Accomplishments
2006 Accomplishments
Learn about our past accomplishments in: 2003 | 2004 | 2005
Goal 1: Organize and advocate to end homelessness in the next decade in Los Angeles County and the State of California
Accomplishments:
Bring LA Home: 10 Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness:
- Bring LA Home: 10 Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was released in April, 2006. LACEH&H served in a partnership with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to staff the strategic planning process
- LACEH&H enlisted the support of the Children’s Planning Council organizers in three key service planning areas [South LA, San Gabriel Valley and the San Fernando Valley] to collaborate and support organizing efforts around implementation of Bring L.A. Home
Skid Row Implementation Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness:
- Developed a comprehensive critique of the Skid Row plan and distributed to all relevant policy makers, leading to its revision
LA Scorecard Taskforce:
- In partnership with United Way and WAMU, LACEH&H assembled more than 25 diverse stakeholders to create a taskforce, to be convened in early 2007, to create a progress report, or scorecard, on regional efforts to prevent and end homelessness
LA County Homeless Prevention Initiative:
- In October, 2006, LACEH&H staff and community stakeholders testified at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to successfully ensure that the $100 million Homeless Prevention Initiative was spent under the original spirit of the initiatives, particularly the $20 million which was focused on discharge planning
State of California:
- Served on Governor’s Stakeholders Taskforce to create a 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in California [as of end of 2006 had not been released]
- Serve on Housing California’s Homeless Policy Working Group
Goal 2: Organize and advocate for justice in discharge planning policies and procedures
Accomplishments:
Community Discharge Planning Task Force:
- Convened a monthly countywide community discharge planning taskforce of more than 30 stakeholders, including representatives from the Chief Administrative Office [CAO], Community Development Commission [CDC, Dept. of Health Services [DHS], Dept. of Mental Health [DMH], Los Angeles Sheriffs Dept. [LASD], Dept of Public Social Services [DPSS] and the Dept. of Children and Family Services [DCFS], service providers, and advocates
- Partnered with the county to design and implement three key discharge planning and policy initiatives. They are as follows; client flow, stabilization centers, and a “universal” discharge form
- Convened workgroups to draft and complete discharge forms for hospitals, jails, and foster care
Research and produce “Discharge Planning Best Practices Manual”:
- In process of creating a comprehensive annotated bibliography of 65 books and journal articles. It includes general information on policy development around homelessness as well as information specific to discharge planning
- LACEH&H has been successful in communicating with government agencies in New York and Chicago regarding discharge models and policies for hospitals and jails. In New York, staff was able to speak with the Women’s Prisons Association and the Department of Homeless Services. In Chicago, staff was able to reach the Chicago Housing for Health Partnership and learn of the real benefits of keeping mentally ill individuals housed
Community Organizing:
East San Gabriel Valley-
- Developed relationships wit the ESGV Coalition for the homeless, a faith based volunteer groups turned 501(c)3 that runs the winter shelter program in the region
- LACEH&H was successful in assisting the ESGV Homeless Consortium organizing a stakeholders meeting surrounding the Homeless & Housing Program Fund in June, 2006 with the CAO, CDC, DMH, DPSS, and DCFS
San Fernando Valley-
- LACEH&H worked with 35 SFV stakeholders and partners in reconvening the SFV Homeless Coalition
- The SFV Homeless Coalition worked to create a mission, set goals, and institute an agenda
- SFV coalition, staffed by LACEH&H, convened a stakeholders meeting in August of 2006 on the Homeless & Housing Program Fund with representatives from DPSS, CDC, DCFS, DMH, and DHS
South Los Angeles-
- LACEH&H identified key stakeholders to begin to organize a coalition that would commit to confronting and solving the homeless problem in South Los Angeles. Stakeholders include community members from academia, to the mayor’s office, to local clergy & service providers
- In July, 2006, South L.A. stakeholders met with the LA Mayors office regarding the $50 million Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative and the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing regarding the $1 billion Affordable Housing Bond of Los Angeles and the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund (Prop. 1C)
- In August, 2006, stakeholders met with representatives from the CAO, DPSS, CDC, DCFS, DMH, and DHS regarding the Homeless and Housing Program Fund and gave feedback as to what were the concerns of the community
- In October, 2006, stakeholders convened another meeting with the CDC to follow up on the Homeless and Housing Program Fund request for proposal process and spending principals
Goal 3: Organize and advocate for justice in federal affordable housing programs
Accomplishments:
Federal Advocacy:
- Summarized the impact of final FY 2006 Appropriations Bill on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Section 8, Section 811 (Housing for the Disabled) and CDBG funds, and dispersed this information to members of the Save Section Coalition (SS8C) at monthly meetings and through the SS8C list serve
- Summarized analysis of the Bush Administration’s FY 2007 budget proposal for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and dispersed this information to members of the Save Section Coalition (SS8C) at monthly meetings and through the SS8C list serve [approximately 300 organizations and individuals]
- Participated in the annual National Low Income Housing Coalition’s “Lobby Day” and met with staff members for Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Rep. Maxine Waters, and Rep. Jerry Lewis to educate them on the local impacts of the inefficient funding methods for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, and proposed budget cuts to Section 811, Section 202, CDBG, public housing
- Tracked Congressional Budget Resolution process, send out NLIHC call in day action alters
- Sent letter on behalf of LACAHH/SS8C to the Greater Los Angeles Congressional Delegation advocating for more funding for key housing programs
- Discussed the impacts of decreased federal funding on the local Housing Authorities with staff of Los Angeles City Council Members, Herb Wesson, Jr. and Eric Garcetti and encouraged them to advocate for greater federal funding for local affordable housing programs
State Advocacy:
- Identified key bills from the 2005-2006 state legislative session for LACEHH to support in collaboration with key housing groups (Housing Calfiornia, SCANPH, CRLA)
- Monitored key bills for 2006 state legislative session, and supported in collaboration with key housing groups (Housing CA, SCANPH, CRLA)
- Alerted SS8C to call-in days for bills that reached the Governor’s desk for signature or veto.
- Actively supported state Proposition 1C: Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 by serving on the Outreach Committee, the Los Angeles Regional Team, and being active in materials distribution, tabling, forums and other outreach; Prop 1C passed with 57.5% of the vote statewide
- Major victories on housing legislation included the passage of: AB 1169, AB 2084, AB 2511, AB 2634, AB 2638, AB 2745, SB 257, SB 1206, SB 1802. Other key related victories include the passage of: SB 1689, AB 2831, AB 2723, AB 2466, AB 2439, and AB 1835
- Helped work to defeat Prop 90 on the CA state ballot, which would have ended rent control and had numerous adverse consequences for affordable housing in California
Local Advocacy:
- Work with other advocates to ensure a dedicated source of revenue, beyond the current $100 million LA City Housing Trust Fund, for the County of Los Angeles
- Monitored and testified before the LA County Board of Supervisors in favor of passage of the $15,443,000 in ongoing and $80 million in one-time Homeless and Housing Program funding (said funding was passed)
- Continued to be an active member of the Housing LA, citywide housing campaign advocating for the full funding of the LA City Housing Trust Fund, a $1 billion housing bond for the City of Los Angeles, and an inclusionary housing ordinance. Serve on regular meetings of the Steering Committee for Housing LA, and serve as an active member of the South LA working group subcommittee
- Actively campaigned for LA City Proposition H, the Billion Dollar Housing Bond, which would have provided full funding for the LA Housing Trust Fund for 10 years. Although Prop H did not pass because it needed 66.6% of the vote to pass, it did garner 62% of the vote, buoying local efforts to establish a permanent source for the Trust Fund.
Advocacy and Monitor LA City Housing Authority [HACLA] and the Housing Authority for the County of LA [HACoLA]
- Submitted comments to the FY 2006-2007 draft Annual Plan for Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) in conjunction with Legal Aid regarding a variety of their policies for Section 8 and public housing.
- Testified before the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors regarding our written comments submitted to the HACoLA Annual Plan – spoke on the housing authority’s Section 8 admissions policies for applicants on parole or probation and criminal records screening standards.
- Monitored complaints filed about HACoLA, and have determined that problems may be arising there, due to sudden staff losses and aggressive termination of existing Section 8 contracts. Continue to monitor the situation with the help of Public Counsel.
- Began monthly meeting with the SS8Cand HACLA managers to develop communication and methods for problem resolution with the goal of improving the housing authority’s harmful policies and poor administered practices which often lead wrongful evictions and homelessness.
- Have discussed the issue with relevant representatives from SS8C members, including disabled tenant advocates and lawyers from Public Counsel, and continue to monitor HACLA compliance with “reasonable accommodations requirements and included alert about Reasonable Accommodation in interactions about HACLA transparency with LA City Council Members’ staff, as well as in a letter to the HACLA Commission, requesting that discussion of the issue be included in the agenda at the next Commission meeting
- Worked with Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), Councilman Garcetti’s office, LA Housing Department, City Attorney’s office, and HACLA managers to amend Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) to protect Section 8 tenants from evictions resulting from the LA County Superior Court ruling on AAGLA v City of LA.
- Arranged a letter writing campaign and call in day to the LA City council to inform them of the impacts of the LA County Superior Court ruling on AAGLA v. City of LA and the need to appeal the decision or amend the RSO
- Testified at a LA City Council Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee meeting in support of an amendment to clarity that Section 8 vouchers are protected under the RSO. The amendment was approved by the City Council on May 10, 2006
- Working with the LAFLA and HACLA to educate tenants and landlords on the legal eviction process for the Section 8 Program according to federal law and the RSO in an effort to avoid illegal evictions
- Formed a working group with Public Counsel, The Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, Southern California Rehabilitation Services: Southeast Center for Independent Living, SEIU Local 660 to advocate for more transparency and better actions on the part of HACLA. Sent letters on behalf of these working groups to the Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee of LA City Council, Rudy Montiel, Executive Director of HACLA, and the HACLA Commission
Goal 4: Increase low-income people’s involvement in decision-making about government programs that affect them by registering, educating and mobilizing low-income people to vote
Accomplishments:
Homeless Voter Empowerment Project:
- Registered 1,745 homeless people to vote in the 2006 Los Angeles Mayoral election
- Conducted over 30 community educational forums to over 500 homeless people and direct service providers on issues on the state and local ballots
Goal 5: Advocate for the protection of homeless people civil rights
Accomplishments:
- Worked with State Senator Cedillo to introduce a “Hate Crimes Against Homeless People” bill based on model legislation developed by the partnership of the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
Goal 6: Educate the community to increase access and remove barriers to “safety net” programs for homeless and low-income people
Accomplishments:
Educational forums:
- Held a community forum with over 60 community stakeholders to meet with State Senator Cedillo to have a community dialogue on some of controversial “Skid Row” legislation
- Held a community forum with over 100 community members on the reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homeless legislation and the Reed bill
Publications and Fact Sheets:
- People’s Guide to Health, Welfare and Other Services in the County of Los Angeles: Distributed over 500,000 copies of the guide in Los Angeles County in 10 different languages
- Awarded a grant from Kaiser Permanente to research, write and produce People’s Guides in 5 additional counties: Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Kern counties
- Section 8 : Know Your Rights Guide: Researching and writing a Know Your Rights Guide for applicants and tenants on Section 8 for both LA City and County. Will be produced in early 2007 in English and Spanish with the expectation to distribute over 60,000 copies
- Education of Homeless Children: Developed and distributed a Fact Sheet on the education of homeless children and youth in LA City and County. Educated policy makers on the issue
- Homeless Fact Sheet: Developed and distributed an updated fact sheet on homelessness in LA County as well as by the eight Service Planning Areas [SPA’s]
Goal 7: Strengthen communication with members and policymakers
Accomplishments:
E-Alerts and E-newsletter:
- Developed a monthly E-newsletter and send out timely E-alerts to over 1,600 LACEH&H supporters and advocates
- Working to improve LACEH&H website based on membership feedback
Goal 8: Strengthen the coalition’s capacity to achieve its mission
Accomplishments:
- Raised over $550,000 in 2006 to support the mission of LACEH&H