EDITOR’S NOTE: The program We Are LA is helping connect renters at risk of losing their homes with legal help and vital services. Multimedia journalist Anna Albaryan spoke with a Los Angeles resident who received help from the program when she came close to the possibility of becoming homeless. Click the arrow above to watch the video.
LOS ANGELES — The Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles' We Are LA program has helped residents remain housed and prevented some from falling into homelessness, according to a study released Tuesday.
Loyola Marymount University studied the program between March and August 2024 and found that nearly 75% of 677 surveyed participants reported improved housing stability after receiving services.
Based on their findings, researchers estimated that up to 33,558 of the 42,840 Los Angeles residents who accessed We Are LA services during that period experienced greater housing stability.
The study said it was an "encouraging result that should be further explored in a longer-term setting, with more information about the timing of the support received and more specific questions about participants' life circumstances."
We Are LA provides legal services and connects residents to housing-related resources after they receive eviction notices, such as a "Notice to Pay" or "Notice to Quit." The goal is to intervene early and help families stay in their homes.
"Addressing the humanitarian crisis in our city must also focus on preventing people from falling into homelessness in the first place," Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
"The tens of thousands of people served by the Mayor's Fund are not just numbers, but individuals and families who are being connected to essential services with the goal of keeping them housed. This is how we continue to change the status quo and build upon our comprehensive strategy to tackle homelessness."
Another key finding in the study showed that between 68% to 85% of survey respondents who received eviction support from the program reported "positive impacts," such as improved financial or living circumstances.
City officials said part of the program's success relied on its targeted approach. We Are LA uses data from the city's eviction filing system to identify and contact vulnerable families and individuals.
Once identified, caseworkers are assigned to help individuals navigate applications, websites, language barriers and access legal aid and other services, according to the study.
"We use innovative methods to connect people to all available help, from legal services to food assistance that frees up funds to help people pay the rent," Conway Collis, president and CEO of the Mayor's Fund, said in a statement. "But the bottom line is the dedication of the caseworkers working with and supporting Angelenos through a tough process at a time of great need."
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