The Los Angeles Post

THE COMMITTEE FOR GREATER LA RELEASES VOTER SURVEY FINDINGS REVEALING OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OF MEASURES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS

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Voters say it is important that the city and county work together to reduce homelessness

NOVEMBER 22, 2022 (Los Angeles, CA) — The Committee for Greater LA (the Committee), a group of civic leaders working to advance system changes and dismantle institutional racism, in partnership with the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, today released findings of a survey of Nov. 8 voters revealing that they overwhelmingly support measures to address homelessness.

“The findings show that voters in Los Angeles are connected to the issue of homelessness and feel an urgency in finding solutions. What’s more is that voters are also willing to be part of the solution,” said Miguel A. Santana, Chair of the Committee for Greater LA and President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation. “The message to lawmakers is that voters want them to work together and get the job done, and to make the tough, but necessary decisions. This should serve as a reassurance to the city’s leadership that they have the authority from voters to seriously tackle homelessness.”

The majority of voters (84 percent) say they are confident that their vote for mayor efficiently represents their opinion on addressing homelessness.  At 88 percent, voters are also certain that the next mayor needs to reduce homelessness by at least 50 percent within their 4-year term.

“These results show that Angelenos did not vote for Mayor-elect Bass to do more of the same. Voters want more, bigger, and bolder ideas; they are ready for real and meaningful change,” said Dr. Fernando Guerra, Director for the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University.

Highlights from the voter survey include:

  • More than 80 percent of voters surveyed support a reduction in the bureaucratic process to address homelessness.
  • Three-fourths of voters surveyed support the mayor declaring a state of emergency to have the power to site housing for people experiencing homelessness.
  • Nearly two-thirds of voters are willing to forego some environmental restrictions, limit community input for shelter locations or have some elected officials having less oversight on spending, to build more housing.
  • To address the housing shortage, 71 percent of voters are in support of building apartments within a mile of their home.

“These finding reveal that voters are willing to make serious concessions to remove barriers and build much needed housing, and to support people experiencing homelessness or who are housing insecure,” said Sarah Dusseault, member of the Committee for Greater LA. “Voters want their elected officials to take swift, meaningful action on homelessness”

Voters may feel vulnerable to homelessness with 56 percent saying they had a time when they had trouble paying rent in the past 12 months.

“As voters revealed in this survey, many renters feel the possibility of experiencing homelessness very personally,” said Pete White, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network and advisor to The Committee. “This rise in people in Los Angeles feeling housing insecurity reflects what we are seeing every day as front line workers. The time for bold and systemic action on homelessness is long overdue.” 

The survey was commissioned by Committee for Greater LA with support from the Weingart Foundation and the California Community Foundation.

To access the full report please visit: https://nogoingback.la/news/