In downtown Los Angeles, there is an area riddled with drug abuse, homelessness, and mental illness. This place is called Skid Row. There are approximately 3,500 homeless people on Skid Row. Many of whom suffer from mental illnesses. I focused on Skid Row because I'm interested in learning how certain mental illnesses and health issues can lead to homelessness and what I can do to show the stories these people have experienced. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Inside the Downtown Women Center, there is an outreach facility in the heart of Skid Rows that this year provided more than 73 homes to women who were facing homelessness. This facility helps people with mental illnesses who have been disenfranchised by mental health services. DWC has case management capabilities for people who find homes to ensure they are safe. I think this is a key area to help address homelessness and those struggling with mental illness. According to the LA Times, "Los Angeles' chronically homeless population has grown 55 percent since 2013. More than a third of the nation's chronically homeless live in California." In the Skid Row DWC organization, I want to advocate as a negotiator for DWC's Housing for Health. Through Housing for Health, I will work to build innovative housing for women who need rapid access to permanent, quality housing. Some of these women were victims of the 2008 real estate crash, domestic violence and drug abuse, mental illness, trauma and physical disability. I will help promote Section 8 housing or another company-funded support program, Brilliant Corners to Landlords, via phone or in person. Through this action, I will be the go-between, reaching across Los Angeles County to provide supportive housing to women in need. The women of the DWC will be the beneficiaries of my Housing for Health advocacy work. In a 2008 survey conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, “25 cities were asked to name the top three causes of homelessness in their communities. Mental illness was the third leading cause of homelessness for single adults (mentioned by 48% of cities). This quote expresses the vulnerability of this population to homelessness and how cities know that it is a prevalent problem. Mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, makes it difficult to cope with environmental stressors, which cause immense suffering to many of these individuals. In addition to mental illness, women in DWC deal with the underlying influences of trauma. They have often faced sexual violence, lost a loved one, witnessed or experienced abuse first hand. It can be a catalyst for mental illness or accompany it. The literature on the process of women and trauma is not new (Goodman 1999) is usually related to mental illness later in the life of women who are members of the DWC show some form of trauma in their life. My project sponsor is Angela Tuckerman She is an MSW at the Downtown Women's Center at 325 Los Angeles St in Los Angeles, California. She will supervise me in familiarizing myself with the Section 8 Housing Project program, Brilliant Corners, and learning how to approach landlords in person. Additionally, I am familiarizing myself with the Housing Authority regulations relating to landlord rights and responsibilities of property owners and why it would be beneficial for them to sign up for Section 8 Housing. Since he works as a case manager within the.