Los Angeles officials have announced that the city will receive $21.8 million in federal funds. The aim of this funding is to assist in housing and providing support services to newly arrived migrants, including migrant children residing on Skid Row.
City officials, backed by the county, recently submitted an application for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds. The purpose of these funds is to provide shelter for migrants who have recently arrived in Los Angeles and are facing difficulties in finding suitable housing.
Local officials and advocates have made a commitment to embrace and support migrants who have arrived in the city in recent years. However, these efforts have faced a significant obstacle in the form of the city’s severe housing crisis.
Hundreds of migrant parents and children have chosen to reside at Union Rescue Mission, a privately funded shelter on Skid Row, this year. Additionally, a smaller number of families have been living in tents on the sidewalk. Providing housing for migrant families can pose unique challenges, as they often do not qualify for the same housing assistance as local residents.
The Department of Homeland Security has recently announced the allocation of over $380 million nationwide through its Shelter and Services Program. This program aims to assist communities in offering housing and other essential services to newly arrived migrants. These individuals are awaiting their immigration court hearings.
The city will be responsible for overseeing the grant funding, which will be distributed among three local nonprofits – the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Clínica Romero, and the Central American Resource Center.
The funds can be utilized to offer migrants shelter, including motel accommodations, as well as provide support such as food, clothing, transportation, and various other services.
Mayor Karen Bass actively advocated for the allocation of federal funds, and her efforts paid off when the money was secured. In early August, a group of five Los Angeles congressional representatives, led by Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles), wrote a letter to FEMA officials, urging them to grant approval for the funds.
In a letter referencing reporting from the L.A. Times, it was stated that the city has allocated a substantial portion of its budget to offer resources for recently arrived migrants. However, without further support, the city’s capacity to effectively and compassionately meet the needs of this population will be stretched. The letter expressed concerns that the lack of federal assistance for sheltering could worsen the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles.
L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis expressed her belief that the funds would play a crucial role in ensuring that migrants arriving in the city receive the necessary assistance.
“These funds will help to provide much-needed relief to our shelter system and support recent arrivals who are facing homelessness, including in Skid Row,” Solis said in a statement.
