West Hollywood’s Homeless Count Surged by 31% Over the Number Last Year
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Homeless person on Santa Monica Boulevard. (Photo by Jon Viscott)That compares to a 12% increase in all of Los Angeles County, where 58,936 homeless people were identified. That count doesn’t include Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena, which do not participate in the annual countywide survey but conduct their own count.
The point-in-time survey identified 100 homeless people in West Hollywood in 2018 and 105 in 2017, a number that has grown substantially since 2015, when it totaled 54 people.
The January count found 111 homeless people living on the streets. Another 12 were living in cars or vans or campers, and eight were living in tents or other makeshift spaces. The count doesn’t include homeless people who might be sleeping on the couches of friends or acquaintances.
The City of West Hollywood has created a homelessness initiative to deal with the growing issue. That initiative includes outreach teams with Sheriff’s deputies and people who can help address mental health and substance abuse issues. The outreach teams offer access to shelter, substance abuse treatment, health care, mental health services, and housing opportunities. They also provide assistance such as food and hygiene kits, as well as blankets, socks, and other emergency supplies.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Mental Evaluation Team has housed some of its staff members at the West Hollywood Station. That makes it easier for Sheriff’s deputies to effectively respond to an issue involving a homeless person who apparently is mentally ill.
In January, the city announced that it was the recipient of $300,000 in Measure H funding for a study of city-owned and alternative sites for bridge and permanent housing. Measure H raised the county sales tax by .5% to provide services and programs to help the homeless.
Currently, homeless local residents who seek city help are placed in temporary housing operated by city contractors such as Ascencia and Step Up on Second, which offer multiple services. Ascenia has housed 50 formerly homeless people from West Hollywood and Step Up on Second has housed 28. They include chronically homeless people suffering from severe and persistent mental illness, which make the barriers and challenges in bringing people into service and housing even greater. Tarzana Treatment Center has provided drug and alcohol detox services and shelter to 22 homeless West Hollywood residents. McIntyre House has assisted 35. NCJW/LA and the Alliance for Health & Healing have assisted residents having difficult paying their rent.
However, some homeless people have declined such assistance because it would house them far outside the City of West Hollywood in cities such as Glendale and Tarzana.
Residents who are concerned about a person who is homeless are asked to the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative Concern Line at (323) 848-6590. If your concern requires time-sensitive assistance during nights or weekends, call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at (310) 855-8850. For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/homeless.
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west
hollywood/lacounty beware!!!!!!!!!—-u r–paying staffs!!!!–to
****&&&&&abuse —abused people!!!!!—–instead
of—-providing–legal justice—compensation—u r paying staffs—to abuse
—abused people!!!!!!!!!—**************expedited —IMMEDIATELY
sought—rl/pntv dmgs–pls pain/suffering!!!!!!!—-in –one fat check–engh—to
pay—for fancy convenient masion/EVERYTHING–WC GOES–WITH
IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—rl/pntv dmgs—plus
pain/suffering—to
***&&&&&&&&&&last
secnd!!!!–****payment is sgt—on every
approach–wstg/persecution!!!!!!!—–timeout!!!!–this vct!!!–will
not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—*&&&&suffer–free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!–M
Guest
How does West Hollywood compare to Santa Monica in addressing Homelessness?
Addressing Homelessness — We Are Santa Monica
Addressing Homelessness — We Are Santa Monica
Guest
I’m
a relatively short middle-aged women. I’ve been assaulted by street
people 5 times in the past 2 years on Santa Monica Blvd in the
afternoon. They choose me because I’m a small woman. The other day, a
man pushed me up against the wall in an attempt to get money out of me. I
see many of these people at the Wells Fargo atm on Santa Monica Blvd,
so some have money or are receiving government payments of some type.
Those for whom living on the street is a “life style choice” do such a
disservice to people who… Read more »
Guest
Take
all the religious outlets (churches, mosques, temples, et al) and force
them to house the homeless. After all, some are housing illegal
immigrants.
The Sky God believers and their leaders (the Bible, Torah & Koran thumpers) operate without paying any taxes.
The non-believers shouldn’t be subsidizing this RIC aka Religious Industrial Complex.
Most of the houses of “worship” are empty all week. So make them take in the homeless or have their charity tax scam changed.
The Sky God believers and their leaders (the Bible, Torah & Koran thumpers) operate without paying any taxes.
The non-believers shouldn’t be subsidizing this RIC aka Religious Industrial Complex.
Most of the houses of “worship” are empty all week. So make them take in the homeless or have their charity tax scam changed.
Guest
Perhaps we could convert the $16 million automated parking garage next to City Hall into a homeless shelter.
Guest
Like
any population, not all “homeless” are the same, yet we keep trying to
come up with a single solution without considering the different goals
of the population. The real crisis is with the mentally ill/drug
addicted individuals who have lost the ability to make reasonable
decisions regarding their own self-care (“gravely disabled” is the
clinical term) and truly need some form of hospitalization, medication,
and treatment so they can stabilize. These are not individuals who are
going to suddenly be okay just because they find housing – they are
often a danger to themselves and to others and this… Read more »
Guest
We have some incompassionate people in our City. And, some who will criticize the City and call them liars no matter what.
Guest
The
compassion of the residents of our neighborhoods/city/state is running
thin when we see the same individuals strung out on drugs and doing
nothing to better their situation day after day, week after week, year
after year. Then there are the mentally ill, we need to get them into
facilities. Allowing them to live on the street in squalor is doing
nothing to help them or our communities. We need to change the laws.
This is NOT a housing crisis no matter what these self serving reports
say. What we are doing is NOT working. When something isn’t working, you… Read more »
Guest
JF1, I was composing a comment on this topic, but then I saw yours. You said it better than I was about to.
Has it occurred to anyone that a lot of the homeless are homeless by choice? They wouldn’t take housing if you gave it to them.
Has it occurred to anyone that a lot of the homeless are homeless by choice? They wouldn’t take housing if you gave it to them.
Guest
Thanks Gimmeabreak. Some people just don’t want to believe that is the case.
Guest
It’s called truth to power. I would never accuse anyone of lying or anything else unless I can prove it.
Guest
Alison,
compassion without logic is useless and accomplishes nothing more than
makes you feel good about yourself; because you “care”, and you did
something. Compassion that works isn’t always warm and fuzzy.
Sometimes it looks tough and unkind.
Guest
Exactly Gimmeabreak. Perfectly said.
Guest
For
the mentally ill, choosing to live on the street is a consequence of
refusing to take the medication that will in most cases cure them of
most of the issues that prevent them from holding a job.
Allowing and even encouraging these people to live on the streets is a crime against all of the citizens of West Hollywood, particularly the women and children just trying to walk down the street without being harassed and frightened.
For those homeless that have been offered housing in Glendale or Tarzana and refused, a jail cell in West Hollywood should be the alternative.
Allowing and even encouraging these people to live on the streets is a crime against all of the citizens of West Hollywood, particularly the women and children just trying to walk down the street without being harassed and frightened.
For those homeless that have been offered housing in Glendale or Tarzana and refused, a jail cell in West Hollywood should be the alternative.
Guest
EXACTLY.
Guest
It
is high time for West Hollywood and adjacent cities to place a strict
moratorium on the construction of luxury housing. Every single new mid
to large luxury project I have seen across urban Los Angeles County has
no more than 30% occupancy. There must be incentives given to
developers to construct affordable housing options that must be legally
kept affordable or this problem will increase by several orders of
magnitude. In the interim, no person should be allowed to sleep in the
street without prompt city intervention, or arrested and put in jail if
they refuse assistance.
Guest
Where
do you get the 30% occupancy statistic? If that is true, I find that
very interesting, but I don’t believe that is accurate.
Guest
Why do developers need incentives to develop? It’s a cash business, as it is.
Luxury housing must include affordable housing. I think the City should stop letting the businesses donate to the fund and make everybody offer the units regardless.
Good question from Alison below.
Luxury housing must include affordable housing. I think the City should stop letting the businesses donate to the fund and make everybody offer the units regardless.
Good question from Alison below.
Guest
Do
you honestly think – looking at the homeless just in West Hollywood –
that they’re looking for an affordable home? They’re drug addicts and
the mentally ill. When I can’t afford to live somewhere, I move. This
situation is not about lack of affordable housing. This situation is
about drugs & alcohol abuse and mental illness. To believe otherwise
(and allowing the situation) is what’s fueling this ever exploding rise
in bodies laying in squalor all over our city/state. Time for rude
awakening.
Guest
If
developers couldn’t sell the condos they are building and apartments
didn’t rent, they wouldn’t build. If they can’t get a return on their
investment, they wouldn’t do it. They’re selling and renting and they
will continue to do so as long as people are buying/renting.
Guest
They
can’t sell and they can’t rent so they are relying on this extended
stay, illegal airbnb and other configurations to cover their
investments.
THE CITY IS OVERSOLD. The folks supposedly running the city have their eyes on what could be rather than what it is and are not serving its residents.
THE CITY IS OVERSOLD. The folks supposedly running the city have their eyes on what could be rather than what it is and are not serving its residents.
Guest
Don’t
you guys realize where we live? The entire state of California does
practically NOTHING to deal with homeless people except count them and
let them be. Wake up people! Nothing is gonna change it it would have.
And for the record people in the bay area are not afraid to leave their
homes. It’s ridiculous, tragic & pathetic what’s become of San
Francisco but people do still step outside… into an uber!
Guest
Exactly
right “Oh no”. Los Angeles is quickly turning into the same 3rd world
country that San Francisco has become. Ultra liberal policies have
destroyed these west coast cities and it’s a shame to watch it happen.
Maybe when things get SO bad people will demand a massive shift in
policy. Until then…
Guest
There
are no outreach teams. That is an absolute lie being told to the public
and once again I challenge anyone to prove me wrong. I talk to the
homeless every single day. Not one of them has received a “care package”
or has been approached by anyone offering help to them during at least
the past two years. This is just another example of how the City
Management, Directors and City Council believe that the Residents are so
stupid that if the City keeps lying about something over and over we
will believe it. It’s insulting and it’s shameful….not… Read more »
Guest
Apparently
whatever the city is doing, or not doing ain’t working. In fact,
whatever they are doing or not doing is making it worse.
The bottom line is, allowing people to live in squalor, passed out on the street and eating out of garbage cans is inhumane and bad for society at large. More money and more $500,000 housing units won’t manage this unfortunate condition any better.
The answer is to change the policies and change the laws that permit people to live on the street. Fortunately we are finally beginning to hear conversations that are addressing those goals.
The bottom line is, allowing people to live in squalor, passed out on the street and eating out of garbage cans is inhumane and bad for society at large. More money and more $500,000 housing units won’t manage this unfortunate condition any better.
The answer is to change the policies and change the laws that permit people to live on the street. Fortunately we are finally beginning to hear conversations that are addressing those goals.
Guest
Right on!!! Yes, yes, yes!!
Guest
I
wish the city would enact some panhandling laws like those adopted in
other cities. No walking up to people enjoying dinner al fresco. And no
panhandling within 50 feet of an atm. Very scary when they are literally
right there as you turn around after withdrawing money.
Guest
Criminalizing
the survival behavior of those who are in need only leads to
incarceration and trauma, which then continues the cycle of poverty. We
need direct and efficient services and more people contributing to the
solution.
Guest
What do you suggest Walter? Throw more money at the problem, and more money, and more money – with absolutely zero results?
Guest
Exactly.
In 99% if the homeless we see everyday are addicts or people with
mental issues. And if you don’t see that you have your head buried in
the sand. It’s not predominately an affordable housing issue as the
narrative now goes.
Guest
Exactly.
And so we jail them? For how long? How much will that cost society? And
then they leave jail, and go right back out onto the street.
What we need is for our community to take responsibility and provide more services to the homeless, including a shelter, right here in our city. Instead of moving them to places like Tarzana (and only at their will).
What we need is for our community to take responsibility and provide more services to the homeless, including a shelter, right here in our city. Instead of moving them to places like Tarzana (and only at their will).
Guest
So
when I am accosted …yes, accosted, threatened, followed, screamed at
(and this has happened far more than once)…I am supposed to turn a blind
eye and chalk it up to survival behavior. Awesome. Send me your
address: I will get a bunch of cards printed with it and hand it to them
next time. 
Guest
Do it WeHo J! Not until everyone’s life is effected will they change their way of thinking (or lack thereof).
Guest
Yes!
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