The citizen planning group for the Measure H sales tax has drawn up final recommendations for how Los Angeles County should spend $355 million annually over the next three years to fight homelessness.
The 50-member panel — consisting of homeless advocates, service providers, local government and county officials, and business and nonprofit leader — largely endorsed in a meeting last Wednesday the requests made by officials of the county agencies and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority on where most of the money should go.
At the top of the list is $216 million to provide short-term rental subsidies and services to homeless people who have the capacity to become self- sufficient, the Los Angeles Times reported. The panel also recommended spending $208.6 million to open more shelters and expand interim housing for the chronically homeless waiting for permanent homes, and $146.5 million for services for those in permanent supportive housing.
The recommended budgets for years two and three are tentative, allowing flexibility as experience is gained with the 21 strategies considered by the panel. Many of the strategies have never been tried on such a large scale, according to The Times.
The citizen panel’s recommendations climb from $259 million in the first year to $374 million in year two and $432 million in year three, when it is anticipated that the ongoing spending levels will be reached.
The recommendations are scheduled to be considered June 13 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which will make the final decisions.
