The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted our day-to-day lives, loved ones and communities, and one of the most visible signs of this devastation is the worsening homelessness crisis we see in neighborhoods across Los Angeles. Given that homelessness rates were increasing prior to the pandemic, the crisis we see playing out in our shared spaces underscores why Los Angeles needs to have clear authority and collaborative governance to implement solutions, especially as new and one-time resources are being allocated from the federal and state government.

LA's current homelessness governance structure is disjointed and requires reexamination.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) was created as part of a legal settlement between the County and City in 1993. Today, it acts as a clearing house for federal, state and county funds and coordinates resources for people experiencing homelessness. The problem is that the current homelessness governance structure is fragmented across the City and County, and LAHSA does not have the structure or authority needed to coordinate and leverage resources that create long-term solutions. This makes it difficult to hold entities accountable, making modernizing the governance of homeless service delivery a top priority for CCA.

One clear example of this issue is the poor coordination of mental health services that are available to people experiencing homelessness, despite data showing that many individuals could benefit from these supports. Though the County is responsible for providing mental health services, LAHSA lacks the direct authority to connect individuals with these services. Instead, LAHSA refers people that could qualify for services to the County Department of Mental Health and is not informed of the outcomes of those referrals. This highlights one of the existing gaps in service that has caused the County and City of LA to reexamine the role of LAHSA.

Exploring LAHSA modernization & Right to Housing are promising first steps.
CCA supports the work to modernize LAHSA and create a Right to Housing framework. It's important to note that LAHSA reform and Right to Housing are separate initiatives -- but they could work together to deliver better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. LAHSA's governance reform would increase accountability for making progress on homelessness, while Right to Housing would help provide the action-oriented framework to help execute it.

As currently proposed, Right to Housing is a comprehensive homeless strategy with the underlying belief that all people deserve a home. Similar initiatives are gaining traction in cities like Sacramento. It proposes a four-pronged framework to organize the City's response to homelessness, including:

1. Prevention: Prevent households from becoming homeless. There are about 215,000 renter households in the City at risk of eviction due to high rent burden.
2. Immediate Shelter & Interim Housing: Provide interim housing, including recuperative care, mental health and substance use treatment beds for about 28,852 unsheltered people.
3. Permanent Affordable & Supportive Housing: Produce 185,000 new affordable units -- including supportive housing and board and care homes -- over eight years.
4. Street Engagement: Connect with 28,852 unsheltered individuals in the City, some living in 170 priority encampments.

We are pleased that the current Right to Housing proposal highlights the need for recuperative care beds and board and care facilities for those that need additional, robust care and services, as well as interim housing and permanent supportive housing.

The City and County will need to collaborate on a unified homelessness response.
The LA City Council is considering a motion to establish an intergovernmental panel made of City and County elected officials to provide recommendations on operational changes, governing framework and clearly defined roles. We wrote a letter with specific recommendations that mirrors many parts of this motion, including:

• Clarifying roles between LAHSA and City and County departments.
• Updating the joint powers agreement.
• Calling for the study of the city establishing an independent Continuum of Care and public health department.

While both LAHSA governance modernization and Right to Housing efforts are steps in the right direction, they require intense involvement, dedication and a sense of urgency in order to be successful. CCA continues to engage on these efforts, and we are supportive of solutions to reduce cost and time associated with new housing development including Senate Bill 679, which would create the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency with a dedicated funding source for affordable housing in the County that is additive and different than the current model lending itself to innovation. We look forward to seeing progress, and CCA will continue pushing for initiatives and legislation to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.