AHF Issues $100M Homeless Challenge to Mayor Garcetti, L.A. City Council in New L.A. Times Ad

Challenge to be unveiled in new ad in the Los Angeles Times (Sun., May 9, 2021); AHF’s Healthy Housing Foundation vows $100M to create 1,000 units of homeless housing over the next 2 years, but seeks commitment—but NO money—from Mayor Garcetti and City Council to streamline city bureaucracy

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Housing justice advocates from AHF and its housing division, Healthy Housing Foundation (HHF), are issuing a $100 million homeless housing challenge to Mayor Eric Garcetti and the entire Los Angeles City Council. The challenge will be announced in a full-page, full color advocacy ad set to run this Sunday (May 9, 2021) in the main news section of Los Angeles Times headlined “$100,000,000 Homeless Challenge.”

As part of the challenge, AHF is seeking a genuine commitment—but NO money—from Mayor Garcetti and the Los Angeles City Council to streamline city bureaucracy so that with AHF’s $100 million commitment, the Healthy Housing Foundation can create 1,000 affordable housing units for homeless or at-risk, extremely-low-income Los Angeles residents over the next two years. Since late 2017, AHF’s Healthy Housing Foundation has created 1,023 housing units in 10 buildings across greater Los Angeles through its purchase, refurbishment and adaptive reuse of older SRO hotels and motels.

In its challenge, AHF implores Garcetti and the Los Angeles City Council to streamline city bureaucracy in the following ways:

• Give us true concierge service to get older buildings rehabbed rapidly.
• Waive all city fees.
• Work with the Los Angeles County Assessor to make these properties exempt from real estate taxes.
• Fast track 100% low-income new construction.
• Bulk lease units as they come online.
• Show administrative flexibility.
• Be a true partner.

“We are trying to help. Please meet us halfway,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a sentiment also shared in the Healthy Housing Foundation $100,000,000 Homeless Challenge ad. “We are not asking for even one-dollar from you--the only thing we ask in exchange is your cooperation.”