COMPLIMENTARY COPY
San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity Accepting Homeownership Applications
SGV Organizations Hold Vigil Calling for End to Violence Against AAPI Communities
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VOL. 25, NO. 13
66,000 EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN L.A. COUNTY, SGV CITIES TACKLE THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS Permanent housing limited in supply Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
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omelessness is a colossal issue in Los Angeles County. Exacerbated by the coronavirus, it has become a serious health concern, but there is some good news and some dedicated, deeply committed individuals to help those in need. In Los Angeles, as one of the city's large homeless encampments was being broken up by police last week, hundreds of protesters faced off with officers. Additionally, multiple journalists were also arrested despite showing media credentials. Mitch O’Farrell is Echo Park’s council member and spoke with NPR Thursday and assured people that most of those removed were placed in a safe environment and in some cases permanent homes for people. “Almost 200 of the park’s unhoused population has accepted and been placed in shelter options through Project Roomkey, Project Homekey, A Bridge Home and winter shelter. I’m happy to report that we have shelter available for anyone who is seeking to be housed tonight,” O’Farrell tweeted. Project Roomkey was established in March 2020 as part of the state’s response to the pandemic. “The purpose of Project Roomkey is to provide non-congregate shelter options for people experiencing homelessness,
protect human life, and minimize strain on health care system capacity,” says the California Department of Social Services. Unhoused residents who are recovering from COVID-19 or have been exposed are given a place to quarantine. Project Roomkey “also provides a safe place for isolation for people who are experiencing homelessness and at high risk for medical complications should they to become infected.” The units are intended to be temporary, emergency shelter. Though state officials say they also serve as a pathway to permanent housing. However, at the beginning of the month, Los Angeles County officials said they didn’t plan “to expand the number of hotels they’re renting to shelter homeless people who are at risk of contracting COVID-19,” reported the Los Angeles Times. “Unfortunately, while [the Federal Emergency Management agency] has committed to covering 100% of the cost of Project Roomkey, it still requires Los Angeles County to pay for most of the operations now and then seek to be reimbursed later — potentially years later,” L.A. County Homeless Initiative Director Phil Ansell said in a written statement. According to the L.A. Times, the county has received $12.4 million out of $73 million requested from FEMA for Project Roomkey. The program has also failed to shelter the 15,000
Perhaps one of the poignant images shot in Los Feliz exhibits juxtaposed irony. | Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
people officials said they wanted in units. Data from a Los Angeles Times tracking project estimates that 2,009 people are housed as of Wednesday. At the height of the program, a little more than 4,000 people were housed, still short of officials’ goal. Activists and residents alike question what will happen when placement in temporary units ends and criticize removal of the encampment — which they say had become a community and haven. On Tuesday, protesters demonstrated outside L.A. City Hall. "We're not vermin, we're not scum, we're human. We are human beings - working human beings," Jessica Mendez, one of the speakers at the rally, said.
Monrovia Sees Slight Increase in Homeless Population Locally, San Gabriel Valley cities like Monrovia have seen a slight increase in the number of unhoused people, according to City Manager Dylan Feik. “While the physical pointin-time count was cancelled this year due to COVID, [the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority] estimates our homeless count went up slightly (from 75 to 77),” said Feik. This year, Monrovia was awarded over $315,000 in competitive grants to address homelessness and housing, Feik told Beacon Media News Monday. The city manager reiterated that the focus has always been on “preventing people from becoming
homeless.” Monrovia has been able to help scores of individuals who have found themselves on the street. One of the new pilot programs Monrovia just completed is called eCHIP (Emergency Coronavirus Housing Impact Program), he said. “The city served 71 households, or 262 individuals (six seniors and 113 youth). The average support is holding at about $1,711 per application and we believe is highly effective in preventing people from becoming homeless,” Feik said. “We received a $150,000 grant to implement our Homeless Plan which involves more direct aid to needy families, code enforcement (which is essentially removing illegal camps),
and community outreach. In addition, the city received $130,000 in CDBG-CV aid which we used to (1) provide rental assistance to lowincome residents, (2) utility assistance to low-income families, (3) food assistance to Foothill Unity Center and the Volunteer Center,” he said. Monrovia has partnered with the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) and a joint powers authority “whereby the CSCDA would purchase the 261-unit MODA apartments and convert 100% of the units into a mix up to 80% [area medium income], up to 100% and 120% AMI. The effort will reduce average rents for all units, SEE HOMELESSNESS PAGE 13