To the editor: I was surprised to read that Los Angeles County's general relief payment to homeless people is still a meager $221 a month. Equally shocking is that this monthly amount has not been collected in more than 40 years. (“Monthly payments of $1,000 could take thousands of homeless people off the streets, researchers say,” April 30)
According to a report by lead author Gary Blasi, a UCLA law professor emeritus, the simplest way to get homeless people into some form of housing would be to increase the amount paid to each individual in the form of General Assistance. I agree.
The Times notes that, adjusted for inflation, an updated General Relief grant would be $1,008, enough for the recipient to cover the cost of a room in Los Angeles plus some other expenses. Modest? Yes, but better than living on the street.
The day has come when we can be fairly compared with the England of Charles Dickens. We can do better than this. In a representative democracy, it is the responsibility of elected officials to help the most destitute among us.
The cost of increasing General Aid may seem substantial. But offering adequate payments should significantly reduce the cost to taxpayers of addressing homelessness.
Rick Tuttle, Culver City
The author was Los Angeles city comptroller from 1985 to 2001.
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To the editor: While we fully agree with the payment of a universal income, the implementation of that idea remains complex. In the meantime, we have created a workaround that has proven very effective.
Our nonprofit, Harbor Connects, offers microgrants between $300 and $2,500 to people who need an immediate cash injection. What do they use it for? Whatever they need. We examine each request carefully, but the bottom line is that we trust them.
Importantly, we have deep relationships with formal and informal service providers who work with people on the edge. Sometimes these people have immediate and often surprisingly modest needs, but the systems intended to help them cannot act quickly enough.
Our power is our relationships combined with a small amount of cash, allowing us to play a crucial interim role. Over the past four years, we have donated more than $300,000 to families throughout Los Angeles City Council District 15.
Any community can do this. The keys are strong relationships with service providers, a willingness to raise a little money, and compassion and trust.
Lisa Williams and Meghan Langfield, Wilmington
The writers are, respectively, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Harbor Connects.
