HOLLYWOOD HILLS—Construction has been approved for a temporary homeless housing facility in Hollywood. The housing project is a part of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “A Bridge Home” program that works to put residents of Los Angeles on a path out of homelessness and into housing that addresses individual’s needs.
The temporary housing in Hollywood is scheduled to be open in January 2019 and, like other housing in the Bridge Home program, will be scheduled to stay open for three years. The temporary housing facility will be able to house 70 people at a time and 24-hour security would exist at the facility at all times.
This will be the second temporary housing facility built, as part of Mayor Garcetti’s program. The motion to complete the city’s formal review of the project was first introduced in August 2018 by Los Angeles City Council member Mitch O’Farrell of the 13th District.
The location being studied for bridge housing is in City Parking Lot 649, 1533 Schrader Blvd. Of the 55 parking spots currently existing, 50 of these spots are currently being leased by a local organization on a monthly basis. To address the loss of these spaces, new parking spots are being arranged at nearby sites.
The housing is not of the traditional overnight shelter structure. The housing would be for those who are homeless and have met the requirements for basic permanent housing and who are actively working with case managers to secure permanent housing.
With approval of the City Council, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is recommending that the proposed housing facility be operated by PATH and The Center at Blessed Sacrament, two seasoned service providers in Hollywood.
The motion will next be heard at the Homelessness and Poverty Committee, and then move to the Budget and Finance Committee, before being considered by the entire Los Angeles City Council. If city council approves the motion, construction could begin as early as October 2018 and meet the goal of being completed by January 2019.
