900 Pacific Palisades Avenue
When I was 17, I made a documentary about people living in an encampment in Palisades Park, atop the cliffs overlooking the ocean. I called it 900 Pacific Palisades Ave.
Shane in the editing bay at 17 working on the documentary
I believed that if people could see the human beings behind the headlines—their hopes, fears, and wisdom—it might change the world. When one of the men asked why I was making the film, my answer surprised me: “My family could become homeless at any minute.” I had never consciously had that thought before. The safety I felt with this stoic, wise, and gentle man helped me name my deepest fear.
Within three years, my father died, my brother and I were illegally evicted, and we became homeless teenage orphans. Like the more than 600,000 families currently in Los Angeles paying more than 90% of their income toward rent, we were one crisis away from homelessness.
We have all been bombarded with news about the latest homeless count and the political game of hot potato surrounding it. Amid the negativity and scapegoating, it’s easy to feel powerless. When even the experts disagree about the causes and solutions, empathy and hope can feel unbearable. It becomes easier to look away.
But we don’t have to.
We can refuse to let our discomfort block our empathy and remember that we have the power to make a difference.
And we are making a difference.
As part of Liberty Hill’s beloved community, you are investing in Change, Not Charity.
Through our Stay Housed LA program, hundreds of thousands of tenants have been able to tap into their collective power to prevent evictions and homelessness.
Prevention means ensuring renters understand their rights, can access help early, and have trusted advocates beside them before a housing crisis becomes a housing loss.
Stay Housed LA is a public-private partnership created by our longtime community organizing partners and funded by city and county government. Liberty Hill serves as its backbone, using our infrastructure to move public dollars to tenant-led grassroots organizations. This strengthens the capacity and power of those closest to the problem to bring their solutions to scale and helps ensure that hard-won changes are implemented and sustained.
In 5 Years, Stay Housed LA has...
Government, however, never pays the full cost of this work. That creates enormous strain for our organizations, but also a meaningful opportunity for our supporters.
Your support is indispensable.
When you support Liberty Hill, you secure our independence and our ability to uplift the voices of people on the frontlines.
Fueled by you, we will continue investing in everyday people working to make housing a human right. That’s our Agenda for a Just Future.
Learn more about how Liberty Hill is helping people remain in their homes.
In the meantime, as my dad used to say, “We are rich in love.” Let’s remember what matters most—and not let all the negativity stop us from living and loving freely.
In solidarity,
Shane Murphy Goldsmith
President & CEO
Liberty Hill Foundation