From Councilman Mike Bonin’s September Neighborhoods First Newsletter
Mike took another step to add more permanent supportive housing on the Westside this month.
On September 17, Mike asked his City Council colleagues to start the process of seeking a development team that can come up with proposals for permanent supportive housing for the homeless, and a new headquarters and office space for the Disability Community Resource Center – DCRC in Mar Vista.
The property, owned jointly by the City and DCRC, presents a unique opportunity to provide affordable housing and services for people who are homeless and/or disabled, and the project will be designed to be completely accessible to people with disabilities.
To address our homelessness crisis, neighborhoods need to do their part. Mike is excited that the City is partnering with such a valued and longtime community organization to try to provide homeless housing in Mar Vista.
By David Graham-Caso, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff to Councilman Mike Bonin
Six members of the Los Angeles City Council, including Council President Herb Wesson and Councilmembers Mike Bonin, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Jose Huizar, Paul Krekorian, and Nury Martinez joined the President and CEO of United Way Greater Los Angeles Elise Buik in downtown Los Angeles today to announce a citywide initiative to create a minimum of 3,330 supportive housing units across all fifteen council districts. A resolution was introduced at Wednesday’s city council meeting calling on each councilmember to pledge a minimum of 222 Proposition HHH-funded supportive housing units in their district for those experiencing homelessness. United Way will work as a partner to educate, engage, and organize communities across the city in support of this goal, which aims to have all units approved by July 1, 2020.
In November 2016, seventy-seven percent of Angelenos supported Proposition HHH: the Los Angeles Homelessness Reduction and Prevention Housing Bond committing $1.2 billion in bonds towards helping homeless individuals through the construction of supportive housing and homeless service facilities. Wesson, Buik, Bonin, Harris-Dawson, Huizar, Krekorian, and Martinez made the 222 Pledge announcement today at New Genesis Apartments in downtown L.A., where the Proposition HHH campaign was first launched.
“We are not going to solve or even make a significant dent in homelessness unless we are all part of the solution,” said Councilmember Mike Bonin. “All of us — every elected official, every part of the city, every demographic. It’s either all-hands-on-deck, or this ship is going to sink under the weight of this crisis.”
In a statement, Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke of his eagerness to work with the City Council to see this commitment through.
“I applaud the City Council for taking on this challenge,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The homelessness and affordability crises touch every community in Los Angeles, and I look forward to working closely with my Council colleagues to bridge our housing gap.”
Elise Buik, President & CEO of the United Way of Greater L.A. explained United Way’s role in the 222-per-district goal.
“Homelessness touches every corner of our city, and the solutions must do the same,” said Buik. “United Way is committed to partnering with elected and community leaders across the region to educate, organize, and advocate for the creation of new supportive housing in every city council district.”
Councilmembers Wesson, Harris-Dawson, Huizar, Krekorian, and Martinez all stressed collective action.
“With each councilmember’s pledge, Los Angeles is sending a message: actions speak louder than words in the fight against homelessness,” said Council President Herb Wesson. “Homelessness is not an issue we will solve overnight, but it is one we will continue working on around-the-clock.”
“So many constituents, across the City, want to help, but worry that they are alone,” said Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson. “Today, we are creating a concrete path forward to address homelessness together. Proposition HHH lets us pay for solutions together, the 222 initiative will let us build the solution together.”
“I strongly support this effort to provide homeless housing more equally throughout the City,” said Councilmember Jose Huizar, a co-author of Proposition HHH and a proponent of projects like the New Genesis Skid Row Housing Trust apartments. “While it is true that some council districts like the one I represent have supported a disproportionate amount of similar housing, as the City moves forward with HHH-funded projects, we need our colleagues on the City Council to commit to housing in all communities. One of the great challenges of homelessness that we all face is that it is no longer relegated to a few areas of the city. It is everywhere. Homeless housing with supportive services needs to be equal to that challenge.”
“We’ve all got to do more to tackle homelessness, including building additional permanent supportive housing in every area of the city,” said Councilmember Paul Krekorian. “This plan shows a real commitment to increasing the level of housing and services in our districts, so that we can get thousands of people off the streets and prevent them from falling back into homelessness.”
“Homelessness affects our entire city,” Councilwoman Nury Martinez said. “It’s why, as Councilmembers, we need to work together solve it. No single district or community can or should do it alone. A joint approach and shared responsibility is at the heart of today’s resolution.”
People lined up to speak on PSH Ordinance at City Hall
By Angela McGregor
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission passed the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Ordinance December 14th.
There were upwards of 90 public speakers both in favor of and opposed to the Ordinance. Members of both the Oxford Triangle Association and Venice Vision were present to express their opposition to the measure. Most of those favoring the measure spoke in favor of Permanent Supportive Housing generally. Speakers included Becky Dennison, from Venice Community Housing Corporation, who stated that the Ordinance would not apply to either the Venice & Dell Project or the Thatcher Yard Project; Linda Lucks, who introduced herself as a former President of the Venice Neighborhood Council and stated her approval of the ordinance; two representatives of the League of Women Voters, who demanded that PSH be built “as soon as possible”.
Comments of those opposed to the measure generally pointed out that thorough CEQA review and public input with regard to density and parking (which this ordinance would limit or eliminate) are essential to good public planning and the long term success of any development.
Because there were so many speakers present, the Planning Commission waived the use of speaker cards and instead went with a first-come, first-serve format, giving each speaker 1 minute. Public Commentary lasted almost two hours.
Planning Staff then spoke in rebuttal to the comments. They stated that 72 percent of public comments favored the ordinance, and made no mention of the written comments that had been submitted, which according to the Staff Report numbered in the hundreds and were overwhelmingly opposed to the measure. In response to the many Venice residents who spoke against the measure, Planning Staff stated that neither of the projects could “utilize the PSH Ordinance” in order to increase density or eliminate parking.
The Planning Commission’s questions and comments to staff primarily focussed on whether or not, under the ordinance, projects could be even more dense — 450 sf units as opposed to 500 sf. They also praised the staff for what they felt was a “careful” and “well thought out” ordinance, which they ultimately approved.
The ordinance will now go to the City Council for final approval.
Darryl DuFay and Chris Wrede of Fight Back Venice (FBV) pass out literature at the Venice Farmer’s Market regarding the proposed 140-unit Venice Median project that will be both affordable and permanent supportive housing.
