The 2022-23 budget allocates over $1 billion, nearly a tenth of the total budget, to addressing the ongoing crisis of homelessness. This includes substantially increased funding for housing and services, and for sanitation and protecting public health.
(Aerial view of Alexandria Tiny Homes community, where up to 200 people experiencing homelessness can find safe, sanitary shelter and the services they need to rebuild their lives.)
This month, the results of the 2022 Countywide homeless count will be announced. This will be the first count conducted since before the pandemic began of persons experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. The last count (in 2020) found approximately 800 persons sleeping on the pavements of Council District 2. In a period of 13 months, Councilmember Krekorian provided enough shelter capacity to accommodate that number and more in five shelters, including the first Tiny Home cabin community in the city.
We have also concentrated on building Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for those whose personal challenges have led to chronic homelessness. In addition to the three PSH sites already open in Council District 2, we currently have three more under construction with the first, Sun Commons, set to open this summer.
Since we opened our first project in July 2020, more than 1,100 individuals have received shelter in our interim housing sites. For many, this was the opportunity they needed to rebuild their lives, and many have already transitioned from shelter to permanent housing. Also, more than 2,500 individuals have received help with housing, employment or other needs through our Homeless Services Navigation Center in North Hollywood. Our Council District 2 staff are visiting the districts homeless encampments five days a week, and scarcely a day goes by that they do not connect someone with safer shelter.