Jeff Augustino, 62, sits outside his tent in the Toms River homeless camp. Augustino can't work because he has ruptured discs in his back that he couldn't have repaired because he was already being treated for cancer.
Los Angeles, California – Los Angeles County’s newly approved homelessness budget includes tens of millions in cuts to established services, with one of the largest reductions hitting LA:RISE, the region’s primary workforce development program for the homeless. The program’s funding will drop by 78%, from $8.4 million last year to less than $1.8 million for the upcoming fiscal year, drastically reducing its capacity to serve those in need.
LA:RISE partners with 40 organizations, including Homeboy Industries, Goodwill, and Downtown Women’s Center, to provide temporary paid work, job training, and support for thousands of unhoused or at-risk Angelenos. Advocates for the program argue that workforce development is essential in breaking the cycle of homelessness and called the cuts a short-sighted move that will limit long-term stability for many individuals.
“Reducing the role of workforce development and employment in this budget eliminates the possibility of solving homelessness at its root,” said Greg Ericksen of REDF, which manages the program. “It reduces the odds of long-term stability after housing.”
The decision to cut funding for LA:RISE comes despite the county’s recent influx of revenue from Measure A, a voter-approved sales tax set to generate $1 billion annually for homelessness services and affordable housing. However, most of the new funds are being directed to a newly established affordable housing agency and local governments, rather than existing county-run programs. Facing a projected budget deficit, the county ultimately slashed over $60 million from existing homelessness services.
Amy Turk, CEO of the Downtown Women’s Center, which works closely with LA:RISE, said the program has been instrumental in providing economic stability to individuals exiting homelessness.
“In the grand sense of the county’s budget, it’s not that much, but the outcomes that we get are significant,” Turk said. “To hobble that is really disappointing.”
Former program participants like Alexandria Piñeda serve as proof of LA:RISE’s impact. Piñeda, who became homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic, joined the program through the Downtown Women’s Center and gained job training experience in candle-making. After completing 300 hours of paid training, she secured full-time employment and now mentors others facing similar challenges.
“?I did one job training program and I was on my feet and I’m stable now,” Piñeda said. “I’m saving to buy a home. I was able to get a car.”
Despite such success stories, research on workforce development’s long-term effectiveness in preventing homelessness is mixed. A 2019 study found that while LA:RISE participants initially had higher rates of employment and earnings, the advantages diminished over time. However, nonprofit leaders argue that steady employment is a crucial component of stability for those exiting homelessness.
With LA:RISE now facing significant enrollment cuts—600 fewer people will be served next year—many advocates worry about the consequences of sidelining employment programs.
“To invest in drug treatment and shelters and then drop the ball upon transitioning into the workforce will cause irreparable harm,” said Maria Alexander, executive director of the Center for Living and Learning. “Having a work location with peers who have overcome the same obstacles is immeasurable.”
The county’s Homeless Initiative is expected to propose at least $17 million in additional service reductions at an upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting, prompting further concerns about the future of essential programs. Meanwhile, organizations like Chrysalis, which also partners with LA:RISE, are bracing for a 50% reduction in participants next year.
“Last year, 2 million voters told our elected officials that they wanted Measure A and the supportive services it would fund,” said Mark Loranger, CEO of Chrysalis. “LA:RISE is part of that promise and should not be cut from the budget.”
The budget cuts will take effect on July 1, but advocates remain hopeful that LA:RISE funding can be restored in the future. Kelly LoBianco, director of the county’s Department of Economic Opportunity, acknowledged the program’s importance and hopes the reductions will be temporary.
“We think it’s an important program and an important model at a time like this,” LoBianco said. “We do feel like in addition to maintaining these levels, there’s also a need to scale them to meet the moment.”
