VENICE
YO!
Sept. 28 – Oct. 11, 2018
www.yovenice.com
Bridge Housing for Homeless Vets
Up to 100 units of temporary housing coming soon to the West Los Angeles VA. By Sam Catanzaro
Homeless veterans in Venice will soon have a place to live while waiting for permanent housing with the opening of a Bridge Housing facility on the West Los Angeles VA campus. This will be the first bridge housing facility to open on the Westside. “None of us should be able to sleep at night as long as a veteran is sleeping on a sidewalk or under a bridge,” said Councilmember Mike Bonin
Photo: Courtesy West L.A VA.
A bridge housing facility will soon open on the West L.A. VA campus.
who represents Venice. “Veterans have suffered from generations of broken promises. Bridge housing at the VA represents positive changes being made. This partnership is a down payment on the housing and services the local VA is going to deliver.” This partnership between the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs will provide transitional housing for up to 100 homeless veterans. The facility, which is expected to open in early 2019, will include personal hygiene centers, laundry facilities, 24-hour security and supportive services. Funding will come jointly from the County and the City and the Department of Veterans Affairs will provide on-site case management and supportive services. “I’m happy to be keeping our promise to the many veterans experiencing homelessness by taking this first step and building bridge housing on the VA campus in Brentwood,” said Los Angles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “Last year, the Homeless Count showed that we had reduced veteran homelessness by 18 percent. One neighborhood at a time, one veteran at a time, we are working to ensure that every vet in the County has a place to call home.” This Bridge Housing facility will be temporary
-- and not to be visible from the exterior of the campus -- as the VA constructs out its Draft Master Plan, which will provide 1200 units of permanent supportive housing on the campus. "Building 1,200 units of Permanent Supportive Housing through the Draft Master takes time and there are homeless Veterans who need services now," said Heidi Marston, Director of Community Engagement and Reintegration at the West Los Angeles VA. "It will take all of us to end Veteran homelessness and Temporary Bridge Housing for our Veterans in need will bring us one step closer," The VA bridge housing site will include two tension membrane structures in addition to modular trailers to provide space for sleeping, supportive services and personal hygiene. The construction is expected to cost $5 million. Bonin introduced legislation on September 25 that would allocate
HOUSING, see page 4
Home Cooking Bill Sparks Health Debate New California law helps stay-at-home cooks.
“I think it’s a really great improvement for those like myself who can’t afford to just go all in and buy a storefront,”
By Tor Marom As of September 18, being a stay-at-home cook is now a more viable profession in the state of California. Signed by Governor Jerry Brown, under the Homemade Food Operations Act (AB 626), California residents will be able to start home based food businesses with minimal start up costs. Several groups have criticized the measure, arguing that the increased health risks in “microenterprise home kitchens” (MHKs) are too great to ignore. The County Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC) has opposed the bill and were joined in their opposition by other health organizations as well as others such as the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), who believe that AB 626 allows cities too much power in setting their own regulations.
– Joey Motulsky, student New School of Cooking
Photo:Courtesy.
A local cooking student says that this bill will make it easier to get into the food industry.
The CSAC released a request for a veto which went over most of their issues with AB 626. “[The bill] restricts the county’s discretion to authorize these activities in the county by allowing cities to opt in without a county ordinance or
resolution.” “While some permitting requirements and limitations would apply to MHKs,” the CSAC release says, “they are largely exempt from having to meet key requirements necessary to protect
INSIDE:
the public’s health, including handwashing facilities requirements, food preparation, and equipment safety requirements.” While home kitchens will be subject to inspections and be forced to meet specific requirements, the health regulations are far more lax than CHEAC and their allies believe to be appropriate for a food-based business. Despite the health concerns supporters of the
COOKING, see page 9
Potential Serial Killer in Custody MORE on page 3