Martin Feinberg, Realtor, was pleased to learn that Culver City has become one of 46 other cities in Los Angeles County to be part of a grant program to help deal with rising homelessness in their communities. L.A. County and United Way Greater Los Angeles Home for Good Funders Collaborative created the program.
The program, which began in July of this year, asked cities to submit applications explaining how they would create localized action plans in partnership with Los Angeles County and its contractors, which are funded by the voter-approved Measure H quarter-cent sales tax. The program itself is financed by an allocation of over $2 million from the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors.
United Way’s Home For Good Funders Collaborative approved proposals representing 47 cities, allowing each community to receive a planning grant between $30,000 and $70,000. The exact amount that each city will be given depends on the number of homeless families and individuals within its municipal boundaries.
According to Board of Supervisors Chairman Mark Ridley-Thomas, “The County and its cities must work in partnership if we expect to succeed in our battle against homelessness. These grants represent the kind of creative thinking that we need to tackle one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our region and of our time.”
This year’s Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count discovered a 23% increase in homelessness over previous years. This means that there are roughly 57,000 homeless people in the county.
Elise Buik, President and CEO of United Way Greater Los Angeles explained that homelessness could end if Los Angeles County increases housing. “We’re collectively fighting for all of our homeless neighbors and these cities are at the frontlines providing hope for a better future for all in L.A. County,”
According to the terms of the grant, each city will have until March 2018 to create an individual plan. United Way’s Funder Collaborative and L.A. County have promised to help each city achieve that goal if needed.
United Way’s Home For Good and the County will lead a convening on November 29 in Downtown Los Angeles where the cities will kick-off their strategic planning.
Martin Feinberg, Culver City Realtor, hopes that this new program will be a great success. The Culver City Real Estate area is a great place to live and anyone who wants the opportunity should have access to that dream.
For a full list of the cities that were awarded the grants, check here. For more information on United Way’s efforts to end homelessness, visit www.unitedwayla.org. For more on Los Angeles County’s Homeless Initiative, please visit www.homeless.lacounty.gov.