With the number of homeless people growing dramatically and with sprawling street encampments cropping up under overpasses, on hillsides and along neighborhood sidewalks, the problem has commanded more dollars and more attention.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas reminded the audience at the board’s meeting that Wednesday is the one-year anniversary of voters approving Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax to fund services for the homeless. Measure H is expected to raise $355 million annually to fight homelessness.
But money isn’t the only obstacle to addressing the crisis.
“The question of homelessness is not going away without a fight,” Ridley-Thomas said, describing Everyone In as a 10-year campaign “to harness the energies of Measure H and nurture the public will, so that community residents can be a part of a comprehensive set of solutions to confront the homeless crisis.”
There are 57,794 homeless individuals countywide, based on the last published count in 2017. And more than two-thirds of voters backed Measure H, leaving officials to believe they had a political mandate to build more housing.
Backers of the Everyone In campaign, which includes business owners, labor leaders, community groups and nonprofit organizations, hope to change those attitudes through education and outreach.
“There’s a lot of talk about NIMBYs (not in my backyard) but we want to start talking about YIMBYs (yes, in my backyard),” Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said. “Everyone In means we’re all responsible for this.”
The county’s goal is to help 45,000 people escape homelessness over five years and prevent another 30,000 from becoming homeless using Measure H funds.
Since last July, county outreach teams have connected with 7,500 individuals living on the street and been able to connect 3,000 people to services, according to Ridley-Thomas.
A total of 3,350 homeless families and individuals have been moved into permanent housing with Measure H funding, according to Phil Ansell, who heads the county’s homeless initiative.
The county recently approved nine projects, including one in Lancaster, that would add more than 400 units of housing for homeless individuals.
However, a recent report by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority estimated that the county has less than half the number of permanent supportive housing units it needs for homeless individuals, falling more than 22,000 units short.
Previous related stories: LA County tees up new ordinances to push affordable housing
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Ex AV says
Lost Angeles is hopeless. I find it quite amusing listening
to rich whiners complain about the skyrocketing homeless issue.
Considering may of these same whining rich people are a major part of
the homelessness crisis. Baby boomers love riding home equity bubbles
even if their neighbor ends up eating cat-food and living in a box.
This is the “paradise” YOU have helped create, now you get to
drive your BMW past the less fortunate each day.
Affordable housing was available a few short years ago. Funny money laundering
all cash foreign investors, already wealthy house flippers,
real estate gobbling corporations, inheritance brats, and the plain ‘ole lucky have
distorted the entire SoCal. market. Sell out the middle class, sell out California natives, and reap the fruits.
sean says
Ex AV your rant was almost perfect… and I love you! It was THAT good :) But you failed to mention mental illness caused by drug use.. I have met so many homeless whos brains were fried… because they did too much meth… it might take a few years.. but it will destroy your mind…
Ex AV says
Yea Sean, meth. Or, simply read about the real estate market.
F _ _ k AV says
But, but, but we need all that funny money suitcases full of cash infused into the real estate market. This is often called money laundering. Foreign all cash investors, real estate gobbling corporations, and house flippers have distorted the market. Affordable housing was available a few short years ago. Simply renting a reasonably priced apartment in the L.A. – O.C. market has turned into a competition. Sell out the locals, sell out the middle class, sell your souls and this is what you get.
Moved from Hell - A Recently says
Moving recently from Lost Angeles, I find it quite amusing listening to rich whiners complain about the skyrocketing homeless issue. Considering may of these same whining rich people are a major part of the homelessness crisis. Baby boomers love riding home equity bubbles even if their neighbor ends up eating cat-food and living in a box. F-’em. This is the “paradise” YOU have helped create, now you get to drive your BMW past the less fortunate each day, ya sniveling babies. Affordable housing was available a few short years ago. Funny money all cash foreign investors, already wealthy house flipper douches, corporations, inheritance brats, and the plain ‘ole lucky have distorted the entire SoCal. market. Sell out the middle class and reap the fruits, ya fu….kers, this can only get worse.
noWay says
“Allowing housing for the homeless in their neighborhoods”
Ahhhhhhhh……….hell nah!
Matt K. says
The most frustrating thing about the homeless situation is that many of these people are not from California, have no ties or connections to California and have only arrived recently to take advantage of state/county welfare programs.
I know of one young, able-bodied woman, in particular, who is from Pennsylvania and has no family in California and has never lived or worked in the state prior, and she is living here and receiving GR assistance from the county, MediCal and CalGrant to attend AV College.
We, as taxpayers of this state, should not be paying for people with no work history and no ties to the state, to live here and sponge off of our system.
Leslie says
ABC-Channel 7 was interviewing some homeless people at the camp in Anaheim recently and there were a bunch of them that were from Arizona. So I believe what you’re saying and I agree with you. We can’t be so generous as to just hand out money to anyone in the USA who wants to come here. Thats completely ridiculous and we need to re-evaluate our priorities. Only people who have lived AND WORKED in California should be able to collect benefits in California.
Alexis says
When someone receives GR, for either nine or twelve months, that person is obligated to use the General Relief Opportunity for WorK, (GROW). That is if they are able to work (no permanent disability.) I have a roof, food, hot and cold running water, and an old car with no payments, so what little income I have, and thankful for it, I am at peace with paying taxes that I am obligated to pay.
Tim Scott says
Maybe, but you have to accept that the draw of California for the homeless is based more in the weather, which being born here doesn’t really give us a right to claim, as it is based in any ‘system’ we may institute. California will always be a draw for the homeless, and the only question really is how we deal with them when they get here. Do we provide them with some sort of access to improving their lot legally, or do we remove every avenue except for crime and then put them in jail at great expense when we get around to catching them?
Kay says
The majority (notice that I did not say ALL) of these people want to live as they do. There is more help now than I’ve seen in my lifetime for people, yet the problem is worse than ever. The groups/people helping this population are making them comfortable enough that people with this mindset are okay with living like this. Until a person is forced to hit rock bottom, why should they change? I agree that some DO need help; however, the ones who keep taking assistance (which is being paid for by those who work) with no intentions of helping themselves should be cut off from these benefits. Help those who CAN help themselves; otherwise, cut off the gravy train.
Cynic says
The homeless situation is absolutely nuts. I live in Palmdale but drove through the area around K and the 14 for the first time in a few years and I was absolutely stunned by the amount of homeless people in that area.
from someone who's been there says
I was homeless for 14 years….and the biggest obstacle of all was “community attitudes and housing”. Yes I was willing to work, yes I even took pride in my little homeless hut, but without food, a place to shower, clean clothes, transportation? …who was going to hire me? There are strategies that are working all over the country that have proven successful. Detroit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im41GXjE-vM. Texas https://mlf.org/community-first/ .Denver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xwJvrWRRxg. Dallas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTcGuVo4vG0 You cant just give someone a place to live and expect them to thrive but that is the beginning. You have to give them a sense of belonging, a sense of community on a small scale, some sense of purpose greater than themselves so they begin to take pride in knowing that they matter to someone like their neighbor. These little communities of tiny homes are self sustaining. They take care of each other and the property, they take pride in cultivating their own community gardens, take care of their own trash. Some are even solar communities that don’t need public utilities. It begins with political will and a cooperative community and social vistion that works. Judging. blaming, shaming, guilt tripping and complaining about them – doesn’t work. PERIOD!
Old man says
How about employing them make them work for what they get. Like the rest of us. Have them pick up trash 40 hours a week. And in January when it’s freezing maybe they will decide to get a real job. The problem is they make a mess every where they camp, get them a little property and put them all on it
Tim Scott says
Great idea! How many of them are you willing to pay for picking up trash forty hours a week? Where should they go to sign up, your house or your office?
Old Man take a look at your life... says
I have been there… all you care about is your next high or drink…
Alexis says
@Old man…Are you Rex Parris?
Alexis says
@Old man…I apologize for my snide remark. Actually there are programs in cities such as San Diego, started by a 10 year old boy, that saw a need for the homeless to feel relevant. now a bus picks up homeless people that are willing to work, and receive $11.50 an hour for doing jobs such as picking up garbage, or other available options. This is making a difference for those that use this opportunity, and spread the word about this program. Some homeless are actually motivated to take this as an opportunity to begin the process of becoming productive members of society. I was homeless for 10 years, and understand both sides of the issue.
Son of the Anti Rex says
No need to apologize. Rex’s ‘solution’ to the homeless problem in Lancaster was to give $10,000 for bus tickets to send the homeless ‘home’. It made headlines and even was mocked on the Tonight Show.
Never apologize for shedding light on the dark deeds of Rex. There are dozens of examples. They need to be brought front and center.
Bum Whisperer says
You cant help those who do not want to be helped! I understand not all of them are in that state of mind and it’s very unfortunate, but 80% of them are! Talk to them, you’ll see.
Mayra says
… so, you want a solution, to homelessness? Then, you have little choice but confront the principle causal determinant of astronomical apartment rent. Want to solve the problem, of affordable housing? Then, humblemost apologies, you’ll have little choice but commence mass deportation, of the very people legally responsible for driving up rent, bum-rushing your low cost housing initiatives asunder (e.g., your beloved illegal Mexicans). If you don’t want to do that? Then, you’ll have to disguise the problem, as a “mental health syndrome” beyond everyone’s control –
AVIsHome says
The homeless are people too. Not all are bad or on drugs. Some just fell on hard times. I personally have no issue heloing someone less fortunate than myself. Stop judging without know their situation. You that judge are no better than anyone else…. You are worse. And you wonder what is wrong woth our community.