Roberti Asks $850-Million Bond Issue for Homeless

In an effort to create housing for homeless and low-income people, Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti announced Thursday that he has introduced legislation to place an $850-million housing bond measure on the June, 1988, state ballot.

“We are going to respond to the public demand that we do something about shelter and do something about the homeless,” Roberti said in a press conference held on the dusty soil of Los Angeles’ “urban campground.”

Roberti said money from the bonds would provide 33,500 new shelter beds and build or rehabilitate 22,900 housing units. The money would be allocated to local areas, “based on the number of homeless,” he added, estimating that Los Angeles County has about 35% of the “roughly 100,000 people” living without shelter in the state.

Roberti said his proposal, called the Housing Bond Act of 1988, will come before the state Legislature after the summer recess. Citing “a groundswell of support,” the Los Angeles Democrat added, “If we can’t get this through the Legislature, we’ll put it on the ballot by initiative.”

“I think the public is way ahead of its government, federal, state and local levels,” Roberti said, “demanding that we do something, show some compassion for people who just want a hand-up, a little help, and not a hand-out.”

Supporting Groups

Among the bill’s supporters are labor groups such as the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, religious groups such as Los Angeles Catholic Charities and Jewish Family Services, and housing groups such as the Los Angeles Community Design Center and National Equity Fund.

“Fifty years ago, the United States Housing Act was passed (when) somebody stood in front of (Depression-era shantytowns) called Hoovervilles and asked why,” Roberti said. “Now we stand in front of tent city and ask, why again? Why do kids and adults have to live on the dirt and why are we closing what we have here when we don’t have any other option?”

The City of Los Angeles opened the campground for two months on land leased from the Southern California Rapid Transit District, which plans construction there for the Metro Rail project after the camp closes Aug. 10.

The city has been seeking alternative shelter for the up to 600 homeless using the campground, and on Wednesday filed suit against Los Angeles County alleging failure to meet its responsibilities in helping the homeless. The county, in turn, said the city is responsible, and announced plans to file a countersuit.

Commenting on the lawsuits, Roberti said the two local governments will “hopefully put their act together and try to find the money, without trying to sue each other. We need cooperation now.”

If passed by the voters, the $850 million in bond proceeds would be used to build rental housing for families with low and very low incomes, to rehabilitate rental housing and residential hotels and to provide emergency shelter for the homeless, as well as for housing for migrant farm workers. The ballot measure also would allow a reduction in interest rates for first-time home buyers.

“There is no way that you can solve social problems in America without spending money on them,” said James M. Wood, assistant secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. “This $850 million is more than anyone else has been willing to put forward.”