Local Policy Updates
The Los Angeles city and county budget is stretched thin this year due to federal cuts and legal settlements. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel; the passage of Measure A will assist the county in reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness and work towards prevention. Measure A will generate over $1 billion annually to support these and related efforts. The funds will be distributed among LA County, cities, Councils of Government, the Los Angeles County Development Authority, and the newly formed Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA). Of these funds, 60 percent will go toward comprehensive homelessness services, including local and innovative solutions. Other allocations include support for local housing production, data and research efforts, and LACAHSA’s operations.
Additionally, the county voted to create a new County department dedicated solely to addressing homelessness. This initiative, aligned with recommendations from the Blue-Ribbon Commission on Homelessness, aims to consolidate services and streamline oversight, accountability, and funding, particularly the management of Measure A dollars. The Housing for Health and CEO-Homeless Initiative teams will lead the initial transition, focusing on infrastructure, staffing, and budgeting. The department is expected to launch in January 2026, using the Housing for Health model in its first phase. By July 1, 2026, all functions and funding currently managed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) will be transitioned into the new department, marking the completion of its second phase.
Local Level Engagement
Fair Chance Housing Event
Director of External Affairs Jose Osuna and External Affairs Associate Kayana Tyson collaborated with CROP (Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs), the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership, and California for Safety and Justice to organize a meaningful community event focused on Fair Chance Housing. The “Building Reentry Bridges to Housing and Public Safety” event took place on April 24th at the Dollarhide Center in Compton. The event was designed to support formerly incarcerated individuals and promote successful community reintegration. It featured an on-site expungement clinic, fair housing resources, a community resource fair, a reentry simulation, and networking opportunities. The event had an outstanding turnout, with over 400 community members in attendance and participation from more than 40 organizations, including many folks from Brilliant Corners.
The External Affairs team is grateful for the participation of Danielle Beal, who delivered an insightful panel presentation on Breaking Barriers and its impact on the justice-involved community, highlighting the powerful work being done by Brilliant Corners. Jose Osuna took part in a thought-provoking panel discussion on Fair
Housing and the importance of expanding opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. Additionally, Cassie Perez played a key role in capturing the event through photography and videography, helping to visually document its energy and success.
The event also featured a welcome from Compton Councilmember Andre Spicer and closing remarks from Judge Armstead the Director of the Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD), emphasizing a shared commitment to fair housing and public safety for all.
Additional Initiatives
AB 1039: Assembly Bill 1039, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, would advance greater efficiency, fairness, and stability in the nonprofit sector’s partnerships with the State of California by mandating that nonprofits can secure a percentage of contracted funds upfront for all new funding opportunities, effective January 1, 2026
AB 944: This bill will give nonprofits who have state contracts the ability to modify programs and program budgets to flexibly respond to immediate needs. Current law does not address how nonprofit contractors may modify services to adapt to emergency conditions. This legislation will allow nonprofits to notify the contracting agency of any changes to services and expenses to document the use of funds and ensure state agencies provide continued funding for impacted services.
AB 880: Requires a state agency that awards a grant or that acquires property or services pursuant to a contract to make timely payments pursuant to the grant or contract. If a state agency or the Controller fails to take certain timely actions and payment is not issued within 45 calendar days from the state agency’s receipt of an undisputed invoice, the act requires the state agency or the Controller, as applicable, to pay certain penalties.
AB 1244: This would allow developers of transportation or land use projects that increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to pay into a fund that would facilitate the creation of affordable housing to help reduce VMT impacts.
SB 634: SB 634 prevents people experiencing homelessness from being criminalized solely based on engaging in the necessary activities required for their day-to-day survival, thereby moving cities away from highly politicized approaches that not only fail to address homelessness but make it harder to solve.