Skip to content

3,097 units of supportive and affordable housing in the works

Two years ago, L.A. voters committed $1.2 billion to build homes for people experiencing homelessness. It was an extraordinary statement about our shared humanity and, along with Measure H, opened the door to an unprecedented opportunity.

For the first time in memory, it felt like we might be able to end homelessness—for real this time.

So, where are we? Six projects are currently under construction with more breaking ground soon. Three more have been approved for construction so far and another 46 are approved for funding, for a total of 3,097 units of supportive and affordable housing.

After decades of inaction and indifference, it’s hard not to look at the progress being made and see HHH as anything other than a success at this early stage. For what it’s worth, last year homelessness went down in L.A. County for the first time in years.

But let’s be clear: As long as our most vulnerable neighbors live in tents under freeways, we do not have enough supportive housing in L.A. HHH promised 10,000 units in 10 years. Right now, we’re not going to meet that goal.

There are a lot of reasons for this, chief among them: resistance from some neighbors, bureaucratic red tape, higher than estimated costs, and political apathy. The fix for all of these problems is clear: advocacy and organizing.

The same simple actions that got HHH passed in the first place—phone banking, canvassing, rallying, housing tours, and training—can increase the pace of construction by holding political leaders and our neighbors accountable.

The L.A.City Council has committed to approve 3,330 units of new housing by July 2020. We passed two ordinances in L.A. to speed up supportive housing approvals and convert disused motels into housing. We helped pass two ballot measures in California to raise money for supportive and affordable housing. And we have been showing up and speaking out in one community after another, from Sherman Oaks to South L.A. to Venice, where housing is needed. These are all great things, and evidence of our collective momentum.

A small group of hardworking people did these things. Imagine what we could accomplish with your help. Sign up for a training, and we’ll show you how to take the simple actions that change people’s lives.

We’re all neighbors. We’re all in this together. And we will speak out until everyone is in.

Pictures of progress from around L.A.

West Hollywood – LGBT Center Anita May Rosenstein Campus (124 units)

Photo credit: Hunter Kerhart

Silver Lake/Rampart Village – PATH Metro Villas (187 units)

Photo credit: Mike Dennis

Downtown – Six Four Nine Lofts (55 units)

Photo credit: Mike Dennis

South L.A. – 88th and Vermont (62 units)

Photo credit: Mike Dennis