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ON THE STREETS - On Saturday morning, April 12, a fire broke out at a homeless encampment at the 1900 block South Maryland Street, between Westlake Avenue and Alvarado Street in the Mc Arthur Park neighborhood of Central Los Angeles. The fire destroyed a part of the encampment and the two cars parked adjacent to the sidewalk. When the photo in the top-right corner was taken, the debris had already been removed and the Fire Department was still hosing a section of Maryland street in front of a remaining encampment.
Budget Advocates interviewed, Luz Santiago, Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), the topic was on accountability concerning housing the homeless.
Ms. Santiago explained that the department’s budget request for fiscal year 2025-26, included “twenty-two (22) positions to work with homeless Services to increase the accountability of the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA). Also, LAHD Managers would provide oversight and audit records and files of the service providers to the homeless. Also, all positions would be 100 percent funded by the General Fund since LAHD does not receive funding to provide homeless services, said Ms. Santiago.
In addition, Budget Advocates were pleased to hear from Ms. Santiago regarding the departments’ accomplishments for this fiscal year; such as, exceeding its housing production goals by financing three times the targeted number of units, including 1,407 supportive units, which are critical for bringing people inside and ultimately home, Santiago said.
“LADH, certified 1,322 accessible housing units, and made nearly $200 million in payments to ensure that homeless providers are able to deliver critical homeless services.”
ULA Revenue
Further, LAHD launched the initial six programs of United to House Los Angeles (ULA), allocating $150 million to protect tenants and keep people housed. The department, also worked with ULA Citizen Oversight Committee to provide income support for rent-burdened at-risk seniors and persons with disabilities, said Ms. Santiago.
In Fiscal Year 2023-24, the city generated $300.0 million from ULA revenue, and for Fiscal Year 2024-25, as of January 2025, LA City generated a ULA revenue of $254.8 million. ULA revenue is intended to be used to fund affordable housing and tenant assistance programs, including development, construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, and operation. The Controller’s Office, ULA Revenue projection for 2025-26 is $406.0 million, according to the Revenue Forecast Report for fiscal years 2025-26 by City Controller Kenneth Mejia.
LAHSA, a joint Powers authority of the City and County of Los Angeles, was created in 1993 to address the problem of homelessness in the County of Los Angeles.
U.S. Department of Housing and urban Development (HUD)
According to lahsa.org/news article of February 13, 2025, LAHSA is the lead agency- ---in the HUD funded Los Angeles Continuum of Care ----and coordinates and manages federal, state, county, and city funds for programs providing shelter, housing, and services to people experiencing homelessness.
For Fiscal Year 2024, HUD has awarded more than $200 million for renewal and new projects to the Los Angeles Continuum of Care). This amount represents an increase of $31 million over HUD’s allocation to the same agency in FY 2023.
Included in the $220 million, LAHSA will receive $3.25 million in new funding for three new programs to serve domestic violence survivors. This will provide an estimated 92 beds in 32 time-limited subsidy slots for domestic violence survivors. LAHSA partnered with the Women & Children’s Crisis Shelter and the Los Angeles House of Ruth on the joint applications, per the article above.
Will United to House Los Angeles (ULA) and HUD’s Los Angeles Continuum of Care assist in reducing the homeless encampment?WWWW
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(Connie Acosta is a writer and a board member of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council System and writes as an individual.)
