Austerity budget cuts to basic needs and services at the federal, state, and local levels, are putting more students and families at risk of becoming homeless with no safety net to get back on their feet. The good news is that Measure ULA (also known as the “Mansion Tax”) has generated over $784 million to prevent evictions and build affordable housing. So far, this revenue (generated from a tax on real estate sales over $5 million) has accelerated the development of hundreds of new affordable units and provided rental assistance to more than 10,000 households in LA. 

While Measure ULA has emerged as a promising revenue source to start tackling the housing crisis, the latest numbers show that the rate of homelessness among children and families in LA has gone up. 

As part of the member-endorsed Win Our Future platform of demands, the UTLA member bargaining team presented a new Housing Supports article (page 91) to the district in February to enshrine proposals into our contract for on-campus housing support services, district-funded shower and washer access for students, and more to support students and families facing homelessness — plus a detailed commitment to develop affordable housing for LAUSD families on unused LAUSD land. 

So far, the district has rejected formalizing any of the proposals in our contract and has brought nothing to the table to keep families housed in LA and our students in school. With $4.9 billion sitting in reserves, the district has no excuse to refuse added support for students and families struggling to find shelter or stay housed. 

UTLA Members marching through DTLA with tenants, union workers, and community organizations in September 2024 to demand affordable housing for every Angeleno.