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Center for Community Research and Solutions at United Way of Greater Los Angeles
The purpose of this Research and Policy Brief is to summarize what we know about the homeless population in Los Angeles County, the causes and costs of homelessness, and several policy options for preventing and ending homelessness in the region.
Where do homeless people stay most of the time?
In contrast to other major urban areas, the vast majority of homeless persons in Los Angeles County do not tend to spend the night in emergency or transitional shelters.
According to a study by Shelter Partnership done last year on LA County's family shelters and agencies, existing capacity in terms of short term housing programs and beds accommodates only about a quarter of homeless families.15 In addition, 85% of surveyed agencies and shelters that serve families regularly turn away families because of the lack of beds available.
In September 2006 Mayor Villaraigosa announced a commitment to provide Section 8 vouchers to 2,000 homeless individuals and families and devoting $100 million to supportive and affordable housing.
Perhaps most significantly, the county and city have begun to work together more closely to address homelessness, jointly funding LAHSAwith $2 million for comprehensive planning for the Los Angeles Continuum of Care.
Los Angeles County is slated to receive around $150 million over the next five years from Proposition 63 funds to provide mental health services for the homeless.
Also, the federal government's Interagency Council on Homelessness is increasingly active in Los Angeles. United Way of Greater Los Angeles has also developed an initiative called A Pathway Home to mobilize support and resources for preventing and ending homelessness in Los Angeles County. A Pathway Home is a county-wide initiative aimed at empowering Los Angeles communities to more effectively prevent and end homelessness by enhancing community outreach and building strategic collaborations.
Posted on November 14, 2007 11:32 AM
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