Washington –

Because the elevator is broken and the air conditioning system is unstable, Gower Street Apartments I desperately needed an update when I received a surprising phone call from a building owner earlier this year. A city housing official suggested that perhaps the council could fund renovations to housing developments that help former homeless people.

After years of scorn in Washington, Restoration of the role of parliament It could help address common challenges facing this building and other affordable housing developments. Large amounts of money are available to lenders and governments to build new homes, but not to renovate existing homes.

Nonetheless, it was the first call in February that someone suggested seeking help from Congress. Community of Friends, the nonprofit owner of Hollywood apartments housing 50 low-income people, many of whom are seniors and people with disabilities, said, I never got one,” said the CEO. Dora Gallo said.

The $3 million that could flow from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles to furnish the Gower Street Apartments, which were built in 1930 and became supportive housing in 1997, is being used by Mayor Karen Bass to draw on her legislative experience. I am demonstrating one of the ways I am trying to solve the problem. The city’s most pressing problem.

Earmarks is now known as Community Project Funding. Returning in 2021 after a 10-year ban in parliament. Their return has reignited debate over whether lawmakers should be allowed to direct tax dollars to priority projects in their constituencies. The debate is, somewhat surprisingly, among three California Democrats vying to succeed Diane Feinstein, who is leaving the U.S. Senate in the next election. Over 30 years.

Bass asked all the members. House and Senate representing Los Angeles uses one of the allotted 15 allocation requests per year for projects related to homelessness and the housing crisis that her team has identified within the district. The $40 million request represents just a fraction of the multitrillion-dollar federal budget, according to Bass’ office.

But next year, Bass hopes to have more time and planning to coordinate more requests.

“It’s important for the city to seek resources from all levels of the public sector, and this is one way to bring resources from the federal government to the city,” Bass told The Times.

“I was in Congress for 10 years before I won a community project, but unfortunately I only had two years,” Bass said. “I wish I could have delivered resources directly to the district through his 12 years of being there.”

Nearly $20 million (about half the money sought by the Los Angeles delegation and California senators) is her signature effort to move the homeless Angelenos to hotels, motels and other facilities. It will be used to strengthen a certain inside safe.

“It’s a more direct way to reach the finish line,” said Sen. Alex Padilla, who co-led the Inside Safe funding request with Feinstein.

These questions are the first step in a long process of determining what will be reflected in the final spending bill later this year. There are no guarantees and even reason to worry.

Still, there is hope for Bass. 2021 and beyond, California State Legislative Delegation — flat some Republicans — raised funds to renovate affordable housing, build new shelters, and fund a series of programs to help homeless people.

“The process is in some ways more coherent and more transparent,” said Steve Berg, chief policy officer for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “There will always be something that the community really needs but none of the federal programs are paying for. Earmarks can be used to fill that gap.”

Last year, when Democrats controlled Congress, the final budget included a budget of about $9 billion, with about $775 million going to California and $1.75 billion going to the United States, according to one report. The money was used to “work to prevent homelessness, expand affordable housing and improve local infrastructure,” it said.U.S. Government Accountability Office report. this year’s budget It contains Planned amount of about $15 billion.

This year, the request for designation is defeated by a double challenge and uncertainty. Republicans, who control the House and the budget process, want to cut federal spending. And the recently announced agreement to allow the federal government to continue borrowing includes caps on spending on domestic programs such as homelessness assistance.

Last fiscal year, designated spending was capped at 1% of discretionary spending, but this year under the Republican administration, it cannot exceed 0.5%. Since Republicans have a majority, they are expected to win more quotas, even if lawmakers demand far less.

Members said the changes, including limiting the scope of projects that could be approved, made it more difficult to apply. Connecticut Rep. Rosa De Lauro, a Democratic stalwart on the House Appropriations Committee, warned his colleagues in a letter in mid-May that quota requests could be negated by as much as 70 percent.

Despite the uncertainty, Bass continues to prepare the project in case the funding is approved.

Some of the money the mayor requested from his former colleagues went to renovations, funded drug use treatment pilot programs and, in one instance, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (Democrat) for city destruction. , Los Angeles) to fund a $10 million request. Owned parking structure so it can be replaced by a supportive housing project.

in the case of Gower Street Apartments, The $3 million request came from Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), who was joined by two Democrats, Rep. Barbara Lee (Oakland) and Rep. Katie Porter (Irvine). are running to replace Feinstein in a field that includes Democrats in Congress. Schiff said in an interview that the designation allows him to have a direct impact on the communities he serves.

His office looks for projects that have the resources to do so and that could help vulnerable people.

“My feeling is that if I can help voters, I will. It’s worth more than being talked about for me,” Schiff said.

Lee also filed a number of demands, including a demand for payment of about $3 million. Spent on homeless interim navigation Center with shelter and housing units in San Leandro.

She has a history of defending Earmark, even if it puts her at odds with her party’s leaders. In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama said: he will veto any bill It includes a goal to “rebuild people’s trust in government institutions.” Ms. Lee opposed the move, recalling in her interview that she sent a letter to President Obama reprimanding him for actions that prevented members like her from bringing resources to their communities.

On much of the policy debate, the top three Democratic rivals in the Senate race share many of the same views, but here’s a rare topic on which they disagree.

Shifu and Lee are all on target. Mr. Porter is the only House Democrat who did not submit any requests during the last Congress.

Her opposition to what many conservative lawmakers call “poke” represents one of the most obvious differences between Rep. Irvine, who won in a hotly contested area, and the two opponents who represent safer Democratic territory. there is

Porter cites former Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham (Rancho Santefe, Republican), who went to prison for accepting millions of dollars in bribes to direct certain projects. They argue that this financing method could be a source of corruption.

“People in the public sector have all the data on which programs are most effective, where the money is most needed, and how best to deliver it,” Porter said. “I think they are in a better position to do it in a more transparent and fair way.”

she was put in because of porter’s objection do lines with her lot Republican Party angry colleague oppose the program. Earmarks were banned in 2011 at the height of the conservative Tea Party movement and following a scandal over perceived excessive spending.But since they came back, even more member Some Republicans use them.

According to multiple sources, who were given anonymity to speak freely about another congressman, her opposition to the quota came as a result of Porter’s stand-up, a Democratic colleague who accused Porter of exposing congressmen to criticism from Republicans. It is said to have provoked the anger of several people.

Her first objection was editorial format in the Wall Street Journal. Several members of the California delegation noted that when Earmark was reinstated, it would come with new restrictions on what could be covered, more disclosure requirements and a ban on funding for-profit organizations. .

“Kudos to the guardrails. I think they are improvements. Are we in a position?” Porter said.

Rep. Brad Sherman rolled his eyes when he was informed that his Democratic colleagues were against these provisions. At Bass’ request, the longtime San Fernando Valley Representative asked for $3.8 million to renovate a 42-unit supportive housing complex in Canoga Park. He also requested $3 million to help the nonprofit Hope of the Valley buy 30 modular homes.

Since Earmark was handed back, Sherman has earned about $11 million for housing projects. Sherman is unapologetic about the idea that if the federal government spends money, it should be spent in or near his constituency, and the Northridge Democrats also voted for the federal government Porter abandoned for his own Orange County constituency. If they have the funds, they are happy to divert them. San Fernando Valley.

“You don’t use Porter? For God’s sake, that money should be donated to the Valley,” Sherman said. “I think I know the Valley better than anyone here in Washington.”

Like Sherman and others, Rep. Sidney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) appreciated the outreach from Bus. She replaced her in Congress and both called after her inauguration to discuss homelessness issues with Earmark.

The mayor asked Mr. Kamlager to submit a request for about $1.8 million to be used to renovate buildings in his district occupied by former homeless people. She again requested $2.6 million to help synagogues in the district build her 55 subsidized apartments for seniors.

“She called me and said, ‘I need help,'” Kamlager said.