More than 80 families in Lancaster and Palmdale who were provided housing by an organization called Valley Oasis — through motel vouchers funded by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority — are now facing uncertainty.
The money for the program comes from voter-approved Measure H — a 25 cent sales tax initiative that generates funding specifically for homeless services and short term housing.
In December, families say they were told funding had run out. County officials were able to provide emergency funding to keep them in the motel rooms through the middle of January, but after that, their future remains uncertain.
“When we became aware of the immediate challenges that Valley Oasis was facing to keep families in motels, we mounted an all-hands-on-deck approach to ensure that families currently utilizing motel vouchers through Valley Oasis would not be exited back into homelessness,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “In partnership with Valley Oasis, LAHSA and the LA County Homeless Initiative, we were able to come together to identify immediate resources to continue to provide vouchers to families currently residing in motels. We’re also exploring long-term remedies to provide Valley Oasis with the support and resources they need to continue to serve families in the Antelope Valley.”
Organizers and officials are scheduled to meet Friday to try to find a way to keep the families in the motels.
One Lancaster mother of three set up a GoFundMe page to help her find housing for her family.
Kacey Montoya reports for the KTLA 5 News at 10 on Jan. 7, 2021.