LOS ANGELES – To end homelessness, experts say it’s important to prevent homelessness in the first place. In an effort to address this social need, L.A. Care Health Plan is proud to announce a $400,000 commitment to help prevent evictions in Los Angeles County. The commitment includes $200,000 for the Liberty Hill Foundation to support its eviction prevention program. Additionally, the Community Power Collective and InnerCity Struggle will each receive $100,000 to provide eviction prevention education and resources, assist with landlord-tenant negotiations, and pre-litigation services These grants reflect L.A. Care’s continued commitment to housing stability efforts.
“Evictions contribute to extreme economic hardship and can lead to homelessness, disproportionately impacting communities of color,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “We know that housing is fundamental to a person’s health and well-being. To help ensure our members and others in their communities stay in their homes, it is critical that these organizations get the support they need.”
The grant to Liberty Hill Foundation will support its work with Stay Housed LA (SHLA), the largest eviction prevention and defense program in the country, serving tenants across L.A. County who are at risk of losing their housing. This new funding builds on previous L.A. Care grants totaling $1 million to Liberty Hill Foundation in support of infrastructure development and program sustainability of the SHLA network. To date, the SHLA network of community-based organizations has helped more than 50,000 individuals through Know Your Rights workshops, tenant navigation services, and referrals to legal services. The new funding will support the creation of a uniform data collection and reporting system for all SHLA partners. This will improve Liberty Hill Foundation’s ability to track and report outcomes that demonstrate the impact of its efforts, which could result in support from other sources.
"Liberty Hill and L.A. Care share a unified vision of housing justice as a critical strategy for improving health outcomes for Los Angeles’ working families and vulnerable populations,” said Mike Dennis, Senior Director, Housing Justice at Liberty Hill Foundation. “Through L.A Care’s partnership in the Stay Housed LA program, we have been able to create flexible resources that address programmatic gaps in public-private partnerships. This collaboration ensures that community-based organizations can effectively deliver high-quality tenant outreach, education, and legal services."
Community Power Collective, which formed in 2020, is an organization comprised of community members, organizers, and artists who work to give low-income and immigrant communities in East LA the support and skills needed to fight for economic justice. This funding will enhance the organization’s ability to conduct outreach and provide educational workshops for tenants at risk.
InnerCity Struggle, which was founded in 1994 by a small group of residents in Boyle Heights, is a nonprofit working to build stronger schools, grow civic engagement, and prevent housing displacement in the community. The L.A. Care funding will support community trainings, communications and social media efforts, and emergency support or tangible assistance for clients.
Altogether, L.A. Care Community Investment Fund has contributed more than $3.25 million to keeping county residents housed since 2019.
The three projects align with L.A. Care’s commitment to advancing health equity, which means everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy and possible. Remaining housed is critical for that outcome.