Homelessness in Los Angeles
By Timothy Beck Werth, Posted March 5, 2009

Tags: homelessness - beyond shelter - homeless - low income housing - economic crisis - foreclosure

The foreclosure crisis coupled with an economic meltdown has put more strain on a neighborhood still struggling to reinvent itself.  The US Department of Housing and Urban Development gave the greater Los Angeles area $73 million in grants, but it won’t be enough to solve the crisis.  Homeless service organizations are reporting an increase in homeless families, and are struggling to make do with limited resources. 



The last homeless census was done in 2007, and found that on any given night 73,000 people were homeless.  That was the year the foreclosure crisis started to affect South L.A.  Low rent apartment buildings bought by speculators with bad loans began going into foreclosure, affecting dozens of families.  Without enough permanent, low-income housing available, more and more families and individuals are being pushed into homelessness.  Even families that were homeless, but found housing, are now back on the streets. 

 

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Additional information:

Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority: http://www.lahsa.org/
Beyond Shelter: http://www.beyondshelter.org/home.html
Unsheltered, a special report on homelessness in South L.A. http://www.ssgmain.org/unsheltered_report.pdf


Programs in South L.A. receiving funding from the new HUD grants:

39 West Apartments
Funding: $175,000.00
Run by: A Community of Friends

Figueroa Apartments
Funding: $210,433.00
Run by: A Community of Friends

Immanuel House of Hope
Funding: $76,192.00
Run by: Beacon Housing Foundation

Palms Transitional Housing
2008-09 Funding: $68,320.00
Run by: The Palms Residential Care Facility

Palms Transitional Housing/Supportive Services
2008-09 Funding: $61,041.00
Run by: The Palms Residential Care Facility

Pearl Center, The
Funding: $246,780.00
Run by: His Sheltering Arms

Ready, Willing and Able Program (a)
2008-09 Funding: $93,310.00
Run by: Project New Hope

Saraii Village
2008-09 Funding: $90,395.00
Run by: The Shields for Families

South Central Access Center
2008-09 Funding: $259,701.00
Run by: Watts Labor Community Action Committee

South Central Collaborative
2008-09 Funding: $282,429.00
Run by: Beyond Shelter

South Central Drop-In Center
2008-09 Funding: $387,743.00
Run by: Special Services for Groups

South Central Family Transition Program
2008-09 Funding: $141,911.00
Run by: Beyond Shelter

TCLC Training Center & Child Care Programs
2008-09 Funding: $157,436.00
Run by: Testimonial Community Love Center

Women and Children First
2008-09 Funding: $136,216.00
Run by: California Council for Veterans Affairs