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.
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 remaining dollars to fund traditional homeless services like outreach and shelters.
Despite Measure A’s approval, the county is planning to cut some outreach programs next year, because Measure A is bringing in less revenue than expected as the economy slows and consumers spend less.
The state has also cut homeless funds to close budget gaps and there are looming federal cuts as well. In all, local officials have said the combination of state and expected federal cuts could force more than 14,500 formerly homeless households in L.A. County back onto the streets or into shelters next year.
Money from LACAHSA could keep some of those people housed.
The $11.5 million approved Wednesday will be distributed to nine nonprofits and public agencies and is expected to help 700 households pay the rent over the next 18 months.
In several previous rounds, LACAHSA had approved a total of $18.1 million in homeless prevention and renter protection programs, including eviction defense, and expects to sign off on another $75 million by the end of June.
Some of the groups who will receive money from Wednesday’s round include the nonprofits PATH, the Watts Labor Community Action Committee and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.
Richardson said distributing the money through multiple nonprofits with ties to different communities will help ensure “no group is left out” of assistance.
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