The Billion Dollar Mayor: “If We Don’t, Then Who Will?”

Yesterday was a big day for housing and homeless advocates in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa proposed a one billion dollar housing bond to fund low-income affordable housing for the poor and homeless. Although this would still have to be approved by two-thirds of the voters, it is an ambitious, visionary step toward solving housing problems.

Last September 30th, I blogged about the “Billion Dollar Solution,” a study by the Economic Roundtable that suggested Los Angeles needs one billion dollars per year for the next ten years to solve its homeless problem.

This new housing bond proposal is NOT specifically a response to this study. Because much of these housing bond funds would provide housing for low-income working families. Not housing specifically for people living on the streets.

So as this bond meanders through the political halls of city hall, and then out to the voters, it will be imperative to insure that housing for people who are homeless get their fair share of the pot.

Thankfully, money has begun to flow to address the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles County—the county pledged $24 million, the city added $50 million, this billion dollar housing bond, and the Mental Health Act funds (literally millions to L.A.).

The next step is not just money, but LEADERSHIP. Government can spend money very quickly. Do we have the leadership to spend the money strategically, so that we are not only helping to change people’s lives, but also changing a system of care that doesn’t seem to work?

Here are two articles about the Housing Bond:

Los Angeles Times

Daily Bruin