECTED OFFICIALS. BUT FROM WHAT
THE PUBLIC AND ALL OF US WE'RE
SEEING IN OUR OWN CAPACITIES,
ENROLLS. UM, SO I MEAN, I THINK
THAT I CAN JUST SAY AND
OBVIOUSLY MY PARTNERS CAN UM,
CAN WEIGH IN. BUT I THINK THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING AND I
ACTUALLY THINK THE STATE IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, AND I THINK WE
WELCOME THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND
PARTICIPATION OF OUR STATE
PARTNERS AS WELL, NOT
NECESSARILY TO COME IN AND
INVOLVES SOMETHING ON US, BUT TO
BE REALLY IMPORTANT, CRITICAL
THOUGHT PARTNER AS WE LOOK TO
BUILD SYSTEMS BECAUSE AGAIN AS
WE MENTIONED ONGOING STATE
FUNDING, OR JUST EVEN THE ONE
TIME FUNDING IS ALL CRITICAL TO
HELPING US BUILD. A SYSTEM THAT
HAS BEEN MASSIVELY IGNORED AND
UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES AND
DECADES. AND SO WE'RE ALL TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST
AND MOST APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR
EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY TO PLUG
INTO THIS LARGER SYSTEM. LET ME
JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. IF
YOU'RE JUST TAKE BACK TO YOUR
ENTITIES. THAT IF THEY DON'T I
KNOW I WILL. AND I WILL GET
SUPPORT FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT
THE STATE WILL TAKE OVER OR
SHOULD TAKE OVER OR SHOULD DO
SOMETHING TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
AGAIN I WOULD IMPLORE YOU TO
COME UP WITH A METHODOLOGY
PRETTY QUICK. NOT NOT SLEEP ON
THIS ONE. NOTED. MR JOHN. SORRY
I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE ALLOWED
TO RETIRE. IT'S LIKE SOMEONE
NEEDS TO BE IN CHARGE. UM THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM. YOU
KNOW PART OF THE FRUSTRATION UM
AND WE'LL BE OPENING UP TO
PUBLIC COMMENTS SOON IS THAT IT
IS DIFFICULT FOR LOS ANGELES
COUNTY MEMBERS, THREE OF WHOM
YOU SEE HERE. THE THREE OF US
ALSO HAPPENED TO BE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES MEMBERS. TO ADVOCATE FOR
FUNDING FOR THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE NOT ONLY IN THE COUNTY
AND THE STATE, BUT QUITE
HONESTLY. THE NATION RIGHT. THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES SKID ROW IS
GROUND ZERO. AND NEIGHBORING
COMMUNITIES IN THE ENTIRE CITY
AND THE COUNTY. IT IS VERY
CHALLENGING TO ADVOCATE FOR L, A
COUNTY AND THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES, WHEN WE ALL RECEIVED
DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FROM THE
THREE ENTITIES HERE. CITY
PRIORITIES, COUNTY PRIORITIES,
LOSS OF PRIORITIES. WHAT I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE AND I THINK THE
CONSENSUS IS THAT WE WANT THE
THREE OF YOU TO PUT UP A PLAN.
THAT'S COMBINED THAT'S TOGETHER.
HAS THAT BEEN DONE BEFORE? AND I
ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT IT THROUGH BUDGET. I
RECEIVED DIFFERENT LETTERS FROM
DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT ARE
DIFFERENT PRIORITIES. THE CITY
HAS A PRIORITY OF THE COUNTY HAS
A PRIORITY AGENCIES AND
DEPARTMENTS HAVE PRIORITIES.
IT'S NOT COORDINATED. AND WHEN
YOU'RE RIGHT, FIGHTING FOR
RESOURCES AND SACRAMENTO IT'S
VERY CHALLENGING WHEN YOU HAVE
OTHER COUNTIES THAT ARE MUCH
MORE ORGANIZED TOGETHER. THEN
THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, WHICH
IS THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN THE
ENTIRE 58 COUNTIES OF THE STATE.
AND HAS THE MOST NEED JUST BASED
ON POPULATION, RIGHT? SO WHAT
DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU
MOVING FORWARD? I MEAN, I THINK
WE ARE COORDINATING AND YOU KNOW
OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAMS WORK
TOGETHER CLOSELY. WE CAN'T
ALWAYS ALIGN AND SEND A SINGLE
REQUEST. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS
. I THINK YOU HEARD TODAY THAT
WE REALLY SHARE A LOT OF THE
SAME ASKS, YOU KNOW,
PARTICULARLY AROUND THE ONGOING
FUNDING. UM AND SAME PRIORITIES
. SO YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK TO ALIGN, BUT, UM, YOU
KNOW, ON THE GROUND WE REALLY DO
SHARE PRIORITIES AND ARE WORKING
TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING THOSE. FOR
THE ONGOING FUNDING. WILL WE SEE
ONE PLAN? FROM THE THREE OF YOU
OR WILL WE SEE DIFFERENT
PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY COUNTY
IN LHASA? MOVING FORWARD. UH
WELL, SO I CAN SAY FOR THE FLOOR
APPLICATION. I THINK THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IS
THAT SIMILAR TO HAVE THREE WILL
WILL SUBMIT SEPARATE
APPLICATIONS. THERE ARE
OBVIOUSLY ALL COORDINATED AND WE
DO WORK TOGETHER, BOTH IN
DEVELOPING THE COC LEVEL GOALS.
UM MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES, BUT WE
HAVE ENGAGED WITH CALYX CH. AND
THEY HAVE MADE IT CLEAR TO US
THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A
JOINT APPLICATION. SIMILAR TO
OTHER JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE
STATE, AS HE HAS NODDING, SO
WE'RE DEFINITELY AWARE OF THE
INTEREST IN SEEING A JOINT
APPLICATION. UM SO NOT NOT
SAYING YES. I'M NOT SAYING NO,
WE'RE AWARE OF IT, AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM WHAT
MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR US TO
COLLECTIVELY MAKES THAT DECISION
LIKE HOW WILL YOU KNOW? BUT YOU
WILL DO. YOU KNOW? DOES SOMEONE
DIRECT YOU TO LIKE, LET'S SUBMIT
A JOINT APPLICATION TO DO THAT?
WELL NO 1 40 LIKE ULTIMATELY,
YEAH. ULTIMATELY OUR AUTHORITY
TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT ACTUALLY
COMES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. MY
OFFICE THE CEO SUPERVISORS. YEAH
SO IT WORKS. SO IT WORKS THE
SAME. AUTHORITIES. SO GLASSES
OVERSEEN BY A BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE BOTH
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS SPORT OF
ADVISORY MEMBER APPOINTS SO
WE'RE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE,
RIGHT? UM AND SO I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME
OF THE NUANCES. THE REASON WHY
YOU MAY SEE THREE DIFFERENT
PLANS IS BECAUSE WE'RE FUNDING
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SYSTEM
WITH EACH PLAN IN LHASA AS THE
PASS THROUGH AND TO SEE THE ONE
WHO SUBCONTRACTS OR OUTSOURCES.
SERVICE DELIVERY, RIGHT? WE'RE
GONNA BE PRESENTING A PLAN
THAT'S GONNA TALK TO WHAT WE
NEED TO DO TO SUSTAIN THAT WORK
, SO I MEAN, WE CAN CONTINUE OUR
BRAIN STORM AND TALK ABOUT HOW
UNIFIED PLAN WITH EACH COMPONENT
PART. MAYBE IF THAT'S WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, AND SO
THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT HOW TO GET TO THAT POINT.
I THINK AS MEMBERS WERE LOOK, L
A COUNTY MEMBERS WERE LOOKING
FOR A WAY THAT WE COULD ADVOCATE
FOR THE COUNTY BOTH OF OUR
BUDGET CHAIRS IN THE LEGISLATURE
ARE FROM THE BAY AREA AND THE
BAY AREA. UM THERE MULTIPLE
COUNTIES THAT WORK TOGETHER. UM
AND SUBMIT. REQUESTS TOGETHER,
MUCH MORE COORDINATED AND YOU
KNOW, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AS
MEMBERS. WE CAN'T GET OUR COUNTY
ONE COUNTY AND I KNOW IT'S HUGE
AND BIGGER THAN MANY STATES BUT
FROM THE BUDGET CHAIRS,
PERSPECTIVE, THEY COME TO US.
OKAY. WHAT IS YOUR COUNTY WANTS?
AND WE NONE OF US CAN ANSWER
THAT. UM AND YOU KNOW I
REPRESENT THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES. AND OF COURSE I'M A
MEMBER OF THE COUNTY OF
REPRESENT THE COUNTY AND I JUST
I DON'T KNOW. WHAT TO ANSWER AND
THEY GET VERY FRUSTRATED, AND
I'VE BEEN IN THOSE LAST MINUTE
CONVERSATIONS YOU KNOW, TWO
YEARS AGO WHERE THE BUDGET OUR
BUDGET CHAIR CALLED ME INTO HIS
OFFICE WAS TRYING TO MAKE
DECISIONS RIGHT THERE AND THEN
AND SINCE I HAD A BILL THAT WAS
RELATED TO ONGOING FUNDING AT
THE TIME WAS LIKE OK, WHAT IS
WHAT? WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT LAKE
COUNTY WANT? WHAT DOES YOU KNOW?
THERE I WAS TRYING TO GET
ANSWERED. HE'S LIKE I NEED TO
KNOW WITHIN AN HOUR. UM BECAUSE
WE'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND
I DON'T FEEL PREPARED AND WE
SHOULD BE WE YOU HAVE. YOU KNOW
39 MEMBERS. OF THE STATE
LEGISLATURE THAT REPRESENTS YOU.
AND IF WE WERE WE HAD THAT
INFORMATION AND WERE COORDINATED
. ALL OF US COULD SAY THE SAME
THING. AND ALL OF US WOULD KNOW.
UM AND WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK
WITH YOU. AND, UM WE SHOULD BE
HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE CITY COUNCIL WITH THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS, AND MAYBE THAT'S
HOW WE COULD HELP RIGHT SO THAT
YOU GET THE DIRECTION TO DO
THAT. A RECENT, UM. GROUP OF
BOTH CITY COUNTY. BUT EVEN OTHER
CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY
WENT TO HOUSTON HOUSTON MODEL
HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT NATIONALLY
AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT KIND OF
COORDINATED RESPONSE FROM CITY
AND COUNTY PARTNERS, AND THAT
THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE NOT
THE TOP LINE MESSAGE WAS THAT
THERE HAS TO BE THAT ABSOLUTELY
UM, UNIFORMITY BETWEEN ALL OF
THE VARIOUS PARTNERS WITH ONE
SORT OF SET OF GOALS AND
EVERYTHING. HAS TO BE FOCUSED ON
HOUSING, AND ANYTHING THAT'S NOT
SORT OF HAS TO FALL AWAY IS NOT
A TOP PRIORITY BECAUSE IT'S
REALLY ABOUT BUILDING AND
HOUSING CONNECTING PEOPLE TO
SERVICES. AND I KNOW THAT THE
CITY REPRESENTATIVES WHO WENT
THAT WAS THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM
THEM. WAS THAT THE ABSOLUTE NEED
AND THAT THAT IS INFORMING THESE
DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS
THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW,
BECAUSE I THINK WE HEARD THAT
MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR FROM, YOU
KNOW, FROM A PARTNER. UM, THAT
THAT HAS HAD QUITE A LOT OF
SUCCESS, ACTUALLY IN REDUCING
THEIR HOMELESSNESS, LONG TERM. I
BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNOR TODAY
IS IN ORANGE COUNTY. TALKING
ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS. AT ANY POINT TO DISCUSS
SOLUTIONS. I THINK WHAT I HEARD
TODAY JUST TO THINK ABOUT THE
FUTURE. NOT ONLY IS THE
COORDINATED EFFORTS SO THAT WE
CAN BE BETTER ADVOCATES FOR OUR
COUNTY AND OUR CITY. BUT THERE
IS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
WHAT I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER AND
THE FUNDING THAT WAS ANNOUNCED
TODAY FOR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.
VERSUS ONGOING FUNDING FOR
PERMANENT HOUSING. SO WHAT YOU
HAVE HERE I THINK AND WHAT WE
HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT BUDGET. IS
THE VERY REAL NEGOTIATION OF THE
GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES VERSUS
WHAT WE SEE ON THE GROUND. AND
IT IS VERY CHALLENGING AGAIN TO
MY COLLEAGUES. POINTS OF HOW DO
WE BEST ADVOCATE FOR L, A COUNTY
AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES?
WHEN YOU HAVE COMPETING
INTERESTS, RIGHT? AND WE ALL
WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW,
ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP, AND WE ALL
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ON HOUSED
INDIVIDUALS HAVE RESOURCES HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN
DIGNITY. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE
500 PEOPLE THAT WERE PLACED AT
THE GRAND HOTEL, RIGHT? AND IF
THAT FUNDING IS GOING AWAY,
RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN L. A
WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO?
WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THEM? AS WE
MOVE FORWARD, DO WE NEED MORE
BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR THIS
SPECIFIC PLAN? AND IF SO, HOW
SOON DO WE NEED IT? AND WHO'S
ADVOCATING FOR THAT? RIGHT
BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE AND
IMMEDIATE DOWNTOWN L A
DISBURSEMENT OF FOLKS. UM THAT I
ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A I DON'T
KNOW THE ANSWER TO. I ACTUALLY
WANT TO PUT A SCENARIO IN FRONT
OF YOU. AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND
WHO I CONTACT RIGHT? IT'S A
TUESDAY EVENING. IT'S 10 30 PM
I'M AT A GAS STATION. AND A
WOMAN AND A CHILD APPROACH ME
AND SAY, CAN YOU HELP ME? I'M
HOMELESS. WHAT CAN I DO? WHO DO
I CALL IT? 10:30 P.M. ON A
TUESDAY NIGHT. TO GET THIS THIS
FAMILY INTO YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE
STREETS AND INTO A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT. SO. TWO ON ONE AS A
CALL CENTER, BUT THEY ARE
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL THAT IS
AVAILABLE. 24 HOURS 24 7 AND FOR
FAMILIES IN PARTICULAR, THEY ARE
ONE OF THE CENTRAL POINTS OF
ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM AND, UM
GWOZA THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH
CITY AND COUNTY PROVIDES
PROVIDES FUNDING TO TWO ON ONE
TO RUN THE CALL CENTER
OPERATIONS AND ALSO TO PROVIDE
MOTEL VOUCHERS, TRANSPORTATION
VOUCHERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO 211 IS RESOURCED THROUGH. WAS
A CITY AND COUNTY TO TAKE THOSE
PHONE CALLS THAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT DONE. SO I'VE DONE THAT.
I'VE CALLED TO 11 ONLY TO BE
TOLD THAT ALL THE SHELTER BEDS
ARE TAKEN. THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT AT THAT MOMENT AT THAT
TIME. RIGHT. THAT'S JUST THE
REALITY. RIGHT? UM AND THERE ARE
THERE'S NO ONE AVAILABLE AT
10:30 P.M. ON A TUESDAY TO BE
ABLE TO HELP THIS WOMAN AND HER
CHILD. THAT'S PART OF THE
SCENARIO. I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL
DEALING WITH. EVERYONE WANTS TO
BE HELPFUL AND SUPPORTIVE. BUT
THIS NEEDS TO BE AND I DON'T
KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS JUST
AT THIS MOMENT. BUT WE NEED A 24
HOUR CRISIS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
THAT'S ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE.
RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
MAYBE YOU CAN HELP EXPLAIN THE
240 THE 214 TEAMS 850 PEOPLE.
WHAT'S THE WORK HOURS LIKE?
BECAUSE I MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
9 TO 5 WORKING WEEKENDS, PART
TIME TEAMS LIKE WHAT CAN WE DO
TO EXPAND THAT SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES? WHAT IS THE OPERATOR
WHO I'M SURE AT 211 FEELS
COMPLETELY HELPLESS AT THAT
MOMENT. RIGHT? WHAT'S THE
SOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT THEY
HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND ARE
THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BE
ABLE TO EXPAND? CRISIS MOMENTS
LIKE THIS. THE OUTREACH TEAMS
THEY ARE. THERE ARE BOTH WEEKEND
TEAMS AS WELL, AS, UM, YOU KNOW,
REGULAR BUSINESS, OUR TEAMS.
THEY ALSO GO OUT VERY EARLY
MORNING SINCE SOME INSTANCES UM
SO THERE IS COVERAGE, YOU KNOW?
MUST TODAY. I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE
THAT THERE'S FOLKS ON THE STREET
10 30 ON A TUESDAY. BUT DID YOU
KNOW THAT WE HAVE WEEKEND TEAMS
AND EARLY MORNING TEAMS AS WELL?
I THINK PART OF THE FLOW CHART
THAT I ASKED FOR EARLIER WOULD
BE GREAT TO HAVE, LIKE THE HOURS
OF OPERATION AS TO WHAT? WHAT
TIME THOSE FOLKS WORK. UM BUT
MOST IMPORTANTLY THIS TO ONE AND
I'M ONLY SHARING OUT OF
EXPERIENCE. THIS ACTUALLY DID
HAPPEN TO ME AND I FELT
COMPLETELY HELPLESS AND LUCKILY
, I WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS
FAMILY THROUGH A WOMEN'S SHELTER
IN EAST LOS ANGELES. THIS WAS A
FEW YEARS AGO. BUT IF I DIDN'T
HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND THOSE
PERSONAL CONTACTS, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
DO TO HELP. THIS FAMILY IN THIS
CRISIS AT THAT MOMENT. BUT I
THINK I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT
HAS EXPERIENCED THAT AND WANT TO
AND WANTS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO
THAT AND AGAIN WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A
COUNTY AND AS A CITY? UM AND
FINDING THOSE SOLUTIONS BECAUSE
GOD FORBID SOMETHING WERE TO
HAPPEN. RIGHT THAT LEADS TO A
MORE TRAUMATIC UM MOMENT FOR
THAT FAMILY. SO AGAIN, I JUST
WANT TO. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF
YOU AND I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES. I THINK WE HAVE A
LOT TO THINK ABOUT. AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD JUST AGAIN
URGED THE COORDINATION BECAUSE I
THINK WE'RE ALL REACHING A LEVEL
OF HOW DOES AN ORGANIZATION LIKE
LOSS AGO FROM 53 MILLION ONGOING
OPERATING BUDGET TO 800 MILLION
AND THEN STILL STILL FACE? ALL
OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU FACE.
LOCAL CONTROL IS IMPORTANT.
COORDINATED. LOCAL CONTROL IS
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, AND I JUST
FEEL THAT WE'RE REACHING A POINT
AT THE STATE WHERE SOMETHING
WILL HAPPEN TO MR JONES SAWYER'S
POINT WHERE THE STATE MIGHT TAKE
OVER AND I THINK THAT WILL BE A
WHOLE OTHER DIFFERENT
CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE SEE
SOME SOME SOLUTIONS MOVING
FORWARD AND AGAIN. I WANT TO
THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE
HERE. THIS IS A SERIES OF
CONVERSATIONS AND HEARINGS THAT
WE WANT TO HAVE. CLEARLY I THINK
WE NEED A BIGGER ONE FOR LA
COUNTY. WE JUST HAD ONE IN SAN
FRANCISCO. SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS
AND CHALLENGES AROSE AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE NEXT ACROSS THE
STATE. BUT WE WANT TO TAKE THIS
MOMENT TO AGAIN. THANK ALL OF
YOU AND THINK, UM, DR DOSSIER
FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AS WELL.
AND WE WANT TO OPEN IT UP NOW TO
PUBLIC COMMENT. I BELIEVE THIS
IS THE MICROPHONE HERE. ANYONE
WILLING OR ANYONE WANTING TO
MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. PLEASE
MAKE LINE AT THE MICROPHONE.
THANK YOU. AND YOU CAN STATE
YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION AND
COMMENT. GREAT HI. I'M SUSIE
SHANNON. WITH HOUSING IS A HUMAN
RIGHT? AND I'VE WORKED WITH OUR
OWN HOUSE COMMUNITY SINCE 2005.
I DO WANT TO SAY I DID JUST HELP
A FAMILY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
UM, IT WAS A MOM. A DAD WHO HAD
JUST COME OUT OF SURGERY. FOUR
MONTH OLD BABY AND A THREE YEAR
OLD. AND THEY DID NOT GET A
MOTEL VOUCHER FROM 211,
ACTUALLY, FOR TWO. IT WAS THE
NIGHT BEFORE THE NIGHT THAT I
WAS HELPING THEM AND IF I HADN'T
HAD THE CELL PHONE NUMBER FOR
THE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THAT
DISTRICT TO THE, UM NON PROFIT
THAT THEY HAD BEEN REFERRED TO
WHERE THE CASE MANAGER NEVER GOT
BACK TO THEM, AND I WAS TEXTING
HER AND CALLING HER ALL DAY.
THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A
MOTEL THE NIGHT THAT I WAS
HELPING THEM, AND YOU SHOULD NOT
HAVE TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW,
CONTACTS OR SPECIAL CONTACTS IN
ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO GET HELP,
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY YOU
EXPERIENCE THAT A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO. IT'S STILL HAPPENING,
SO THERE ARE STILL FAMILIES OUT
THERE WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE FIVE
AND UNDER WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
THE PRIORITY AND EVEN THEY'RE
NOT GETTING HELP. BUT ANYWAY, I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS
BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS
OF SOLUTIONS HERE. UM IT'S
HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION AND KAISER
FOUNDATION HAVE BEEN BUILDING
HOUSING AND ALSO BRINGING
HOUSING ONLINE FOR ONE HOUSE
COMMUNITY. UM AND THAT IS
WITHOUT ANY GOVERNMENT FUNDING.
UM EACH OTHER'S ABOUT 1400 UNITS
ONLINE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNHAPPY, HOUSED IN THE LAST 3.5
YEARS MORE THAN THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES HAS BROUGHT ONLINE SINCE
2016 AND H H H PAST AND THIS WAS
BASICALLY UTILIZING OUR VACANT
BUILDINGS AND VACANT UNITS WE
HAVE OVER 70,000 VACANT UNITS.
IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. WE
HAVE ENOUGH VACANT UNITS TO
HOUSE EVERYONE WHO IS UNHAPPY
USED IN THE COUNTY JUST IN THE
CITY BY UTILIZING VACANT UNITS,
UM, ACROSS THIS PARKING LOT,
RIGHT HERE IS THE BARCLAY HOTEL.
IT'S 158 UNITS THAT ARE ALL
BEING REHABBED. THE COST FOR
THAT IS $100,000 A UNIT
APPROXIMATELY, UM. THEY'RE
ALMOST READY TO GO THERE RIGHT
HERE. BUT THE DWP IS TELLING US
THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO
YEARS TO BRING ENOUGH POWER TO
THAT BUILDING. THAT'S TWO YEARS.
OKAY MORRISON HOTEL IS NOT OWNED
BY HF. IT'S OWNED BY RELEVANT
GROUP HAS BEEN VACANT NOW FOR
OVER 10 YEARS, 111 UNITS THAT
COULD BE UTILIZED NOW. JUST
CONVERTING THAT. NOTHING'S
HAPPENING WITH IT. THE
DEVELOPERS NOT UTILIZING THOSE
UNITS AND EVEN PROMISED IN 2016
TO CREATE, UM UNITS OFF SITE.
NOT HAPPENING THIS SEASON HOTEL
AS WE KNOW IT'S VACANT FOR LIKE
, OVER 15 YEARS. 600 UNITS OF
HOUSING JUST BEING BROUGHT ON
NOW. SECOND WHEN WE BUILD, WE
NEED TO BUILD SMART, SO THAT'S
PREFAB. MODULAR HOUSING IS
PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO GO
THERE. WE COULD DO THAT, WITH
LESS MONEY QUICKER. HILDA SOLIS
SHOWED US HOW TO DO THAT, WITH
THE BIGNESS, PROPERTY, SHIPPING
CONTAINERS AND PREFAB MODULAR
HOUSING WENT UP IN FIVE MONTHS
OR 221 UNITS. WE ALSO NEED TO
BUILD SPECIFICALLY FOR UNHAPPY
HOUSED. AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOES
NOT NECESSARILY BRING PEOPLE ARE
AND HOUSED INTO HOUSING. BECAUSE
LANDLORDS HAVE BEEN, UM,
CREATING APPLICATIONS THAT
REQUIRE 36 MONTHS OF PERMANENT
RENTAL HISTORY, WHICH MEANS YOU
CAN'T BE HOMELESS NOW, NOR COULD
YOU HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR THE
LAST THREE YEARS TO QUALIFY FOR
THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO
LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE FUNDING
SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND THEN
HF AND KAISER FOUNDATION OR
BUILDING HOUSING WITHOUT
GOVERNMENT FUNDING, BUT ONCE
THEY BUILD $20 MILLION THAT, AT
THAT LEVEL, THEY HAVE TO START
PAYING PROPERTY TAXES AS THOUGH
IT'S MARKET RATE HOUSING, SO WE
WANT TO END THAT $20 MILLION
CAP. SO THAT WE CAN BRING MORE
HOUSING ONLINE INCLUSIONARY
ZONING, EVERY NEW PIECE OF
HOUSING. WE NEED TO MEET THAT'S
BUILT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE BUILDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND MAKING THAT
MANDATORY MAKING THAT A
REQUIREMENT AND THEN LAST, BUT
NOT LEAST, NEW YORK PASSED
LEGISLATION TO MOVE HOTELS AND
MOTELS THAT ARE USED FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE UNDER HOUSED INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING APARTMENT. WE
NEED LEGISLATION LIKE THAT HERE
BECAUSE THE BUILDING CODES ARE
PREVENTING A LOT OF THESE HOTELS
AND MOTELS AND BEING PERMANENT
APARTMENT. UM AND WE'RE GOING TO
SEE THEM FALL OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE DOING THAT AND THEN FOR
PRESERVATION, RANK CONTROL. GET
RID OF COSTA HAWKINS. AND ELLIS
ACT, MAKE SURE WE ARE PRESERVING
OUR RENT CONTROLLED APARTMENTS.
THANK YOU. VERY TALL. HI GOOD
MORNING AFTERNOON. NOW SARAH
THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
WITH UNION STATION HOMELESS
SERVICES, WHERE THE C S LEAD
AGENCY FOR THE SAN GABRIEL
VALLEY HAVE A COUPLE OF SITES IN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S CREOLES
DISTRICT, AND I'M ALSO
CONSTITUENTS. SO I JUST WANTED
TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS ON
WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
TODAY I REALLY APPRECIATED THE
CONVERSATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY
TO COME HERE. WE THINK THE
OVERARCHING FACT AS IT WAS
MENTIONED EARLIER IS THAT, UM,
HOMES AND HOMELESSNESS AS
JEFFREY MENTIONED, OUTREACH IS
MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE
APPROPRIATE RESOURCES FOR US TO
MATCH THEM WITH THE STATE
FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED
THROUGH HAPPEN. OTHER FUNDING
SOURCES HAS BEEN INTEGRAL FOR
OUR WORK IN THE HOMELESSNESS
SECTOR, AND WE HEAR WHAT THE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ARE SAYING
ABOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING BEING
GIVEN WHEN IT IS FELT THAT
ROBUST RESOURCES HAVE ALREADY
BEEN GIVEN. BUT THE FACT IS WE
HAVE HAD INCREDIBLE SUCCESS WITH
HOUSING PEOPLE. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR
ORGANIZATION HAS A RATE OF 97%
OF OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE
HOUSED IN PERMANENT HOUSING
STAYING HOUSED. THE ISSUE
REMAINS THAT PEOPLE FALLING INTO
HOMELESSNESS. EACH DAY IS HIGHER
THAN THOSE WE ARE ABLE TO HOUSE.
WE NEED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES
BECAUSE THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT
CRISIS. WE NEED ONGOING FUNDING
HAVING ONE OFF FUNDING IS LESS
EFFECTIVE INCREASES BARRIERS AND
DOES NOT ALLOW US TO PROPERLY
STRATEGIZE AND ADDRESS. THE
ISSUES ARE STAFFER AND COUNTING
, ENCOUNTERING EVERY DAY AND WE
DIDN'T NEED INVESTMENTS IN
PERMANENT SOLUTIONS. WE AGREE
THAT INTERIM HOUSING IS AN
IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS WORK.
HOWEVER PEOPLE ARE ONLY EXITED
FROM PERMANENT HOUSING BACK ONTO
THE STREETS WERE DOING AN
EXTREME INJUSTICE. DORAN HOUSE
NEIGHBORS WE MUST FOCUS FUNDING
ON PERMANENT SOLUTIONS IN ORDER
TO HAVE NOT ONLY THE MOST
EFFECTIVE, ONGOING RESULTS, BUT
ALSO THE MOST HUMANE. WE ALSO
APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION
AROUND ACTIONS BY THE STATE AND
AGREE THAT MORE DECISIVE ACTIONS
SHOULD BE TAKEN, PARTICULARLY BY
EMPOWERING AGING AGENCIES TO
TAKE AND HAVE MORE MEANINGFUL
AUTHORITY. WE APPRECIATE THIS
OPPORTUNITY AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR
THE WORK BEING DONE AT THE STATE
LEVEL TO WORK WITH US IN ENDING
HOMELESSNESS, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUED
COLLABORATION AND CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
TRADITIONALLY PUBLIC COMMENT IS
RESTRICTED TO ONE MINUTE BUT
GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE
HEARING, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THAT
. BUT WE DO HAVE THE ROOM UNTIL
ONE PM, SO JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE EVERYBODY GETS AMPLE TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON SHARON REPORT
WITH THE CORPORATION FOR
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THANK YOU
FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING TODAY
AND FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S
COMMITMENT TO SOLVING
HOMELESSNESS IN CALIFORNIA.
DESPITE THE STATE'S SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT IN HAPPEN OTHER
PROGRAMS. WE CANNOT MAKE HEADWAY
IN REDUCING HOMELESSNESS UNTIL
THE STATES TAKES THE NEXT
LOGICAL STEPS PURSUING THAT
COMMITMENT. WE NEED ONGOING
FUNDING AND WE NEED WE NEED TO
INVEST IN RENTAL SUBSIDIES. ONLY
ONGOING FUNDING CAN REDUCE
HOMELESSNESS. ONGOING FUNDING
WOULD CHANGE WHAT THE STATE IS
FUNDING SOME OF THE MOST
EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS ARE VERY
DIFFICULT TO FIND WITH ONE TIME
FUNDING. AS A RESULT,
JURISDICTIONS HAVE BEEN
INVESTING MORE HEAVILY AND
SHELTERS OR INTERIM HOUSING. AND
THOSE ARE NEEDED, BUT THEY DON'T
REDUCE HOMELESSNESS. ONE IMPACT
OF THAT IS THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY
SEEN DECREASES OR INCREASES THE
NUMBER OF SHELTERED POPULATIONS
OR IN THE PERCENTAGE OF SHELTER
POPULATIONS, AS OPPOSED TO AN
SHELTERED IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE
OF THAT, BUT WE CAN'T REALLY
EXPECT REDUCTIONS IN
HOMELESSNESS WHEN WE'RE ONLY
FUNDING SHELTERS. ONGOING
FUNDING CAN HELP OUR LOCAL
HOMELESS RESPONSE. IMPROVED
CAPACITY AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY.
AND IT WOULD REDUCE THE
ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS ON THE
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND
HELP US HOLD LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
ACCOUNTABLE. WE'RE SO
APPRECIATIVE TO ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RIVAS FOR HER A B 71 OFFERED
LAST YEAR FOR THAT REASON. WE
ALSO NEED FUNDING FOR RENTAL
SUBSIDIES TO HELP CALIFORNIANS
EXIT HOMELESSNESS FOR GOOD. THEY
THIS IS THE MOST PROVEN
INTERVENTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY
. IN FACT, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT INVESTING IN RENTAL
SUBSIDIES HAS LED TO 40%
REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS AMONG
VETERANS. LAST YEAR'S A B 28 17
AND 25 47. WHAT HAVE FUNDED
RENTAL SUBSIDIES. BOTH BILLS
WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY EFFECTIVE
SOLUTIONS WITH A B 25 47
INVESTING SPECIFICALLY IN
PREVENTING AND ENDING
HOMELESSNESS FOR TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF OLDER ADULTS. UM I
WOULD JUST SAY ONE LAST COMMENT,
WHICH IS THAT WE ARE, AS YOU'VE
HEARD SEEING MORE PEOPLE
ENTERING HOMELESSNESS THAN EVER
BEFORE, AND WE CAN'T KEEP PACE
WITH THAT, AND WE CAN ALSO WE
CAN'T EXPECT OUR HOMELESS
RESPONSE SYSTEM TO BE THE ONLY
SOLUTION. WE DO NEED SOLUTIONS
AND CREATING MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE GREATEST RISK OF
HOMELESSNESS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD MORNING CHAIR CARILLO
AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. MY NAME IS
ALEX VISOTZKY AND WITH THE
NATIONAL ALLIANCE AND
HOMELESSNESS. OUR GOAL AS AN
ORGANIZATION IS TO LIFT UP WHAT
WORKS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
AND SHARE THE EVIDENCE BASED
BEST PRACTICES THAT ACTUALLY
BRING DOWN HOMELESSNESS. SO A
LOT OF TALK ABOUT HAPPY TODAY,
HAP HAS BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT
STEP FORWARD FOR THE STATE. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THAT UP UNTIL ABOUT 2018. THERE
WAS LITTLE OR NO SUPPORT FROM
THE STATE FOR LOCAL HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSES. UM HAPPENS YOU'VE
HEARD A LITTLE BIT TODAY FROM
THE PANELISTS HAS FOSTERED
BETTER COLLABORATION. I THINK
BETWEEN LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, UM
AND SOME OF THE FLEXIBILITY
THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS BEEN
CRITICAL AS YOU'VE HEARD, HALF
HAS BEEN IMPORTANT IN FUNDING
THE RANGE OF RESOURCES THAT YOU
NEED TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE
SYSTEM. AND THAT INCLUDES
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, LOW
BARRIER, INTERIM HOUSING, AND
MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROGRAMS THAT
THAT ACHIEVE PERMANENT HOUSING
PLACEMENTS. AND THAT IS
ULTIMATELY WHAT ENDS PEOPLE'S
HOMELESSNESS, THINGS LIKE
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RENTAL
SUBSIDY PROGRAMS. UM WE SEE TWO
ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT. ONE IS, AS OTHERS
HAVE MENTIONED, HALF IS NOT AN
ONGOING COMMITMENT FROM THE
STATE. ADVOCATES LIKE MYSELF,
HAVE HAD TO GO BACK TO
SACRAMENTO EVERY YEAR TO TRY AND
SECURE THIS FUNDING AND IN
PRACTICE, IT CREATES CONFUSION
FOR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATORS,
SERVICE PROVIDERS AND AT THE END
OF THE DAY, INCONSISTENT
AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. WE
NEED ONGOING FUNDING FOR
PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO SCALE UP
AND DELIVER THOSE CONSISTENT
SERVICES AND OUTCOMES THROUGHOUT
THE YEAR. FINALLY WE WANT TO SEE
CONSISTENCY AROUND THE STATE
WITH THE 2022 PIT COUNT. WE'VE
SEEN SOME COMMUNITIES BRING DOWN
HOMELESSNESS LIKE SAN FRANCISCO
AND MONTEREY COUNTY AND OTHERS
LIKE LOS ANGELES. IT'S REMAINED
RELATIVELY FLAT AND OTHER PLACES
LIKE SACRAMENTO, IT'S
SKYROCKETED. UM WE THINK THAT
THERE ARE SOME TWEAKS THAT CAN
BE MADE TO HAP, UM, INCLUDING
ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF EMPHASIS
TO PERMANENT HOUSING AND BALANCE
BETWEEN INVESTMENTS THAT CAN GET
EVERYONE KIND OF ROWING IN THE
SAME DIRECTION. AND THEN WE'LL
SEE HAP START DRIVING DOWN
HOMELESSNESS AROUND THE STATE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
DEEK. SANDOVAL I'M HERE WITH
PATH PEOPLE ASSISTING THE
HOMELESS. WE ARE ONE OF THE
LARGEST NONPROFIT HOMELESS
SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA SERVING 16% OF ALL
OF CALIFORNIA'S ON HOUSE
POPULATION. LAST YEAR, WE
OPERATE ACROSS FIVE MAJOR
REGIONS WITH OVER 150, DIFFERENT
CITIES, DOING EVERYTHING FROM
STREET OUTREACH TO INTENSIVE
CASE MANAGEMENT, INTERIM
HOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. I WANT TO
BE CLEAR. WE FIRMLY AGREE THE
STATUS QUO WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND
THERE ARE PROVEN SOLUTIONS. WE
KNOW THAT WHEN WE MEET PEOPLE
WITH A TRAUMA, INFORMED, PERSON
CENTERED APPROACH CONNECTED TO A
VIABLE PERMANENT HOUSING OPTION
. THEY TAKE IT AND WHEN WE
FOLLOW UP WITH THE SUPPORT OF
SERVICES THAT INDIVIDUAL'S NEEDS
FROM RENT ASSISTANCE TO
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO BEHAVIOR
HEALTHCARE, THEY STAY HOUSED.
REALLY HEARTENED TO HEAR THE
SAME URGENCY IN FRUSTRATION. WE
FEEL GOOD BY YOUR COMMENTS
TODAY, AND WE KNOW OUR CITY AND
COUNTY AND LOSS OF PARTNERS FEEL
THE SAME. WE AGREE THAT THE
STATE CAN DO MORE ONGOING
FUNDING, LIKE THE MISSION
EMBODIED IN ASSEMBLY. ROBUST IS
A B 71 WILL HELP US SUSTAIN THAT
WORK AND CAN BE DESIGNED IN A
WAY THAT REMEDIES THE STRUCTURAL
FLAWS THAT YOU'VE ALL NOTED
TODAY. FOR EXAMPLE, DESIGNING
FUNDING TO EXPLICITLY INVEST IN
FRONT LINE STAFF MEANS WE CAN
REDUCE THOSE SERVICE COVERAGE
GAPS THAT ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
CARILLO NOTED, COMBINING FUNDING
WITH INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING TO
LOOSEN REGULATORY RESTRICTIONS
AND FUND AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT
CAN HELP US PROPERLY UTILIZE
THOSE VACANT OR UNDER USED
PROPERTIES. THAT SOMEBODY MEMBER
JOHN SAWYER FLAG SO WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION IN
PRESENCE HERE TODAY IS COMMITTED
TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU ON
THIS EFFORT, AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE IS
GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. HI GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M
MARIE CASTALDI. I'M THE SENIOR
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE ON
HOMELESSNESS AT HOUSING,
CALIFORNIA. UM HOUSING,
CALIFORNIA'S PARTNERS AND MEMBER
ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE ADVOCATES
AND RESEARCHERS, SERVICE
PROVIDERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING
DEVELOPERS, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
AND MEMBERS OF THE RESIDENTS
UNITED NETWORK WHO ARE PEOPLE
LIVING AND AFFORDABLE AND
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, MANY OF WHOM
HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME
OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMMON
THREADS. WE'RE HEARING ACROSS
THESE PARTNERS GOING INTO 2023,
MANY OF WHICH WILL BE ECHOES OF
WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
UM YOU KNOW, FIRST THE RECENT
INVESTMENTS IN STATE THE STATE
INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING AND
SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS HAVE BEEN
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR BRINGING
SOLUTIONS TO A GREATER SCALE,
PARTICULARLY HALF EMERGES AS A
CRUCIAL INVESTMENT TO BUILD
CAPACITY AND FILL GAPS IN LOCAL
SYSTEMS. YET ONCE AGAIN, THE ONE
TIME NATURE OF STATE FUNDS,
COUPLED WITH MANY ONE TIME
FEDERAL COVID RELIEF FUNDS,
LEAVE OUR SYSTEMS. FEELING
CONSTANTLY ON THE BRINK OF A
FUNDING CLIFF AND MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO INVEST IN THE
CAPACITY AND THE WORKFORCE OF
THE SYSTEM THAT WILL NEED FOR
THE LONG TERM AND LASTING
SOLUTIONS LIKE RENTAL SUBSIDIES
AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
OPERATIONS. TO THAT END,
WORKFORCE CAPACITY AND EQUITY IS
A TOP CONCERN THAT WE'RE HEARING
MANY FRONTLINE WORKERS, AS
YOU'VE NOTED, ARE PAID SO LITTLE
THAT THEY'RE ON THE BRINK OF
HOMELESSNESS, AND THERE'S
INSUFFICIENT ADMINISTRATIVE
STAFF TO SUPPORT INCREASED
OPERATIONS IN LOS ANGELES,
ALMOST 20% OF THE WORKERS IN THE
HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEMS HAVE
LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS
THEMSELVES. MANY ARE WOMEN AND
PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND SO
ADDRESSING PAY EQUITY AND JOB
QUALITY ARE CRITICAL RACIAL
EQUITY ISSUES AND DEEPLY TIED TO
THE NEED FOR ONGOING FUNDING AT
SCALE. WE'RE HEARING THAT THE
PROBABLY GREATEST CHALLENGE IN
THIS CRISIS IS THE SEVERE LACK
OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT STILL
EXISTS LIKE CRIMINAL RECORD OR
CREDIT BARRIERS AND EVEN WITH
INCREASES IN INTERIM INVESTMENTS
, AS NOTED TODAY, PEOPLE ARE
STILL HOMELESS WHILE THEY'RE IN
A SHELTER. UM SO WE'RE
INTERESTED IN SEEING GREATER
PROTECTIONS AND ALSO ENFORCEMENT
OF EXISTING PROTECTIONS LIKE
SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION.
WHICH THERE WAS LAWS PASSED TO
MAKE THAT ILLEGAL IS STILL
RAMPANT IN COMMUNITIES AND FOLKS
ARE BEING DENIED HOUSING WHEN
THEY HAVE RENTAL SUBSIDIES. UM
AND FINALLY, WE'RE HEARING THAT
LOCAL POLICIES THAT PUNISH,
DISPLACE AND DESTABILIZE PEOPLE
LIVING ON THE STREETS AND
ENCAMPMENTS ARE DIRECTLY
UNDERMINING OUR EFFORTS TO
ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. IT CAN
COST THREE TIMES MORE TO ENFORCE
ANTI HOMELESS LAWS THAN TO FIND
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T
HAVE IT. THESE PRODUCTS
PRACTICES ARE TRAUMATIZING AND
FROM A VERY PRAGMATIC STANDPOINT
, THEY DISRUPT SERVICE
PROVIDER'S ABILITY TO SUPPORT
PEOPLE. SO THERE ARE TWO KIND OF
CONTRADICTORY TRUTHS THAT WERE
HOLDING AT HOUSING CALIFORNIA AS
WE MOVE FORWARD. ONE IS THAT WE
MUST TREAT THIS CRISIS AS THE
URGENT HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS THAT
IT IS AND MOBILIZE RESOURCES AS
SUCH, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
WE NEED TO TAKE A LONG TERM
APPROACH TO THIS ISSUE AND BUILD
THAT ONGOING CAPACITY AS SUCH,
AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO WORK
WITH ALL THE PEOPLE AT THIS
TABLE AND FOLKS IN SACRAMENTO TO
PURSUE SOME OF THESE REALLY
IMPORTANT POLICY GOALS. HELLO I
KNOW WE ONLY HAVE THE ROOM UNTIL
ONE. SO I'LL BE QUICK. MY NAME
IS DEXTER O'CONNELL AND WITH
SAFE PLACE FOR YOUTH, WHICH IS
THE PROVIDER OF HOMELESS
SERVICES TO YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE
WEST SIDE OF LOS ANGELES. WE
COVER FIVE SEPARATE
JURISDICTIONS JUST IN OUR AREA,
WHICH IS SPA FIVE ON THE WEST
SIDE OF THE COUNTY. UM I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO
THIS ISSUE. I WANT TO THANK THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND THE MEMBERS
OF THE PANEL FOR YOUR ATTENTION
TO THIS ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IN
LOS ANGELES AT THIS TIME. I WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICE OF
YOUNG PEOPLE IS NOT FORGOTTEN IN
THIS CONVERSATION. AND THE
UNIQUE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE
NOT FORGOTTEN. THIS PARTICULARLY
INCLUDES SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUTH,
PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE
CONNECTIONS WITH DCFS AND YOUTH
CORRECTIONS AND ENSURING THAT
THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT DISCHARGED
FROM THOSE SYSTEMS DIRECTLY INTO
HOMELESSNESS, AS SO OFTEN
HAPPENS, IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
PROGRAMS LIKE SPIES NEW FACILITY
THAT WORKS WITH THE COUNTY. TO
ENSURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE AT
LEAST DISCHARGED INTO SHELTER IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BUT WE NEED
MORE OF THAT KIND OF SHELTER AND
THAT KIND OF HOUSING COUNTYWIDE.
I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE POINT
THAT EVERYONE HAS MADE ABOUT
STAFF SALARIES. UM IT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT OUR
STAFF DO NOT BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR
OUR SERVICES. UH THIS IS AN
ISSUE WHICH WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF
OUR STAFF, IN FACT, WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST AT YOUR
HEARINGS WHO HAVE COME TO
TESTIFY BEFORE YOU BOTH IN LOS
ANGELES AND IN SACRAMENTO IN THE
PAST. AH! IT'S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT TO SPY THAT WE ARE
ABLE TO FULLY PROVIDE THE
SERVICES THAT WE'VE SIGNED UP
FOR, UM, THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS
AS THE LEAD YOUTH AGENCY AND
SPOT FIVE AND FOR THAT WE NEED
STAFF WHO ARE ABLE TO GO HOME TO
THEIR OWN HOME AND NOT WORRY
ABOUT THEIR OWN HOUSING SECURITY
AT THE END OF THE DAY, SO I WANT
TO ECHO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS
SAID BEFORE ABOUT STAFF
SALARIES. AND THEN I ALSO JUST
WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT THE
CAR CEREBRAL APPROACH IS AS
PROBLEMATIC AS THE
MULTIJURISDICTIONAL APPROACH.
AND WHILE WE PERHAPS TAKE
FURTHER STATE ACTION TO ENSURE
THAT AGENCIES, WHICH COVER
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS ARE
EMPOWERED TO ACT, UM AND
COORDINATION ACROSS
JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES. THAT
THOSE KIND OF ACTIONS DO NOT
CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN A CAR.
SURREAL APPROACH, WHICH MAKES
ACTUALLY BRINGING PEOPLE INDOORS
MORE DIFFICULT. UM SO AGAIN,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
ATTENTION TO HOMELESSNESS. AND
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THAT. AH!
IF WE FOCUS ON YOUNG PEOPLE AND
SET ASIDE RESOURCES FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE. WE CAN WITHIN THE NEXT
FIVE YEARS SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF
HOMELESSNESS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, SO THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR, CARILLO AND
HONORABLE MEMBERS. ZACHARY WARM
, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF POLICY
AT L. A FAMILY HOUSING. WE ARE
ONE OF THE LARGEST SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND AFFORDABLE AND
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPERS IN
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, PROVIDING
SERVICES AND HOUSING TO ROUGHLY
12,000. ANGELENOS ANNUALLY FIRST
ONE. I JUST QUICKLY THANK
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RIVAS FOR BEING
JUST BOTH SUCH A CHAMPION FOR ON
HOUSED FAMILY MEMBERS,
INDIVIDUALS IN THE VALLEY. AS
WELL AS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN
SACRAMENTO FOR THE NEED FOR
ONGOING FUNDING. THIS IS TO ECHO
SORT OF MANY OF THE COMMENTS OF
MY COLLEAGUE. WE KNOW FROM PAST
BUDGETS FROM LHASA 49% OF
FUNDING THAT FLOWS INTO LHASA IS
ONE TIME FUNDING. THIS IS
UNSUSTAINABLE. THIS IS DIFFICULT
FOR PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS FOR
PLANNING ON A SORT OF MULTI YEAR
BASIS. WE ALSO REALLY WANT TO
EMPHASIZE JUST THE NEED OF THAT,
LIKE THE DEPTHS OF THE CRISIS,
AND THAT WE KNOW BASED ON THE
2022 HOMELESS COUNT. 69,000
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND COUNTY BASED ON
THE STATE'S HOMELESS DATABASE
INFORMATION SYSTEM. H D I S
87,000 INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCED
HOMELESS OR ENGAGED THE HOMELESS
RESPONSE SYSTEM IN THE L. A
CONTINUUM OF CARE IN 2021.
LASTLY JUST AND I THINK SO MUCH
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SEE. BUT
THE CITY COUNTY AND LOSS OF
PARTNERS HERE HAVE JUST REALLY
EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR
REGIONAL COORDINATION. THAT IS
HOW HOPEFULLY THAT IS HOW WE
WILL ULTIMATELY RESOLVE THIS
CRISIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU ALL SO MUCH IF THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS, I
WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR
PANELISTS THAT PARTICIPATED
TODAY AS WELL AS OUR MEMBERS OF
THE ASSEMBLY. JUST SOMETHING TO
NOTE. TRADITIONALLY THESE
HEARINGS WHEN WE DO BUDGET,
BUDGET OVERSIGHT OR
INFORMATIONAL HEARING HEARINGS,
THEY'RE DONE WITH THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. BUT WE EXTENDED
IT THIS TIME BECAUSE THIS GOES
FAR BEYOND. ASSEMBLY BUDGETS OF
FOUR ON STATE ADMINISTRATION.
THIS NEEDS A COORDINATED
REGIONAL APPROACH IN WHICH
DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ARE
IMPORTANT AS WE DEAL WITH
HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL
HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE. ONGOING
FUNDING, PUBLIC SAFETY ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT COME UP IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, AND SO THIS IS
AGAIN OUR SECOND INFORMATIONAL
HEARING, AND WE HOPE TO DO MANY
MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR ALL OF US
THAT CARE ABOUT L, A COUNTY AND
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE A COORDINATED
EFFORT MOVING FORWARD. SO AGAIN,
THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE
TIME. NOW, THIS AND OF COURSE,
THANK YOU TO OUR OUR BUDGET
STAFF AND EVERYBODY THAT HELPS
MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THIS WILL BE
AVAILABLE IN THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET
ARCHIVES FOR FURTHER REVIEW, AND
WITH THAT THIS HEARING IS
ADJOURNED.