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Build homes for the homeless? Sure, just not in my backyard

Project to raise US$1.2b by hiking property taxes gets huge support, but hits a wall with potential neighbours

Published Sun, Oct 1, 2017 · 09:50 PM

Los Angeles

FINDING US$1.2 billion to build housing for the homeless - as voters here did last year by overwhelmingly approving an increase in their own property taxes - may turn out to have been the easy part.

Los Angeles is now witnessing a fight that demonstrates why developing housing for the homeless has been such a tough challenge across California, even when there is funding, goodwill and an open piece of land.

A proposal to build a 49-unit shelter in the Boyle Heights neighbourhood has been blocked by a City Council committee after running up against a wall of opposition.

Opponents invoked environmental concerns i…

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