How should L.A. County homelessness funds be spent? Here's how to tell officials what you think - Los Angeles Times
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How should L.A. County homelessness funds be spent? Here’s how to tell officials what you think

A homeless encampment on 39th Street under the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
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Los Angeles County officials are seeking public comment on the preliminary spending proposal for the estimated $355 million to come annually from the Measure H sales tax increase approved by voters in March to reduce homelessness.

A summary of the plan was posted on the county’s Homeless Initiative webpage late Wednesday along with a comment form.

Phil Ansell, director of the Homeless Initiative, said comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. Monday.

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The proposal is being reviewed by a panel of 50 representatives of homeless services groups, local governments and county agencies responsible for spending Measure H funds. The panel’s recommendations are scheduled to be considered by the Board of Supervisors June 13.

View a spreadsheet summarizing the three-year spending proposals »

The spending plan, covering the first three years of the 10-year duration of the quarter-cent sales tax, lists dollar amounts requested for 21 strategies approved by the board to receive Measure H funds. It is a revision of requests from county agencies that initially totaled more than $613 million by the third year, nearly twice the available funds.

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At their April 13 meeting, members of the oversight panel directed the lead agencies to bring their requests into line with the anticipated revenue.

The current requests total about $250 million in the first year, $335 million in the second and $371 million in the third. The largest single item is $216 million for rapid rehousing subsidies followed by $168 million over three years to expand and improve the shelter system.

The plan also calls for $124 million over three years to provide case management, services and rental subsidies for permanent supportive housing, $93 million to strengthen the coordinated entry system that is used to determine priority for housing, $73 million to expand outreach teams across the county and about $43 million each to advocacy for employment of the homeless and services for youth transitioning out of the foster care system.

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About $103 million in anticipated revenue in excess of the budget in the first two years would be used for shelters, temporary housing for people leaving institutions and a $10-million fund to sponsor innovative housing models.

The panel is scheduled to meet two more times, on May 4 and May 10, to review the revised proposal and make its recommendations.

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Twitter: @LATDoug


UPDATES:

4:12 p.m.: This article was updated with a link to a spreadsheet of the spending proposals.

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