As Los Angeles voters mull over their city ballot measures less than two weeks from now, voters throughout the county—including Culver City votes—will have a say in efforts to reduce the number of homeless countywide.
Measure H will add a quarter to the county sales tax over 10 years earmarked for homeless prevention services. It is sponsored by Second District County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas (D- Culver City).
The ballot initiative, which requires a two-thirds vote for passage, would generate $355 million annually to combat homelessness, county officials say.
And in an effort to put his money where his passions are, Ridley-Thomas has donated $250,000 to Measure H from his personal campaign fund.
The Board of Supervisors has pledged to make the funding allocations as transparent as possible.
“Our objective here is to evidence that we are serious about accountability, serious about transparency,” Ridley-Thomas said after the board vote on Feb. 8.
Unlike other March 7 ballot initiatives, no organized groups are lobbying against or funding opposition campaigns against Measure H.
Ridley Thomas said Measure H would be the companion to a Los Angeles city- approved ballot initiative, Measure HHH, which passed in November. HHH will generate $1.2 billion through a parcel tax on residential and commercial properties that would cost the average homeowner nearly $33 annually for 29 years and build 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing.
“Measures H and HHH complement each other by providing necessary ongoing revenue specifically allocated to funding vital and essential supportive services for homeless children, women and men, while seeking to build thousands of permanent supportive housing units,” the supervisor said at a Feb. 13 Yes on H rally.
In Culver City’s 2015 homeless count, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, there were 101 homeless in the city.
The numbers for this year’s count, which was conducted last month, are pending.
