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Courtesy of L.A. County Homeless Initiative

Results For First Year Of Homeless Measure H Show ‘Widespread Progress’

One year after Measure H — which created a quarter-percent sales tax increase on goods sold within LA County to finance homeless support services — came into effect, officials are reporting “widespread progress.”


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“Results of the first full year of Measure H funding are in, demonstrating widespread progress as services ramped up and thousands of individuals and families were housed permanently,” read a news release from the LA County Homeless Initiative.

According to the most recent LA County Homeless Initiative quarterly report, 13,524 people entered crisis, bridge and interim housing funded in the first full year of implementation.

Of those, 7,448 homeless families and individuals are now in permanent housing and 2,179 individuals were provided interim housing after they had been discharged from either hospitals or jails.

“These first-year results show that the initial impact of enhanced supportive services and expanded outreach efforts, along with new interim and permanent supportive housing, will allow us to assist individuals in ending their cycle of homelessness,” said LA County Board Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Santa Clarita as part of the fifth district.

The report goes on to say that after Measure H came into effect in June 2017, there was progress in other key areas, including:

  • 2,842 clients were linked to new intensive case management services for permanent supportive housing; 1,317 clients received federal rental subsidies; and 1,229 clients received local rental subsidies.
  • More than 300 Measure H-funded outreach workers, including those assigned to 36 multidisciplinary outreach teams, are now working across the county to address the immediate needs of homeless residents and link them to programs and services.
  • Countywide Benefits Entitlement Services Teams helped 6,824 disabled individuals with applications for supplemental security income or veterans disability benefits.
  • Between December 2017 and May 2018, 972 new jobs in the homeless services delivery system have been filled across the region—an important achievement to build capacity among providers.

Related: Measure H Funds For Homeless Services To Be Allocated

One such local program that benefits from Measure H funding is Santa Clarita’s Bridge to Home, a homeless service that serves about 150 different homeless clients per month.

“Bridge to Home has benefitted from it, but we can’t say that we’ve seen any of the outcomes of it just yet,” said Chris Najarro, director of programs for Bridge to Home.

Najarro explained that the funds received from Measure H are “just now rolling out.” This includes an increase in case managers at Bridge to Home, as well as progress on the organization’s new shelter program, according to Najarro.

The new program would enable Bridge to Home to expand their family division, Najarro said, and officials hope to have it completed by the end of 2020.

“We look forward to continuing to implement our diverse strategies to truly meet people where they are,” said Barger.

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Results For First Year Of Homeless Measure H Show ‘Widespread Progress’

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About Caleb Lunetta

Caleb has been a Santa Clarita resident for most of his life. After attending Hart High School, Caleb went on to study political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara along with College of the Canyons.