Barragán Talks Investment Bill at YWCA

On Aug. 4, Rep. Nannette Diaz Barragán visited the Young Women’s Christian Association of the Harbor Area to discuss a bill that will provide about $2 million to the organization.

Barragán voted on House Resolution 4502 on July 29. The resolution is a package of seven government funding bills that would appropriate investments into health, housing, education, veterans and infrastructure. The legislation would also invest $6.5 million in local community projects in the 44th District, such as the YWCA, at the request of Barragán. The overall budget for the district lies at around $32 million with $7.5 million for the community and $25 million for transportation.

“These are all important projects that will meet varied needs of my constituents,” said Barragán about the investment package. “They will improve access to healthcare for underserved communities, advance early childhood education, fund services for homeless and housing insecure people, create green spaces in public housing, and more.”

To choose these projects, in March of 2021 Barragán’s office put out a call for proposals for local community organizations that were in need of funding. The YWCA was one of the organizations chosen out of the estimated one hundred applications.

This funding would allow the YWCA to expand their services by increasing their capacity for childcare, developing workforce development programs and providing health services.

Moreover, it would aid a planned project to demolish a segment of the building and construct a new permanent supportive housing site for houseless women and children in the Los Angeles Harbor area of San Pedro, providing them with direct access to the services provided. This project is estimated to cost $15 to $16 million in total. There are also plans to purchase an empty lot across the street that will further expand services provided, which brings the cost up to about $27 million.

While visiting the YWCA, Barragán engaged in a conversation with three women who utilize some of YWCA’s services. The women discussed their journey to receiving services from the YWCA, mentioning that they were initially not aware of the varied services the YWCA provided. After they shared her stories with her, Barragán pointedly remarked that they are “examples of those who can make use of the new housing facilities.”

The organization receives funding from local denizens, local clubs, and fundraisers. One such fundraiser is a “royal afternoon tea,” which was provided for the congresswoman and those in attendance.

Barragán also discussed the increasing cost of housing.

“Housing policies are ridiculous,” Barragán said. “[There is] a housing problem in the whole United States, but it is worse here in California.”

Leaders from the YWCA also discussed the importance of a “permanent solution” that the organization strives for, in contrast to a temporary solution that provides services for a limited time frame, which only adds more stress for those on the receiving end.

For the additional costs of the YWCA’s intended developments, it is proposed that the organization will be supported through tax credits, along with county and state funding. In regards to county and state funding, Executive Administrator Sonia Bailey shared that Supervisor Janice Hahn has been supportive of the organization, and the YWCA has already reached out to Sen. Diane Feinstein and Sen. Alex Padilla for assistance.

“[We already] approved a digital workplace [to do things] such as teaching how to make a Zoom call or Google skills,” Bailey said.

For now, Barragán stated that its simply a “waiting game” for future developments on the package. The bill has passed through the House of Representatives and was received in the Senate on Aug 3. It must be voted on by the Oct 1 deadline for the fiscal year.

It also remains uncertain how much support will be received from Republican colleagues in the Senate, leaving the floor open for possible reconciliation if the bill is sent back from the Senate.

“Some people see it as wasted money…[but] it’s helping a great cause [and that those in Washington] have never understood what it is like to lose a job.” she said.