A few weeks ago, we learned that homelessness rose 9% in Los Angeles County over the last year to 75,518 people. This heart-wrenching statistic reaffirmed what I’ve been saying all along: funding alone won’t solve the crisis on our streets. We need supportive services to address the underlying issues, especially regarding mental health and substance abuse, to accompany shelter and housing resources. Building more housing is important, but providing housing alone is not a silver bullet that will instantly fix what is happening.

That’s why I’m proud that there has been so much progress on Bridge to Home’s shelter in the Santa Clarita Valley. Between discretionary dollars and Measure H funding, I’ve allocated $5.3 million toward this important project to bring both shelter and services to individuals and families most in need.

Once the shelter is built, it is slated to serve more than 1,000 people in its first year of operation with holistic services, including mental health, education and career support. To mark an important milestone on the construction of the project, I joined the Santa Clarita City Council and Bridge to Home team to ceremonially sign the beam of the shelter on Wednesday. July 13.

This project is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when a nonprofit, a city, and the county work together toward a common goal. We need similar focus on supportive services across Los Angeles County. Addressing homelessness is hard, but it is not hopeless.

For more information visit Bridge to Home.

Katheryn Barger serves Los Angeles County’s 5th District which spans 2,785 square miles and is the largest supervisorial district in Los Angeles County and includes 20 cities and 83 unincorporated communities, including all of the Antelope, Crescenta and Santa Clarita Valleys and parts of the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys.