LA Housing Program Will Aid Trafficking, Domestic Abuse Survivors

Los Angeles CA

13 October, 2021

6:11 PM

Description

LOS ANGELES — The City of Los Angeles has launched a program called Survivors First to help domestic violence and human trafficking survivors find safe, affordable housing. Forty percent of the city's homeless population have experienced domestic violence, according to a news release. Survivors First is the city's first program aimed at providing permanent housing for domestic violence and human trafficking survivors, according to a news release from City Council President Nury Martinez's office. It is modeled after the state's Domestic Violence Housing First program. "Domestic violence creates a devastating ripple effect throughout a survivor's life," said Martinez in the news release. "On any given day 1,000 people are turned away from domestic violence shelters due to lack of space. The status quo is failing these Angelenos and if we truly want to end homelessness in Los Angeles, we need to address domestic violence." No one should have to choose between an abusive home or sleeping on the streets. Today we launched Survivors First, LA's first permanent housing program for survivors of domestic violence & human trafficking. This program allows us to support the unique needs of DV/HT survivors. pic.twitter.com/yMbpl01OyX— Nury Martinez (@CD6Nury) October 13, 2021 The pilot program is managed by the Community Investment for Families Department, Martinez's office said. Services will be coordinated through the city's Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Shelter System. The goal of Survivors First is to both offer resources to these survivors, and prevent homelessness. According to the city, program's three major components are: Flexible funding, used "in a variety of ways" to increase access to permanent housing;Mobile advocacy, where a case manager meets the survivor at a location convenient to them, and; Landlord engagement, allowing city agencies and landlords to partner and provide more housing for survivors City Council provided $5 million to the program to the Community Development Block Grant. "I am proud that Los Angeles is the first major City, not only to invest in safe housing for survivors of domestic violence, but to ensure we are being inclusive of survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking," said Elizabeth Eastlund, executive director of Rainbow Services, in the release. "These programs work. We can and do prevent homelessness for domestic violence survivors when we have the support and the funding to do it." For more information about Survivors First, contact [email protected]. To report domestic violence, call the County's Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-978-3600 or go to http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/dvcouncil/.