CITIES AND COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENTS  

Homelessness is a regional crisis, and the Los Angeles County has always considered it a top priority to strengthen its collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including the 88 cities that fall within its boundaries, as well as Councils of Governments (COGs), which are Joint Powers Authorities that provide cooperative planning, coordination, and technical assistance on issues of mutual concern that cross jurisdictional lines.

Under the State of Emergency, LA County is expanding coinvestment opportunities with Cities and COGs to create more housing solutions, reduce the number of encampments, and advance innovative solutions.

STATE OF EMERGENCY

Following the declaration of a state of emergency on homelessness, Los Angeles County announced a strategic focus on three missions, the first of which — Encampment Resolution — seeks to reduce unsheltered homelessness in partnership with local jurisdictions.

The County will collaborate with cities and COGs to develop plans for encampment resolution.  These plans will include:

  1. outreach to those residing in the encampment
  2. identifying and offering interim housing for those living in the encampment
  3. matching clients to permanent housing resources and providing housing navigation services to move them into permanent housing
  4. providing supportive services in both interim and permanent housing.

The County must be willing to proactively support our local jurisdictions and governing entities to resolve encampments, by providing funding and resources, and local jurisdictions must be willing to identify and site housing in their respective jurisdictions.

CO-INVESTING IN SOLUTIONS

Local Solutions Fund

The Local Solutions Fund was created in response to recommendations by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Homelessness and Los Angeles County’s New Framework to End Homelessness. These funds support the most impactful evidence-based regional and local co-investment solutions that will result in effective pathways to housing and services.

The source of the funds is Measure H.

The Board of Supervisors approved $40.5 million in Local Solutions Funds in FY 2023-24, of which $15 million was directly allocated to cities and COGs for programming local homeless services and housing programs that complement systemwide programs, and the remaining $25 million was for operationalizing local encampment resolutions within cities. The Local Solutions Fund is projected to grow to about $132 million through the end of FY 2026-2027.

Cities and COGs Interim Housing Fund (CCOGIHS)

Funded through California Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grants, CCOGIHS provides supportive services at interim housing projects where people experiencing homelessness have a pathway to permanent housing. Cities and COGs can click here to apply.

The Board of Supervisors initially invested $10 million and later added another $5 million. To date, seven cities have been awarded CCOGIHS grants for a total of nearly 190 beds/units.

Los Angeles County also provides funding to Councils of Governments (COGs) to facilitate regional coordination and innovation. COGs are Joint Powers Authorities that seek to provide cooperative planning, coordination, and technical assistance on issues of mutual concern that cross jurisdictional lines.

Homekey

The County is prioritizing co-applying with cities, COGs, and tribal entities for the third round of Homekey grants. The Board of Supervisors has allocated American Rescue Plan funds help its coapplicants cover the local match needed to draw down state funding. Cities and COGs can click here to apply.

The state Department of Housing and Community Development awards Homekey grants to local jurisdictions and housing authorities to acquire and repurpose hotels, motels, multi-family apartments, and more, into permanent or interim housing.

City Planning Grants

Soon after voter approval of Measure H, the County began awarding planning grants to facilitate the development of city-specific plans to address and prevent homelessness.  Click here to see the Cities Homeless Plans.

The County is also funding cities and COGs’ implementation of local and regional homelessness plans that include, but are not limited to, homelessness prevention, street-based outreach, case management, employment services, legal services, housing navigation, interim and permanent housing, and the establishment of a Regional Housing Trust and legislative advocacy.

Esperanza Villa, a recipient of the County’s CCOGIHS funds, is a partnership with the City of Baldwin Park and the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust.

CCOGIHS funds were also awarded to the New Hope Shelter in the City of Bellflower.

The County is working with Culver City to convert a Homekey interim housing site into permanent supportive housing.

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