More than $10 million for homeless prevention coming to L.A. County
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The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency on Wednesday approved nearly $11.5 million in homeless prevention funds, the largest single allocation yet for the new agency.The approval comes as other government entities cut back on some programs to fight homelessness, sparking concerns more people could make their way onto the streets and into shelters.
“We are in a place to deploy new dollars at a moment where dollars are scarce,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, who serves as chair of LACAHSA’s board, said in an interview.“Help is on the way.”In a unanimous vote, the LACAHSA board of directors signed off on more than $7.6 million in direct rental subsidies and flexible financial assistance to people at risk of homelessness.
Another $3.8 million in administrative funds was approved to run the effort.Despite sound evidence that services such as financial assistance can prevent people from becoming homeless, it’s impossible to know after the fact whether any given person would have become homeless without the help.Research has shown that only a small percentage would.Research has shown it is difficult to identify who is actually at risk of becoming homeless, and it is impossible to know if someone who received homeless prevention help would have lost their housing without it, but there is evidence that financial support can help keep at least some people off the streets.
The money approved Wednesday comes from Measure A, the sales tax increase voters approved last year to tackle the homelessness crisis across the county.California Cash assistance is a proven way to keep people from becoming homeless.
The hard part is identifying those who need aid.A clinical trial is trying to find out.A portion of those dollars goes to LACAHSA to build affordable housing and fund homeless prevention efforts like rental subsidies.
The county receives most of the remain...