People with lived experience

play a crucial role in providing compassionate and dignified service and support

Better governance

is needed to provide holistic solutions across LA County

People who have experienced homelessness are uniquely able to identify the urgent operational and policy challenges in the homelessness system and pinpoint potential solutions. The Committee for Greater LA commissioned Redstone to help develop specific steps to improve homelessness governance in Los Angeles.  

As a part of developing that plan, Redstone and the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) conducted three focus groups in 2022 with people who have experienced homelessness in Los Angeles to better understand their perspectives on governance challenges and solutions. All participants had experienced homelessness in Los Angeles County and were interacting with the system as advocates, case managers, and advisors to various organizations and agencies. 

This report gathers perspectives shared by focus group participants, resulting in seven key findings to inform our strategy:  

Better Coordination and Compassionate Support Can Improve Service and Care 

  1. The Los Angeles housing and homelessness systems have struggled to create and provide access to housing options and connect the unhoused population to dignified services.  
  2. A lack of centralized leadership, regional planning, and accountability create miscoordination that is strongly felt by those experiencing homelessness.  
  3. Improved governmental interagency coordination between the County, cities, LAHSA, and public agencies is needed to ensure adequate housing supply and holistic wraparound services before, during, and after homelessness.  
  4. Compassionate case managers, navigators, and advocates, including those with lived expertise, have successfully navigated participants from street homelessness to stability and deserve ongoing investment.  
  5. People who have experienced homelessness should have formal roles on the ground and in senior leadership across the system given their expertise.  
  6. Data should be reported in real-time and used to improve programs and services  
  7. An improved public narrative about people who experience homelessness can strengthen the ongoing and future efforts to combat homelessness in Los Angeles. 

Learn more 

Do you have any questions about the report’s background, content, or implications for your own work? Please reach out. We’d love to help. 

 

    About the Author

  • Jason Blau

    Jason is honored to be a trusted partner to clients rising to the occasion for communities and the planet.