UPDATE: The Los Angeles City Council is taking urgent action to address the city’s growing housing crisis by expanding a cost-effective shared housing model aimed at supporting low-income and homeless residents. In a pivotal motion led by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, city officials are directed to evaluate how shared housing can be leveraged to offer more affordable living options across the city.
The motion, confirmed just yesterday, aims to create a community-based approach that allows individuals to live together in shared homes, providing private rooms while sharing common facilities. With skyrocketing housing costs and dwindling homelessness budgets, shared housing presents a vital alternative to the limited options currently available for vulnerable populations.
During a meeting on August 30, 2024, Blumenfield emphasized the pressing need for innovative solutions in the face of recent federal funding reductions, saying, “Shared housing offers a vital alternative to the limited interim beds and permanent supportive housing units currently available.”
The initiative follows a successful pilot program in Blumenfield’s own district, where the nonprofit SHARE! has already housed 103 individuals since launching in 2022, showcasing a dramatic cost efficiency compared to traditional housing solutions. “We’ve housed 103 people at a fraction of the cost,” said Jason Robison, chief program officer at SHARE!, urging the council to scale similar solutions citywide.
The committee’s swift approval of the motion signals a developing trend towards shared living arrangements, which typically involve unrelated individuals cohabitating in a single residence, either voluntarily or through structured housing programs. The proposed plan includes potential incentives for landlords, roommate-matching programs, and integration with housing vouchers.
As the city grapples with a federal lawsuit concerning its homelessness policies, the urgency for such measures escalates. “We have to encourage people to have other creative solutions,” Blumenfield warned.
While the concept of shared housing is not new, it is gaining momentum as a practical response to the housing crisis. The Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) has been tasked with exploring various shared housing models, including congregate housing and transitional shared housing. Reports indicate that existing programs by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) already incorporate shared living components, but expanding these efforts requires more robust support systems such as a rental registry and landlord incentives.
Providers within the community have welcomed the initiative, noting that shared housing can effectively meet the needs of specific populations, including seniors and those with fixed incomes. “It has to be one of the top options now because our participants that have fixed income cannot afford a fair market apartment,” said Haley Fuselier, senior director of Greater LA Programs at PATH.
Critics voice concerns regarding the potential for roommate conflicts and fair housing protections. Councilmember Heather Hutt raised these issues during the committee meeting, stressing the importance of guidelines to ensure successful implementation. Proposed measures include compatibility assessments and shared living agreements to mitigate these challenges.
Despite these concerns, advocates insist on the necessity of shared housing as a viable solution to the housing crisis. “With reductions in funding from all levels of government, shared housing is a cost-effective solution that allows people to share the cost of housing and stretch publicly funded rental vouchers longer,” Blumenfield stated.
As the Los Angeles City Council moves forward with this innovative approach, the focus remains on immediate action to establish shared housing options that can significantly impact the lives of countless vulnerable residents. The city is set to further assess the feasibility of using Measure ULA funding to bolster these efforts.
Stay tuned for more updates as this crucial initiative unfolds, potentially reshaping the housing landscape for many in Los Angeles.
