Notorious Encampment On Selma Avenue Cleared, 45 People Housed By City

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Around 45 homeless people who had been living in one of Hollywood's most notorious encampments have been placed in housing as part of the city's Inside Safe initiative, officials announced Friday.

Officials recently completed the operation near Larchmont Charter School/Selma Avenue Elementary School. The encampment, located just east of Hollywood and Highland, had earned notoriety for being particularly large and dangerous: In May, a brawl broke out between several encampment residents outside the elementary school.

Some of the people who had been living in tents lining Selma Avenue were recently placed in nearby motels and connected to supportive services as part of Inside Safe; marking the 24th such operation conducted as part of the citywide initiative.

"We are working every day, across Los Angeles, to urgently confront the homelessness crisis. We will not let up," Bass said in a statement. "Inside Safe continues to bring people inside who were living on the streets and in encampments and help connect them with housing and services."

Bass previously declared a state of emergency, taking action to accelerate and lower the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, and moving to maximize the use of city-owned property for temporary and permanent housing

On Aug. 2, the chief administrative officer gave a report to the L.A. City Council's Housing Committee with an update on the city's homelessness spending, as well as metrics on Inside Safe.

According to the report, as of July 27, Inside safe served 1,463 unhoused individuals and placed more than 1,105 individuals in interim housing. However, only 108 of Inside Safe participants, or 8%, had entered permanent housing.

The report indicated the data may not be entirely accurate as the city and LAHSA continues to improve data collection.

City News Service contributed to this report.