Housing, Mental Health Advocates Push for November Ballot Measure Would repeal, replace Measure H

By City News Service | Our Weekly News A coalition of housing and mental health advocates, among others, submitted more than 410,000 signatures this week to the county in hopes of placing a homeless initiative on the November ballot. The measure, known as the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions and Prevention Now initiative, would repeal and replace Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax approved by county voters in 2017 to create a dedicated stream of revenue to address homelessness. Measure H is expected to expire in 2027, unless renewed. Backers say the new initiative, which would increase the sales tax to a half-cent, would be a game changer for the county and its approach to addressing the homelessness crisis. Proponents have said the measure would produce $1.2 billion annually. The coalition–including more than 80 organizations such as the L.A. County Federation of Labor, California Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, SEIU 721, among others–worked together to draft, qualify, and aim to pass a “bold and new” approach to housing affordability and homelessness, organizers said. They aim to focus more funding generated by the half-cent sales tax to build more affordable housing,...