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Advocacy Committee
Our next meeting is on Wednesday, Aug 17th from 1:00-2:00 pm Please email Paul Stansbury with your interest. Meetings are held virtually via Zoom. PStans5@aol.com Since 2014
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September 28, 2022
We posted our Coalition's Homeless Count city-level data sheets! Please note that it took longer to generate them because we were waited for LAHSA to respond to our data requests. At this time, some of the questions we asked are still pending. We will note any future updates to our 1-pagers on this homepage based on new information provided by LAHSA. We acknowledge LAHSA maintains the official Homeless Count numbers, so our data sheets reflect these published numbers as of 9-27-22. However, we noted discrepancies in some of the individual data sheets. June 6, 20222
We want to thank the attendees for their time in sharing their candid reflections at our Retreat held this past Friday, and to the City of Torrance for hosting the event. Groups of 5-6 were first asked to identify the Coalition's:
After each group shared their responses, the attendees were given 14 stars and asked to place them on any item in the combined lists. 
View the "Valued Tasks-Opportunities-Strengths-Challenges" responses
Contact us with additional feedback These responses are a great starting point for continued discussions to hone in on the near- and long-term direction of our coalition. We welcome you all to be a part of these conversations. Please reach out to us with additional feedback and ways in which you can be involved.
I'm appreciative that such a broad stakeholder group attended. There will be more time for personal reflection, but one of the strengths I feel we have is our wide stakeholder membership. While they do not necessarily attend our meetings on a regular basis, which only accounts for about 10% of what we do, they are valued partners that work with us behind the scenes to accomplish all that we have collectively achieved.
-Thanks, nancy. April 27, 2022
This morning at our General Meeting, I announced I'll be stepping down as SBCEH's co-chair, effective in August. Mark will be staying on for a few months to help facilitate the transition upon my departure. We want to leave SBCEH with a clear vision for its future so we invite you to participate in a retreat where we can set or affirm specific goals and the leadership needed to attain them. With our last retreat held in May 2014, we are long overdue for such a gathering. You are a vital part of who we are, so please consider participating if you are able. In order to plan the time that fits the majority of your schedules, please take a moment before Friday, May 6th to complete the survey. We will send a "Save the Date" shortly afterwards with additional information on the agenda and how to RSVP for it. Prior to the Retreat, Mark and I will prove a brief historical overview of areas where we've been involved. For our June 22nd General Meeting, we invited some SPA coalitions that operate under a 501(c)3 to provide other organizational models worth considering.
-Thanks, nancy. April 2, 2022
Last week, after hearing testimony from 148 entities and persons with lived expertise, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Homelessness (BRCH) concluded its six month effort by releasing seven overarching recommendations detailed in its Governance Report:
February 28, 2022
I'm thrilled to report that last week our Service Planning Area 8 completed 100% of our assigned census tracts for the 2022 "Street Count" component of the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count! While we've attained this achievement annually since 2015, this year's accomplishment is especially noteworthy because of the COVID-19 safety considerations that were layered upon this huge undertaking. New site protocols were imposed and fewer volunteers came out the night of than we've historically had, making it much more challenging to cover the ~3,750 road miles within our region. I cannot lavish enough praise on our amazing deployment site leads. They absolutely made it happen after investing many hours preparing for the Count including participating in a LAHSA pilot last November. Hands-down, we have the best site leads in the County! Please join me in thanking the following:
Lastly, we want to extend our gratitude to all of you who supported the Count: you're the ones that did the legwork and completed the enumeration. You were truly an integral part of our success! January 15, 2022
By now most of you have heard that the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count has been rescheduled to the end of February due to the COVID-19 Omicron surge. Service Planning Area (SPA) 8/South Bay's new Count night is Wednesday, February 23rd. It's critical we canvass the entire region just as we've successfully done annually since the 2015 Count. The results this year are especially important because it's been two years since we last conducted an unsheltered count. We also need to understand how the pandemic has affected homelessness, especially for those who are experiencing it for the first time because of economic reasons. Please consider signing up with someone in your "safety bubble." Many changes to the deployment sites setups have been made to quickly get you and your team on your way to greatly reduce the time you are there. 
November 11, 2021
Many of you have been following the LA Times comprehensive homelessness coverage. The following is an excerpt from an article published last week reporting on a recent City of Los Angeles policy shift: "The city of Los Angeles has undertaken a major shift in its approach to homelessness, one that puts a priority on clearing unsightly street encampments even when insufficient permanent housing exists for the people being moved. .... There is widespread agreement that the street encampments, which have spread from skid row to almost all parts of the city, are unsafe, unsanitary and inhumane, reflecting a profound societal failure. But there is also a concern that the change in policy elevates politics over need, creating a squeaky-wheel strategy of clearing those street encampments that have become the biggest liabilities to members of the City Council." We invite you to continue monitoring this because:
November 10, 2021
In January, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) will oversee the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. The unsheltered "Street Count" will be held across the South Bay on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 from 8:00-11:00 pm (Palos Verdes Cities will be from 6:00-9:00 pm). Because the last unsheltered count was cancelled due to the pandemic, it is even more critical that a robust census be conducted in 2022. This can only be achieved with having 550 volunteers to canvass the entire Service Planning Area (SPA) 8 region that one night. Please consider joining us at one of the cities shown below. No prior experience is required and volunteers will be fully trained. We encourage people to sign up in teams of 3, a new feature this year. LAHSA has also replaced the tally sheets with a smartphone mobile app. Please see the deployment site flyers and links on the left margin. August 9, 2021
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) recently released the file containing the 2021 Shelter Count program-specific data. It recorded how many people were staying in temporary housing the night of January 27, 2021. In Service Planning Area (SPA) 8/South Bay, that number was 1,104, up slightly from the 2020 total of 1,048 (+5.3% increase) (Note 1). However, that overall number masks the impact that COVID-19 had on SPA 8's shelter system:
We are waiting for responses to our LAHSA data inquiries before generating an information sheet with SPA 8's 2021 Shelter Count information. Please stay tuned for it! In the meantime, we want to acknowledge the tremendous effort made by all the service providers and government staff engaged across the South Bay. They continue to work tirelessly in responding quickly to the ever-shifting COVID-19 work environment. We sincerely appreciate your dedicated service! 2021 Shelter Count SPA 8 Notes:
August 2, 2021
LA County Board of Supervisors, on a 3-2 vote, approved a motion to create a Blue Ribbon Commission on Homelessness (BRCH) to assess existing structures and systems, and provide reform recommendations. Supervisors Barger, Solis, and Hahn voted in favor of this motion.
LA City Council, on a 13-2 vote, gave final approval on the new anti-camping ordinance that Mayor Garcetti signed.
July 5, 2021
Making national headlines, the LA City Council last Thursday passed a sweeping ordinance limiting where people can sit, sleep or store property in public areas. In a 13-2 vote, this ordinance prohibits the obstruction on a street, sidewalk or other public right-of-way:
We will continue to monitor this and other ordinances enacted in other cities to see how they are reshaping the nature of homelessness in LA County. Read the LA Council Ordinance Read the LA Times 7-1-21 article on passage of the ordinance June 28, 2021
At last week's General Meeting, guest speaker Janet Kelly continued our mini-series on housing racial equity. She lifted up the following efforts that came as a direct result of the recommendations made by the groundbreaking 2018 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's (LAHSA) Ad Hoc Committee on Black Persons Experiencing Homelessness:
June 21, 2021
Housing for Health, through the Los Angeles Department of Health Services, has set up mobile vaccine clinics to reach out to people experiencing homelessness (PEH). Vaccinating both sheltered and unsheltered PEH, they have a clinical team of medical professionals that administer the vaccine, and a programmatic team that organizes and facilities the vaccine clinics and subsequent outreach. They are looking for community organizations, faith organizations, healthcare providers, service/housing providers, and any other community partners who can help make their events a success.
If your organization is interested in working with these COVID-19 vaccine teams to vaccinate PEH, please contact Jordan Wynne or Matthew Tecle. May 31, 2021
The Committee for Greater LA, chaired by Miguel Santana, recently released its "We're Not Giving Up: A Plan for Homelessness Governance in Los Angeles" report. Written by Dr. Raphael Sonenshein, it examines the short-falls of the current government structures that oversee homelessness in Los Angeles County and proposes a custom-designed entity, referred to as "the center," that serving as a home base of the system to address the region's homelessness. The report's recommendations may have a significant impact on realigning the overall structure for how homeless services are administered and reviewed across the county. May 5, 2021
We were very saddened to hear of Ruth Schwartz's unexpected passing. She has been Shelter Partnership's sole executive director and a true pioneer in fighting homelessness in Los Angeles. Excerpts from her Board's announcement summarize some of the impacts she made:
Shelter Partnership is also a highly respected leader providing technical assistance, research, and advocacy on homelessness issues, with Ruth very much at the center of these activities. In 2017, she and her team worked with the Cities of Inglewood and Carson to develop their homelessness plans. Our deep condolences go out to the Shelter Partnership's staff during this difficult time. We know they will continue Ruth's mission with her signature candor, integrity and passion. February 21, 2021
You may be aware that there are three parallel and coordinated efforts well underway exploring changing the governance structure of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), one by the County, City of Los Angeles, and LAHSA. These efforts are important to follow because they will help determine the future functions and authority structure at LAHSA. On February 12th, the LAHSA Commission heard the final recommendations of its internal effort. We will be touching on them very briefly our February 24th General Meeting. February 14, 2021
There have been five Measure J subcommittees established to get public feedback on how these new funds can be utilized. Each will meet weekly for five weeks and then make its recommendations to the Alternatives To Incarceration 17-member advisory committee for how these County unrestricted general funds can be used. These initial suggestions will help provide the long-lasting foundational set of priorities for this initiative. Here's more information on how you get involved:
December 10, 2020
For the past several months, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has been planning the 2021 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, all the while with the COVID-19 pandemic intensifying. After performing a comprehensive analysis with safety considerations at the forefront, LAHSA requested and was granted a waiver from HUD to forgo the 2021 Unsheltered Point-In-Time (PIT) Count. Traditionally, LAHSA's Continuum of Care Homeless Count is comprised of four components:
The 2021 PIT Count would typically have affected future funding allocations to specific populations and Service Planning Areas (SPA). LAHSA is working with the LA County Homeless Initiative Office to maintain current Measure H funding levels based on the 2020 PIT Count results. Federal funding through HUD will continue to fund renewal grants, pending upcoming Congressional action. Additional information on this will be send out after the New Year. In the meantime, we welcome your questions about our upcoming meeting or the Homeless Count. Lastly, we want to acknowledge the deep partnerships that have been developed with you through the Homeless Counts. We truly appreciate your continued dedication to exploring all the options during this very challenging time, and look forward to working with you on the 2022 Count. November 17, 2020
As part of the COVID-19 Relief efforts, municipalities across the South Bay have offered rental assistance funds including City of Los Angeles and Carson. Hawthorne announced its program last week, and Gardena and Inglewood are still accepting applications for its residents. HAWTHORNE
Gardena
Inglewood
November 15,2020
The portion of the City of Los Angeles within Service Planning Area (SPA) 8 is covered by Council District 15. Representing that area is Councilman Joe Buscaino, who has been very proactive in addressing homelessness across CD 15 (which extends into SPA 6's Watts neighborhood). View Councilman Buscaino's "Housing Solutions Action Plan" (dated Nov 2020) October 19, 2021
SPA 8 Regional Health Office's Announcement on LA County COVID-19 Community Equity Fund A new funding opportunity is available for community-based organizations (CBOs)! The LA County Department of Health Services and Department of Public Health in partnership with Community Partners is launching the County COVID-19 Community Equity Fund to serve neighborhoods disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic. Selected CBOs will receive:
Those interested can learn more during the following information sessions: SPA 8 Priority Regions (for funding) include:
September 27, 2020
Coordinated Entry System (CES) FY2019-2020 Housing Placement Goals & Outcomes CES provides the vast majority of housing and homeless prevention funding in our region. At last week's General Meeting, CES Director Shari Weaver reported on the Service Planning Area (SPA) 8/South Bay's CES housing placements achieved during FY2019-20 that ended on June 30th. Family System (with a minor aged child(ren))
August 17, 2020
SBCEH Updated "Pocket Guides" Two of our "pocket" resource guides have been updated and are available on our website. Special thanks to Jesse Ramirez with St. Margaret's Center for providing many new listings in the Northern/LAX version.
August 10, 2020
Member Announcements
June 24, 2020
2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count: SPA 8/South Bay Results This morning SBCEH shared and discussed the results of the 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count for SPA 8/South Bay at its general meeting. The presentation included context on the Count's usage, 5-year trend information, methodological change notes, and an overview of the next wave of Count data to be released by LAHSA. Here is a link to our 2020 Homeless Count presentation: 
June 14, 2020
Housing Equity and Justice To continue building the momentum for racial equality in homelessness solutions, we encourage you to get involved with local initiatives, including:
June 12, 2020
This morning the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) released the first set of Homeless Count 2020 results: Major changes to sub-populations include:
This information is posted on LAHSA's website, including a briefing with the Count highlights. The release of detailed data summary sheets will follow. June 7, 2020
(Graphic Source: NPR's Code Switch, https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/865261916/a-decade-of-watching-black-people-die)
Horror. Outrage. Injustice. Sadness. Grief. We all feel these and other emotions after yet another senseless killing of a Black individual. Racial and institutionalized inequities in our society are now more than ever being appropriately magnified across the systems of justice, education, health care, employment, and housing. Now is the historic moment to make lasting, systemic changes to ensure future generations of all people can truly live America's promise of equality for all. There are many opportunities for your direct and sustained involvement to help forge this change. We can assist in helping you seek organizations that are closely aligned with your passions. Our collective voices are powerful and have a true impact on our systems of government, and we will continue to suggest ways in which you can be a vocal advocate. Along the way, we also encourage you as change-makers to review the following racism and homelessness studies and resources with fresh eyes that may reveal important insights:
Rev. Deborah Lee with Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity wrote this prayer that eloquently captures our immediate raw emotions, as well as the call to be good allies for institutional and social change. Let us work together to make these words our new reality: Healing. Justice. Reform. Equality. Unity. May 18, 2020
Project Roomkey Information Project Roomkey is a collaborative effort by the State, County, City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) to secure hotel and motel rooms for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, with a focus on seniors 65+ and individuals with existing health conditions. It provides a way for people who do not have a home to stay inside to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, May 15th, LA County reported there are 26 Hotel/Motel Roomkey sites operational, with 2,207 people in these venues.
In recognition of COVID-19's disproportionate impact on communities of color, LAHSA created the COVID-19 Racial Equity Resource Guide to underscore the importance of providers' efforts to counter structural inequities and remove implicit bias as they work to provide equitable access to vital resources in this crisis. There have been several questions raised about the next steps for the Roomkey participants. At the May 12th Board of Supervisor's Meeting, LAHSA was directed to develop a COVID-19 Recovery Plan related to people experiencing homelessness that will address this. A plan framework will be presented in 15 days, with the full plan due in 30 days presenting the goals and objectives for this effort. March 22, 2020
In response to all the actions underway regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, our coalition leadership feels the urgency to support our South Bay organizations that are able to continue providing assistance to our disadvantaged neighbors. Their need for food and cleaning supplies has intensified as many local meal programs and pantries have had to temporarily shutter their operations. Compounding this are low-income families who have never sought these services and are now finding themselves struggling to make ends meet. I witnessed this surge at St. Margaret's Center this past Friday, where they saw a 200% increase in the number of families seeking food. This is why we are asking our coalition members to do what you can to bolster the supplies at the shelters and pantries that have remained open. As you are able, please support the agencies below - as well as others that you know of - by doing any of these suggestions:
In addition to the specific organizational contacts and needs information provided below, we want to highlight:
Other food resources that you might find helpful at this time:
Organization: St. Margaret's Center (part of Catholic Charities)
Location: 10217 S Inglewood Ave, Lennox, 310-672-2208 Contact: Yesica Villalobos, yvillalobos@ccharities.org, or Mary Agnes Erlandson at MAERLANDSON@ccharities.org Financial Contributions: Checks of any amount are appreciated, mailed to its location. Needed Donations:
Organization: Harbor Interfaith Services Location: 670 W. 9th St., San Pedro Contact: Martha Flecha-Raza, mflecharara@harborinterfaith.org, 310-831-9123 x245 Financial Contributions: Click here for more information Needed Donations:
Organization: Rainbow Services Location: 453 W. 7th St, San Pedro, 310-548-5450 Contact: Front Desk: Carlos Ramirez or Maria Hernandez at 310-548-5450 for donation drop-offs, or Tatiana Dorman at Tatiana.Dorman@RainbowServicesDV.org for additional questions. Financial Contributions: Click here for more information Needed Donations:
Organization: Salvation Army Stillman Sawyer Family Center Location: 820 Lomita Blvd, Harbor City Contact: Ernesto Madrid, 310-835-1986, 310-370-4515 Financial Contributions: Click here for more information Needed Donations:
Organization: Doors of Hope Women's Emergency Shelter Contact: Laura Scotvold-Lemp, office: 310-518-3667, cell: 310-347-9170 Financial Contributions: Click here for more information Needed Donations:
Organization: Community's Child Location: 25520 Woodward Ave., Lomita Contact: Tara Nierenhausen, admin@cchild.org; DeDe Ornelas, Dede.0@cchild.org, 310-534-4040 Financial Contributions: Click here for more information Needed Donations:
Organization: 1736 Family Crisis Center Location: 21707 Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 300, Torrance Contact: Michele Nadeau, michelefor1736@gmail.com, cell:(323)387-9445 Financial Donations: Click here for more information Needed Donations:
Organization: Mental Health America of Los Angeles (MHALA) Location: The Village, 456 Elm Ave, Long Beach Contact: Marjorie Solorzano, msolorzano@mhala.org, 562-366-6085 Financial Donations: Click here for more information Needed Donations: Please contact Marjorie before dropping off donations
March 22, 2020
Thanks to the tremendous leadership at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles, and numerous service providers, there has been a whirlwind of COVID-19 activity these past two weeks. Here are the latest homelessness-related announcements from across the county. LAHSA COVID-19 Portal LAHSA created this webpage that provides links to local and national homelessness resources related to the COVID-19 response. We invite you to check it often as it is updated frequently. Special LAHSA Email and Hotline for Homeless Service Providers LAHSA established a special email where provider questions regarding COVID-19 can be submitted: COVID19@lahsa.org. It has also set up a "Provider Hotline" operated weekdays from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm at 213-233-4796. Staff will record all questions and publish an FAQ the next day providing answers to questions received the previous day on its COVID-19 Portal. All service providers and shelter operators are invited to use these resources, even if they are privately funded. Street Outreach and LA-HOP.org Update Street outreach is continuing, with all staff having received special training on how to keep themselves and those experiencing homelessness safe. We are encouraging the public to continue using LA-HOP.org to report people in need, but ask that they recognize outreach staff is refocusing on supporting the COVID-19 response on our streets. Winter Shelter Programs (WSP) Update Many WSPs are now operational 24-hours a day and have extended their season beyond the traditional March 31st closure date. The one operating in Service Planning Area (SPA) 8/South Bay in Long Beach is providing 'round the clock service through September 30th. Please see LAHSA's announcement for additional details. The Winter Shelter Hotline at 1-800-548-6047 is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for program updates. Hand Washing Stations Hand washing stations have recently been set up throughout the County, including 17 in SPA 8. Click here for their locations. City of Los Angeles New Emergency/Crisis Shelters The City of Los Angeles opened eight new emergency shelters on March 20th, located at city parks and recreational centers. Five additional shelters are scheduled to open shortly, with a total of 42 planned. Buses will run a set route from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm with pick-up locations. Walk-ins are also permitted. Each is staff by the City's Rec & Parks Department, LAHSA, and LA County Department of Mental Health. Facility NameAddress# Beds
LA County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Benefits In accordance with Governor Newsom's Executive Order, all DPSS benefits, including Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs and General Relief benefit payments, will be issued without interruption for the months of March, April and May 2020. Census 2020 Update The US Census Bureau has suspended field operations for two weeks and delay its shelter enumeration for one month to April 29, April 30, and May 1. This applies to emergency and transitional shelters, soup kitchens, mobile meal sites, and outdoor locations such as encampments. While we will continue to provide highlight summaries, we anticipate our Announcements emails will be sent out intermittently in the coming weeks. We welcome your feedback on them so we can be responsive to your needs (e.g., would you like to see additional details, have more frequent updates as new information is made available, etc.). As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. March 12, 2020
We have canceled our upcoming March meetings because of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) concerns. Please note this applies to both our General Meeting (on March 25th) and Advocacy Meeting (on March 18th). We are very appreciative that our March guest speaker, Kris Freed of LA Family Housing, has graciously rescheduled and will be discussing her agency's "Shared Housing Pilot" at our September 23rd General Meeting. We will be reassessing when to resume our meetings on a month-by-month basis. We invite you to continue scanning our weekly Announcements emails, which highlight local and national news about homelessness. To help keep you informed on the latest regarding Coronavirus, LAHSA has created a COVID-19 portal containing guidance for LA County's homeless services community. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you have. We appreciate your understanding at this time. March 2, 2020
"Public Charge" Final Rule At our February General Meeting last week, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Legislative Affairs Analyst Traci Kawaguchi gave an update on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's "Public Charge" rule that went into effect on February 24th. She shared LAHSA's Information Sheet explaining this ruling categorizing the status of immigrants based on them becoming reliant on public services, along with Protect Immigrant Families' "Does This Apply to Me" Guide in English and Spanish. LAHSA's list of lmmigration legal agency referrals was also made available. There is still much confusion and concern surrounding this ruling, so please help spread the facts about it. January 26, 2020
We wish to extend our sincere thanks to you for supporting our South Bay Homeless Count. With over 750 pre-registered signups, we had another terrific turnout and were able to complete 99% of our region in a single night! (We will achieve 100% completion very shortly.) Our collective success was also largely due to the following, who led our deployment sites:
Official Count results will be announced by LAHSA, historically in late May for the County and Service Planning Areas, and summer for the city-level results. |
Homeless Count 2022 Results
Click here to view the LA-HOP.org flyer to connect someone living unsheltered with a street outreach worker.
Click here to get the facts on common homelessness myths
Measure H
Information on how the Measure H funding will be used is highlighted on the County's Homeless Initiative website 
Domestic Violence Heightened Concerns
The ongoing stay-at-home directive is having a devastating effect on domestic violence (DV) victims. It is also creating a potentially unsafe breeding environment for new DV cases, highlighted in this Los Angeles Time article. Please help spread these DV hotline numbers widely:
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