Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-California) and local leaders on Wednesday to express support for the reintroduction of a bill that would invest billions of federal dollars in housing and homelessness programs.

The Housing for All Act, which Padilla previously introduced in 2022 and 2023, would direct money to supportive housing programs for the elderly and disabled, the National Housing Trust Fund, the Housing Choice Vouchers program and other efforts. The bill would also support local responses to the homelessness crisis, including converting motel and hotel rooms into permanent supportive housing and mobile crisis intervention teams for

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Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) introduced companion legislation in the House. The bill also did not reach the president’s desk when it was previously introduced.

Housing is a basic human right, not a privilege, Padilla said Wednesday. “I’m reintroducing the Housing for All Act to finally treat the homelessness and affordable housing crises with the seriousness they deserve, and I won’t stop this fight until everyone has a place to call home.

Padilla’s legislation would authorize $14.5 billion for the Project-Based Rental Assistance program, which allows renters to pay rent based on their income, and another $40 million to provide technical assistance to recipients or applicants for the program.

It would also allocate $15 billion to be spent over 10 years for Continuum of Care grants, which provide funding to nonprofits and state and local governments addressing homelessness.

Bass praised the bill’s support of national efforts that she said are already making a difference in the fight against homelessness. “This bill would invest in federal programs that have a proven track record,” she said. “The point is, we know how to solve this problem. This crisis will not be solved at one level of government.”

The bill funds programs aimed at addressing the lack of affordable housing, preventing evictions and supporting people living on the streets. Although the bill has not been passed into law in recent years, Bass says she remains committed to its passage.

“We will continue to advocate until it reaches President Biden’s desk for his signature,” she said.