Gap-filling Support

Affordable housing and homelessness

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

The 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count estimates that in Service Provider Area 8 (South Bay) there were a total of 6,476 people (sheltered and unsheltered) were experiencing homelessness. Another estimated 5,930 households (sheltered and unsheltered) experienced homelessness in the same region. Those seeking housing struggle to consistently meet the requirements to successfully move through the process into permanent housing. Case workers are overburdened and under-resourced. Currently in Council District 15 all of our service providers are experiencing staffing shortages. Service providers funding streams are often restricted to specific populations and/or needs.

Harbor Connects gap-filling fund is designed to meet the need of individuals and families in immediate need. Our fund priorities include individuals and families at risk of losing housing, those who recently moved into or will move into housing, currently unhoused populations and similar needs within similar populations in the Harbor Area. Harbor Connects supports the community through wayfinding- helping individuals and families navigate services available to them based on their needs. Harbor Connects also provides micro grants ($300- $2,500) to individuals needing an immediate infusion of cash. What do they use it for? Bottom line: whatever they need. We vet each request carefully, but the bottom line is that we trust them. Importantly, we have deep relationships with formal and informal service providers who work with people on the edge. Sometimes, these people have immediate, and often shockingly modest needs. Yet their systems don’t allow them to react nimbly enough. Our power is our relationships combined with a small pile of cash, which allows us to play a crucial stopgap role. Over the last four years, we've given away over $300,000 to families across Council District 15.

Los Angeles County, specifically the Harbor Area, will see an increase in permanently housed neighbors — that remain housed. Harbor Connects will also alleviate service provider burnout and isolation through building collaborative relationships and helping to actively support their participants. Additionally, we seek to alleviate barriers created by chronic staffing shortages present in service provider organizations. Available resources will be better utilized through wayfinding efforts and immediate needs will be supported through gap-filling support allowing our neighbors to remain housed, become housed, and maintain housing. Individuals and families will have increased access to resources and supports to meet their basic needs. Harbor Connects aims to support our service providers as well as individuals and families- creating a more collaborative community. Future expansion includes the Neighbors Helping Neighbors volunteer program and Community Based Organization Collaboratives.

Harbor Connects began as the Harbor Neighborhood Relief fund in 2020 and became an independent 501 (c) 3 in 2022. Since 2022, there have been increased efforts to collect data in order to measure outcomes. Currently, we have anecdotal data that indicates folks are maintaining housing- decreasing the influx of unhoused neighbors and stress on the homelessness system. Additionally, we have anecdotal data to support folks successfully entering into shelter and temporary housing- leading them to more long term housing. Service providers will report marked increased in feelings of support and ability to create successful outcomes for their participants. Harbor Connects will help alleviate barriers caused by staffing shortages present in service provider organizations through directly supporting neighbors to achieve housing.