LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today joined California Governor Gavin Newsom as he announced new support for Los Angeles, continuing sustained efforts to address the homelessness crisis. Mayor Bass has locked arms to implement a new comprehensive strategy to bring unhoused Angelenos inside, which has resulted in a decrease in homelessness in Los Angeles for the first time in years. Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funding is critical to this life-saving progress.
“The only way we can be successful in solving homelessness is by locking arms and implementing a comprehensive approach that shows results,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “The Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program is critical to our success here in Los Angeles, and has helped reduce homelessness for the first time in years. I want to thank Governor Newsom and our state elected partners for working together to bring people from off of the streets and into housing as urgently as this crisis requires.”
Today’s new grant awards are part of the state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program, which provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses. The Governor’s announcement today includes $164.3 million for the City of Los Angeles to create new housing, shelter and services as Mayor Bass continues to house Angelenos urgently. Over the last year, Mayor Bass and the California Big City Mayors advocated vocally for the need to include funding for the HHAP program. The announcement was made at the Downtown Women's Center in Downtown Los Angeles, which has previously used HHAP dollars for rapid rehousing and service provision.
This morning, Mayor Bass continued her urgent work confronting the homelessness crisis during an Inside Safe operation. The operation removed RV’s from the Pico-Union neighborhood and housed Angelenos living on the streets. For photos and b-roll of the operation, click here.
Since her first day in office when she declared an unprecedented emergency on the homelessness crisis, Mayor Karen Bass has driven change in how we address homelessness with new initiatives to bring people living in encampments inside. She has also worked to prevent people from losing their homes and to lock arms across all levels of government to move people inside, save lives and restore neighborhoods.
Key results from the 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count:
Homelessness in the City of Los Angeles is down for the first time in six years.
Unprecedented drop in street homelessness (10% decrease in the City of Los Angeles – the first double digit decrease in the last at least 9 years).
A decrease in makeshift shelters (38% decrease in the City of Los Angeles).
The number of people who moved into permanent housing is at an all time high.