Union leaders, nonprofit leaders, activists and families were optimistic about the fate at the ballot box of Measure A, which in Los Angeles County would impose a half-cent sales tax if passed. on November 5.
According to California Department of Tax and Fee Administration records for the period September 2023 through August 2024, the one-half percent (0.5%) sales and use tax is estimated to generate approximately $1,200 million in revenue to the county during the first year. The money raised would be used to reduce and prevent homelessness and provide affordable housing.
“I am very optimistic that Measure A will pass because I know that Angelenos care about our neighbors and have been successful,” Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president and CEO of LA Family Housing, told La Opinión.
Klasky-Gamer highlighted that the non-profit organization he directs will remove 100 people a day from the streets in 2023.
However, he added that “sadly and unfortunately we could not control the influx of 125 people who, at the same time, were left homeless.”
Over the past six years, LA Family Housing has opened eight new permanent supportive housing properties, 10 new interim housing sites, and expanded its programs to serve more than 15,000 people annually.
If passed, Measure A would repeal Measure H, the quarter-cent (0.25%) sales tax enacted in 217 and set to expire in 2027.
Indeed, with the support of 69% of voters, Measure H raised hundreds of millions of dollars annually for homeless care efforts.
The number of homeless could increase
If the measure fails, Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, predicted that more than 7,000 people could lose their financing for housing or services, which would cause a double-digit increase in the number. of homeless people.
According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an estimated 75,312 people were homeless in Los Angeles County in 2024. Of those, 22,947 were provided with temporary or permanent housing. Homelessness decreased 5.1% from 2023 to 2024.
The city of Los Angeles alone had about 46,260 homeless residents in 2023, a 10% increase from 2022.
“I am optimistic that Measure A will pass because I know Angelenos care about our neighbors” – Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president and CEO of LA Family Housing.
These increases in local homeless populations over the years have occurred despite multiple efforts to fund programs and services to assist the homeless.
Help people with mental problems
“At age 20, my brother John developed schizophrenia and my parents were elderly and couldn’t care for him… he ended up homeless in Los Angeles for months and months,” said Sarah Dusseault, of The Angeleno Project and LA4LA, politician and advocate. homeless.
“We couldn’t find it, but one day I received a call from my nephew who is a firefighter. He found it during one of his calls to help the homeless,” Dusseault told La Opinión. “My nephew saw that the person they were going to help was actually my brother.”
John was covered with a cloth; He had wounds and sores just from living on the street and he did not agree to go to the hospital.
The boy received medical attention because his cousin recognized him. That was the way she was able to help John.
In recent years, Los Angeles County voters approved measures that significantly increased local tax revenue and changed budget priorities.
There will be accountability
“Yes or A! Yes on A!” shouted jubilant supporters of the measure, who gathered at the offices of the LA Family Housing Complex in North Hollywood.
Supporters of Measure A say the money generated by the permanent tax would pay for new affordable housing, immediate and interim housing, mental health and substance abuse treatment for homeless people, and legal or rental assistance for at-risk tenants. eviction.
Likewise, they said Measure A is structured to ensure accountability, with mandatory outcome goals and an oversight structure, providing dollars to build more housing like Fiesta Apartments throughout Los Angeles County, where 50 men who were homeless , now live in secure Section 8 apartments.
“The distribution of the money will only flow if we meet our tangible objectives year after year,” said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, for whom Measure A does not represent the definitive solution to end the problem of the thousands of homeless people in Los Angeles County.
“Measure A is only one piece, but it will not be enough without bringing additional state and federal dollars into our system,” he said. “Homelessness is not a solution that can only be solved at the local level. “It also needs investment and support at the federal and state levels.”
A job and a place for personal hygiene
One of the probable beneficiaries in the future would be Alcid Esteban Ruiz, 31 years old, a young Latino who is homeless and lives inside his car that he parks near the intersection of Tuxford and Telfair streets, in the area of Sun Valley, in the San Fernando Valley.
“I ended up on the street because my mother no longer wants me to live in her house,” said Alcid Esteban, who is an electrician. “Some people falsely accused me of attempted robbery; They wanted to give me four years in prison; “Later they lowered the sentence to one year and eight months, but I was only locked up for two, because the judge dismissed the case, since those who accused me did not appear in court.”
Alcid Esteban said that the only thing he needed to no longer live on the street was: “To have a place where I can bathe, a job opportunity and a place to sleep.” He has also been a hairdresser and cuts the hair of other homeless people.
He charges some $5.00 if they have money. Otherwise, he does the work for them for free.
Help in times of difficulties
Amberlee Ayala, a nurse member of SEIU 721 who works for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, noted that she has noticed several additional field programs implemented and improved with the tools needed to work on the streets and address the homeless crisis.
Ayala shared a couple of success stories, such as a woman with two children who lives in her car and works part-time at a library, where she was able to take them with her.
“We helped this woman move into a two-bedroom apartment and her life has changed radically,” he explained.
For a man who had been separated from his family for more than 15 years and lived in the adjacent streets of Gran Park, in the center of Los Angeles, thanks to the collaboration of other work teams, they were able to get him a plane ticket to return to his family. .
“Measure H was just the tip of the iceberg and thanks to them we may have been able to help some homeless people, but we have to help them stay inside,” he said. “The causes of homelessness have not been resolved, due to the high cost of rent and living in general.”
“As the numbers [de desamparados] increase, we run the risk that without having funds that could help, people will become homeless again,” he stressed.
Important points of Measure A:
● It will help people move from street tents to treatment and
dwelling, instead of moving people from one corner to another.
● Will create affordable housing: It will help Los Angeles County
Expand access to affordable housing and facilitate construction
of accessible housing.
● Prevent homelessness: You will invest in services that help
keep families and people in their homes.
● Expands mental health and addiction treatment: It will improve the
mental health and addiction treatment services, which will help more people transition from street tents to housing.
Distribution of money
The distribution of the approximately $1.2 billion that the approval of Measure A would generate as income would be as follows:
· 61.25% or $656 million on a wide range of comprehensive homeless services, the Local Solutions Fund, innovations in homeless solutions and accountability, data and research
· 37.75% or approximately $383 million would go to the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency for Prevention and Affordable Housing, producing new affordable housing and preventing people from falling off the precipice of going into the streets
· -3% or almost $32 million in the first year for the Los Angeles County Development Authority for Local Housing Production, the administration of the funds and the study of accountability measures for effective results in the application of the money.