I recently attended a Los Angeles City Budget and Finance Committee meeting in support of the Community Investment for Families Department budget request for an additional $2.3 million to expand supportive services for victims of gender-based violence (GVB) in Los Angeles. Together, my colleagues and I shared how the Crisis to Shelter program helps survivors of GBV who are in immediate danger escape lethal situations. We shared that each year 9,000 survivors are unable to secure a safe bed; and we highlighted the need for an increase in GBV emergency and transitional shelter beds. Currently the City only has 567 beds dedicated to domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, while Los Angeles County reports less than 1,000.
Ultimately, the Budget and Finance Committee agreed to move the request forward and recommend the $2.3 million allocation to the City Council for final approval. However, the battle for equitable funding in the City of Los Angeles continues as the City Council continues to delay a final vote. On March 3rd the Controller reported revenue shortfalls for fiscal years 24-25 at $140 million and the City should expect further revenue decline for fiscal year 25-26, as of March 19, that figure has ballooned to $1 billion. The Controller is citing a decline in business taxes, sales taxes, and other fees as the primary causes. This, coupled with the devastating wildfires, inflation, and lawsuits against the City totaling $247 million, has created a huge challenge for the fiscal year 25-26 budget. The CAO has recommended base-line funding for victim services in FY 24-25, pending the approval of the $2.3 million allocation; that total base-line figure represents only .09% of the City’s $12.8 Billion total budget . Providers have been warned of potential funding reductions for fiscal year 25-26.
While victim service providers in Los Angeles have made great strides influencing policy and funding to serve victims of gender-based violence, this population continues to be under-funded (GBV shelter beds are funded by the City at $40/night, whereas homeless services shelter bed nights are funded at $80/night, though the true cost is $139 per night) and excluded from the larger conversation on funding homelessness.
Victim service providers are at greater risk when there are system-wide funding cuts. Last April, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) led the effort advocating the State of California to fill the VOCA gap when it was announced that funding for this program would be reduced by 45%. Ultimately the State allocated resources, ensuring funding for FY 24-25, and in Los Angeles the City Council voted to add $6.5 million to ensure there was no shortfall for local victim service providers.
However, this brief interruption and threat to funding resulted in three providers in Los Angeles to lay off staff, and two were at risk of stopping operations. The pending State, Federal and now City funding cuts has caused service providers across the region to prepare for these shortfalls with hiring freezes and contingency plans – prioritizing essential, baseline programs and services. Victim service providers are especially at risk of losing substantial funding over the next three years under the federal administration. Victim service providers tend to be small or mid-size and are primarily funded by public sources (local, state, federal), with some agency budgets publicly funded at over 90%.
Currently, lawsuits against the City total $247 million, including claims of injury on public property, employment disputes, and police use of force and negligence. These lawsuits are reflective of the City’s poor infrastructure planning, and ineffective policies to regulate the Los Angeles Police Department. Budgets are a statement of values. Too often women and children and society’s most vulnerable populations are forgotten.
If we truly want to address homelessness, we need to support victims of domestic violence and ensure systems of care are adequately funded. Reducing the current and future budgets for victim services will only increase homelessness and strain public systems and social services in Los Angeles – we can’t afford that. Domestic violence shelters and programs are critical in preventing and ending homelessness. Domestic violence affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men – it is prevalent and impacts generations of women, men, and children.
Angelenos have the power to state their values by supporting survivors of gender-based violence. Urge your councilmember to vote for policies and funding to adequately support survivors in the upcoming budget cycle. It starts with us to hold elected officials accountable and build a community that values and prioritizes society’s most vulnerable individuals.