A measure on the November poll that will double the county’s quarter-cent homeless gross sales tax is main in an early ballot of Los Angeles County voters however however doesn’t but have sufficient assist to go.
Forty-seven p.c of possible voters surveyed mentioned they might vote for the brand new half-cent tax if the election have been held instantly, a margin that falls three proportion factors in need of the bulk wanted to go. Thirty-six p.c mentioned they might vote no, and 17% have been undecided.
That tepid assist was mirrored in voters’ view of progress made with a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} raised underneath the present tax, known as Measure H, that was authorized by greater than two-thirds of voters in 2017. Fifty-one p.c mentioned they have been very dissatisfied with the outcomes and 6% considerably dissatisfied.
Regardless of spending by the county Homelessness Initiative that reached greater than $600 million within the 2023-2024 price range, homelessness climbed steadily for 5 years earlier than leveling off this 12 months.
The ballot, carried out between July 31 and Aug. 11 by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research and co-sponsored by The Instances, had a margin of error of three proportion factors, making the race at this level a toss-up.
“I might say that 47% is fascinating,” mentioned Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS Ballot. “It’s shut. I anticipate an in depth election.”
The brand new measure — formally known as the Reasonably priced Housing, Homelessness Options and Prevention Now measure — would substitute Measure H, which is about to run out in 2027, and prolong it indefinitely until repealed by a brand new vote.
Then Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, middle, after which L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, proper, with supporters of poll Measure H as the ultimate vote tallies are introduced, passing by 69.24% in Los Angeles on March 17, 2017.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Instances)
It’s estimated that it could elevate $1.2 billion yearly.
The cash would fund homelessness applications, together with psychological healthcare, substance abuse remedy, inexpensive housing, rental subsidies, job counseling and companies for weak populations together with homeless households, veterans, abused ladies, seniors and disabled individuals.
The 20-page poll measure specifies that 60% of the income could be directed to homelessness companies and 15% of that will be distributed to cities based mostly on the annual point-in-time rely. A further 35.75% would go to the L.A. County Reasonably priced Housing Options Company, a brand new entity created final 12 months by the California Legislature to assist individuals keep of their houses and improve housing and shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. The cash might be used for rental help, buy or lease of present housing and new building.
Backers of the measure mentioned they designed it to make the technique for utilizing the funds extra outcome-oriented and construct in additional specific accountability than in Measure H.
It will require applications to set and meet particular targets and mandate common audits to make sure these displaying the very best charges of effectiveness obtain enough funds.
Backers of the measure mentioned they weren’t alarmed by responses to the the ballot’s two questions on the gross sales tax, which got here on the finish of a prolonged sequence of questions in regards to the race for Los Angeles County district legal professional.
A homeless man waits for transportation to housing close to encampments being cleaned up alongside Hollywood Boulevard and Gower Road on Thursday in Hollywood.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Instances)
Their very own polling earlier this 12 months confirmed assist of as much as 60%. And the sure vote within the new ballot, although in need of 50%, was nicely forward of the no.
“We have been main in our February ballot and have an 11-point benefit on this ballot as a result of voters wish to see a brand new technique to create safer and cleaner neighborhoods by eradicating extra encampments, offering extra psychological well being remedy and holding applications accountable for decreasing homelessness,” mentioned marketing campaign advisor Yusef Rob.
“If that funding is misplaced, homelessness will improve by not less than 25% as individuals lose companies and housing. Nobody needs to go backward, and never passing this measure could be catastrophic,” Rob mentioned.
Two committees have been gearing up for a marketing campaign set to kick off subsequent month.
The Angeleno Mission, a nonprofit that helps the measure, launched polling in March displaying possible assist from 60% of possible voters, with 39% of respondents saying they might positively assist it, 15% that they assist it however might change their thoughts, and 6% saying they leaned sure.
Breakdowns of the February survey outcomes confirmed even increased assist for particular parts of the measure: rising psychological well being remedy for these experiencing homelessness (82%), preserving present inexpensive housing (78%), decreasing the price of constructing inexpensive housing and housing for homeless individuals (77%), decreasing the burden on native emergency rooms (74%), creating pathways out of poverty by means of building (74%) and constructing extra inexpensive housing (72%).
The brand new ballot confirmed a powerful break up by political ideology and earnings. These recognized as liberal favored it by 68% in contrast with 23% for conservatives, and people with decrease incomes have been extra more likely to favor it. Sixty p.c of these making between $60,000 and $99,999 mentioned they might vote for it in contrast with solely 31% of these making $100,000 to $199,999.
DiCamillo mentioned the Berkeley IGS Ballot will survey voters once more in September and October.
“As we get nearer and nearer we’ll get a extra refined view of the possible voters,” DiCamillo mentioned. “No one actually can challenge precisely possible voters till you get actually near the election.”
