WEST HOLLYWOOD—The West Hollywood Homeless Initiative is resuming its program to provide on-site outreach and services at West Hollywood Library for community members who are experiencing homelessness.
The program, which started providing outreach and services in October 2016, is a strategic collaboration between West Hollywood, LA County Library, and West Hollywood’s contracted social services provider organizations which include APLA Health, Ascencia, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Step Up on Second, and Tarzana Treatment Centers. The organizations are partnering to offer on-site weekday outreach hours to help people connect to services and support at West Hollywood Library, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
“The library outreach program is an innovative offering that advances the City’s Five-Year Plan to Address Homelessness in Our Community and support people’s well-being,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister, who is a member of the West Hollywood City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness. “The on-site teams help connect people experiencing homelessness with resources that accelerate getting back into housing — whether it’s supportive counseling, enrolling in shelter services, signing up for substance abuse treatment, finding jobs, or other needed support. We are so grateful for the collaborative partnership with LA County Library and our contracted service providers, whom our community members rely on for help and support.”
“One of our City’s core values is respect and support for people, and the library outreach program epitomizes the City’s longtime commitment to this value by making lifesaving resources and information available in a safe and dignified community space,” said Mayor Pro Tempore Sepi Shyne, who is also a member of the West Hollywood City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness.
According to a press release from the city of West Hollywood, representatives of West Hollywood’s contracted social services agencies coordinate outreach. They are nonprofit organizations with expertise in serving people who are experiencing homelessness, including LGBTQ youth and people who have mental health needs and/or substance use issues. The providers also make referrals to other needed services and programs.
The program offers outreach and services at West Hollywood Library in the second-floor meeting room during the following hours, unless otherwise noted:
-Mondays, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ascencia
-Tuesdays, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Los Angeles LGBT Center
-Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ascencia & 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Tarzana Treatment Center
-Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Step Up (1st Floor, JVS WeHo Works Office) & Los Angeles LGBT Center (2nd Floor)
-Friday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., APLA Health
The 32,000-square-foot West Hollywood Library showcases the city’s, literary, and cultural communities and provides a landmark facility for the community’s passionate commitment to lifelong learning.
West Hollywood noted a commitment to providing social services to community members in-need and to improve quality of life. Since its founding, West Hollywood has provided millions of dollars in grants to fund programs that include services for people who are experiencing homelessness, seniors, people living with HIV/AIDS, members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, alcohol and drug use recovery programs, support programs for Russian-speaking immigrants, food programs, and health care services for people who are uninsured. Currently, the City’s Social Services Division budgets approximately $5 million per year to support programs that impact thousands of people in West Hollywood.
The city’s Homeless Initiative seeks to address homelessness with a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, collaborative response. Individuals concerned about a community member who is homeless can contact the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative Concern Line at (323) 848-6590. If time-sensitive assistance during nights or weekends can be made by contacting the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station non-emergency number, (310) 855-8850. Visit www.weho.org/homeless for additional information.
For more details about the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative Library Outreach program call Jenny Ivanova, West Hollywood’s Strategic Initiatives Specialist, at (323) 848-6302 or at jivanova@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing call TTY (323) 848-6496.
