Preventing homelessness and reducing poverty and inequality in LA
The Mayor’s Fund is helping prevent Angelenos from becoming homeless
As an independent 501(c)(3) overseen by an independent board of directors the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles brings together business, philanthropy, the nonprofit sector, and local government to help keep Angelenos housed and connect people to all available resources.
The Mayor’s Fund created the We Are LA to help prevent Angelenos from falling into homelessness through outreach, case management and expanded legal services. We are focused on supporting our most vulnerable residents, like young people transitioning out of foster care and the juvenile justice system.
Mayor Bass declares homelessness a City emergency on day one
Mayor Bass identified homelessness as the most pressing issue facing Los Angeles. She has brought all levels of government together to reduce and eventually end this crisis that affects all Angelenos.
She believes the City cannot tackle this crisis alone: the county, state, and federal governments must be aligned and – critically – the private and philanthropic sectors must also play a role.
Mayor Bass has launched Inside Safe and other key initiatives that are moving thousands of unhoused Angelenos into temporary and permanent housing. Her administration has also focused on expanding crucial services such as mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Preventing people from falling into homelessness is essential
We cannot reduce and end homelessness if we don’t prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.
More than 30,000 Los Angeles households will face eviction this year, and former foster youth and others will face homelessness without help. Government can’t solve this problem alone – organized private and philanthropic involvement are required to keep Angelenos in their homes.
To help address the emergency need to keep Angelenos housed and stem the tide of homelessness, the Mayor’s Fund has reached out to more than 370,000 vulnerable Angelenos to directly connect them to the full range of health care, food, childcare, financial supports, and emergency legal services that are available to them.
The enormity of this crisis means our effort will not reach all who are in need – but we will reach hundreds of thousands who would likely not have been helped, and we will keep thousands from becoming homeless.
Through strong partnerships, the Mayor’s Fund is working to ensure that Angelenos at greatest risk of becoming homeless have access to every source of assistance possible. We are working with community organizations and health centers, veterans’ and child welfare organizations, legal service providers, and government programs.
About the Mayor’s Fund’s We Are LA program
Outreach
Using information about where eviction notices have been sent and legal filings have been served, We Are LA reaches people who may be in need through door-to-door outreach, phone calls, and community events. It also operates a hotline number and organizes Tenant Resource Clinics.
Connecting People to Resources
We Are LA case workers provide one-on-one assistance with accessing government and charitable services so that individuals are not left to navigate complex bureaucracies on their own. They make sure individuals are aware of all the programs they may be eligible for and help them apply. Examples include CalWorks, CalFresh, and earned benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Legal Support
The Mayor’s Fund has recruited 350 private pro bono attorneys to help provide information and as much legal assistance as possible to people facing eviction.
Not only is prevention crucial to saving lives, but is also a fiscal responsibility
Every person prevented from becoming homeless saves taxpayers an average of $62,000 per year. Homeless individuals facing mental, physical, or behavioral health issues cost taxpayers nearly $110,000 per year.
Research also shows that if a person does not become homeless, hospital emergency department visits and costs are reduced by 59%, and inpatient hospitalizations are reduced by 76%.
