Accomplishments
2003 Accomplishments
LACEH&H had 5 strategic goals for 2003:
- To organize and advocate to end homelessness in the next decade in LA County
- To organize and advocate for justice in local, state, and national “safety net” policies
- To educate the community to increase access and remove barriers to “safety net” programs for homeless and low-income people
- To organize to protect the civil rights of homeless people
- To strengthen the coalition’s capacity to achieve its mission
Goal 1: To organize and advocate to end homelessness in the next decade in Los Angeles County
The following are highlights of the work of LACEH&H in partnership with LAHSA on Bring LA HOME!
- Press conference in June, 2003 to announce the blue ribbon committee of Bring LA Home- The convening committee includes Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn, LA County Supervisors Yvonne Brathwaite Burke and Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom, Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill and L.A. City Councilmembers Jan Perry, Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti- this convening committee convened 60 other community stake holders
- November, 2003: First blue ribbon committee meeting. Economic Roundtable releases new study: Homeless in LA: Information for the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness
- Interfaith Council to End Homelessness meeting in late 2003- more than 400 congregations involved with LACEH&H Interfaith Council
- 4 community meetings held- a total of 22 [including the six] planned over the course of process ending with recommendations finalized in June, 2004
- LACEH&H organize 4 pre-strategy meetings with local homeless coalitions held prior to community meetings. Purpose is to review process and help focus on concrete recommendations
- Sept-December: reviewing all local/state plans to end homelessness in nation and creating a “matrix” of their recommendations. Matrix is complete- now consolidating into major categories of recommendations
- 2nd blue ribbon committee being planned for February 5, 2004
Goal 2: Organize and advocate for justice in local, state and national safety net program.
Objective 1: Build a strong advocacy network to protect the CalWORKs Program.
Welfare Reform Advocacy Project:
- National: Shirts Off Our Backs Rally in Washington,D.C.- took 25 Message shirts from LA- meet with Senator Boxer
- State:
- Action at Senator Brulte’s office
- Meetings with 8 state legislators on welfare issues
- Collected 92 resolutions cuts from organizations and individuals opposing the budget cuts.
- Sacramento Lobby Day with NCJIS
- Assisted California Council of Churches with organizing manual on TANF
- Found plaintiff for Guillen vs. Schwarzenegger – (COLA lawsuit)
Objective 2: Increase Access to CalWORKs programs
Welfare Reform Advocacy Project:
- Time Limits:
- Won $11 million in program funds as a key player in a 4 month winning campaign to ensure that the County continued funding for programs for CAlWORKS participants who are reaching time limits.
- Press conference and testimony to Board of Supervisors on need to continue funds for services for time-off adults attended by 70 people, including Beyond Shelter, L.A. Family Housing, Alexandria House and Homeless Health Care.
- Hosted and helped to Organize “Prisoners of Hope” Press Conference, attended by about 85 people, and covered in 3 newspapers
- Homeless Prevention:
- We met with key DPSS and LAHSA staff to improve access to the Homeless Prevention Programs. We convinced them to drop the home visit requirement, and to shorten the turn-around time in getting benefits out to families who need them to 24-48 hours.
- We met with key DPSS and LAHSA staff to improve access to the Homeless Prevention Programs. We convinced them to drop the home visit requirement, and to shorten the turn-around time in getting benefits out to families who need them to 24-48 hours.
- Homeless Assistance:
- Completed 2nd and 3rd phone survey of access to homeless assistance, calling both helpline and homeless liaison numbers at welfare offices.
- Met with ACLU to determine what other action we can take to get DPSS to provide better help to homeless families.
- Safety Net Issues:
- Key organizers and participants in the “Saving the Safety Net conference” attended by over 400 people
Objective 3: Develop leaders among CalWORKs participants who can speak for themselves about issues affecting them.
Welfare Reform Advocacy Project:
- Organized 2nd annual Walk-A-Mile event: paired 14 participants with elected officials and/or representatives;
- Organized and hosted closing dinner, attended by about 50 people.
- Wrote, produced and distributed quarterly newsletter, VOICES, for welfare recipients- distributed to over 6,000 people annually
Objective 4: Organize and advocate for justice for people who utilize the federal and state Food Stamp programs.
Hunger Action Project:
- State
- Brought over 100 from LA to Sacramento for Hunger Action Day
- Along with CA Hunger Action Coalition [CHAC] passed AB 231, legislation signed in Oct. and kept Senior Brown Bag program from being cut
- Local
- Got LA Board of Supervisors to pass a motion calling for DPSS to implement a pilot program for a restaurant to accept food stamps from homeless, disabled or elderly
- Successfully campaigned to get School Board to pass anti-irradiation measure (no irradiated meat to be used in LAUSD school meals)
- As part of EBT advisory committee played a key role in proposing "kiddy card" for EBT which DPSS has approved,
- took the lead role in expanding LA Food Justice Network to 25 organizational members
Objective 5: Build the Hollywood Community Action Network as an organization driven by its low income and/or homeless constituents to end homelessness in Hollywood
- Expanded regular membership from 8 to 16 (approximately)
Goal 3: Educate the community to increase access and remove barriers to “safety net” programs for homeless and low-income people.
Objective 1: Increase community awareness and access to safety net programs.
Welfare Reform Advocacy Project:
- Community Trainings:
- Homeless Assistance Program: 18 trainings to 211 people
- Time limits: 28 trainings to 314 people
- Know Your Welfare Rights: 2 training to 23 people
Total: 48 trainings to 548 people
Objective 2: Increase access to SSI
Hollywood Community Action Network:
- Launched the SSI/Homeless Advocacy Project
Objective 3: Hollywood Food Needs Assessment
Hollywood Community Action Network:
- Successfully completed Hollywood Food Needs Assessment, the first ever food security assessment done by a homeless membership organization, Jan.-Sept: This included surveying 225 families, homeless and seniors; Four focus groups on food issues; One survey of all retail food outlets in Hollywood (about 85); Three community meetings (one each for homeless, families and seniors)
Objective 4: Communication
- People’s Guide: over 350,000 People’s Guides in multiple languages distributed in LA County
- VOICES: 6 newsletters written, produced and distributed to over 6,000 welfare recipients and other low income families
- Food Justice on-line updates: 52 weekly food justice updates
- Website: www.lacehh.org averages 9,000 “hits” a day
Goal 4: Organize to protect the civil rights of homeless people.
Objective 1: CRA Lawsuit and Share the Wealth Partnership
- Lead plaintiff in successful lawsuit against City of LA and LA Community Redevelopment Agency- redevelopment plan for central city east was nullified
- Share the Wealth collaborative has over 250 organizational and 1,000 individual endorsements
- LACEH&H and Share the Wealth collaborative [LACAN, DWAC; SAJE; LAFLA and UCLA School of Public Interest Law] receives multiyear funding from Racial Justice Collaborative to continue Share the Wealth work
Objective 2: Anti- Homeless Ordinances
- Hosted well attended community forum with newly appointed LA Police Chief Bratton to discuss his views on homelessness
- Meet with Bill Boyarsky, Los Angeles Times- on police sweeps of Skid Row and lack of liberal community reaction- ran as op ed
- Organized with LACAN, HCAN and DWAC strategy meetings with LA City Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa to modify/amend recently passed anti-urination ordinance
- Participated in lawsuit against City of Santa Monica- anti-urination, anti-sleeping ordinance
- Participated in successful injunction against LA City/LAPD in stopping polic sweeps in downtown LA
Goal 5: Strengthen the coalition’s capacity to achieve its mission
Development:
- Raised over $520,000 total revenues
- Held first annual gala dinner: over 300 in attendance and grossed over $140,000
- Hired part time Development Associate to oversee development database
- Expanded Advisory Board to plan 2004 gala