Hispanos Press

LOS ANGELES – May 17, 2019 – For years the federal government has allowed “mixed-status” families that include members who are eligible and others who are ineligible for housing assistance based on their immigration status to live together in subsidized housing. The subsidy for such households is prorated to exclude the ineligible family members from the assistance. In Los Angeles approximately one third of the city’s 21,000 public housing residents would be affected by this, including 7,500 children, most of whom are citizens.

Last week HUD issued proposed regulations that would require mixed status families to leave assisted housing or ask the ineligible family member to leave.

The proposal presents a serious threat to families participating in the County’s subsidized housing programs. The implementation of this rule will absolutely lead to the homelessness of individuals and families who are currently members of mixed-status households.

Antonia Hernández, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation issued the following statement:

“This proposed rule is cruel and does nothing to alleviate the affordable housing crisis. The administration’s proposal would tear apart vulnerable families and force thousands of citizens and eligible immigrants to consider a heart-wrenching choice: keep their home or separate their family. What is a home without a family? Where is our moral compass? Our region is already struggling to combat our housing crisis and the unrelenting attacks on our immigrant families – be it housing, healthcare or education.  We know how critical a stable home is to a young person’s future. And it should go without saying that these children and their families will drive the future of Los Angeles County.

We stand united to continue supporting immigrant efforts during these challenging times. While this proposed rule would be a setback, we will continue to support our community partners and leaders in their committed efforts to achieve a just and practical immigration system that upholds the dignity of all communities and families.”

Learn more about HUD’s proposed rule and what you can do to at keep-families-together.org

By Jacqueline García, La Opinión

Cal State Los Angeles newsroom

By Mildred Europa Taylor, Face 2 Face Africa

The latest funding cycle heavily prioritizes educational retention, helping low-income college students navigate the unexpected non-tuition emergencies that threaten graduation.

Council on Foundation’s newsroom

By Tanu Henry, Los Angeles Sentinel

The California Community Foundation (CCF) believes in a future where all Angelenos have the opportunity to contribute to the productivity, health and well-being of our region. Our common fate will be determined by how successfully we improve the quality of life for all our residents. Our children represent the future of our community and their well-being is one of our primary concerns. If we want them to realize their potential, we need to ensure they have high-quality educational experiences and opportunities to succeed. CCF’s mission is to create lasting change to serve the most vulnerable in our communities. We must ensure that the second largest school district in the county has the resources to tackle the challenges facing our students and communities.

That is why we support the Los Angeles Unified School District Parcel Tax, Measure EE, that will go before voters on June 4, 2019. The measure, if approved by voters, will generate approximately $500 million annually for LA Unified schools.

A parcel tax of $.016 per square foot tax – a tax of $240 a year for an owner of a 1,500-square-foot home, is the difference between a student thriving in a classroom versus being invisible because of unwieldy classroom sizes. This critical funding is the difference between students who have the space to grow and dream versus students who are in under resourced schools that diminish their hopes. Through decades of underfunding, we’ve asked our students and teachers to do more with less. We’ve applied band-aids through one-time funding or grant programs.

Now is the time for an investment to retain and attract quality teachers. We need decisive action steps to realize the deep transformation necessary for the district to deliver the quality education our children deserve. But first let’s establish a stable foundation of teachers along with additional counselors, school nurses, principals and important support staff. A dedicated revenue stream is essential to help meet the mental, physical and academic needs of students, as well as expand arts and music programs in neighborhood schools.

Community engagement and support is critical for any Measure with this level of significance. Currently, the Measure is supported by the LAUSD School Board, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 and Los Angeles affiliates of the Million Voters Project.

Accountability for this Measure is also important. We are encouraged by the Measure’s strong fiscal accountability and oversight. A public oversight committee, whose membership is to be decided by the LAUSD Board of Education will also be established.

Educators, students and families in Los Angeles need more resources and support, and we collectively have a responsibility to ensure our schools receive the funding needed to help every student learn and grow to their full potential. Together we can ensure that all our students have the educational opportunities to meet their full potential.

CONTACT
Roshin Mathew
rmathew [@] calfund [.] org
(213) 452-6229