City Council Moves To Coordinate Homeless Outreach With County

LOS ANGELES, CA — City Council Tuesday voted to begin building a center in Koreatown that will consolidate homeless outreach efforts between the city and county. The council unanimously decided to direct the Department of General Services to investigate leases, license agreements and similar requirements for the city to create a center at 510 S. Vermont Ave.

According to the motion introduced by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, the Center for Interagency Policy and Action on Homelessness would serve as headquarters for the city to coordinate its homeless outreach efforts with the Los Angeles County departments of Mental Health, Workforce Development and Aging and Community Services.

The councilmember said there 3,000 square feet available on the ground floor "that could accommodate a Tenth Council District field office, a large community room and flexible co-working space that could be made available for representatives from relevant city agencies, including other council offices, the mayor's office, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the Housing and Community Investment Department the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, as well as representatives from other levels of government and civic agencies who are working collaboratively with the city to address the homelessness crisis."

Councilwoman Nithya Raman seconded the motion, saying the city and county must improve their coordination to better serve the homeless community.

"In its best version of itself, the city should welcome people seeking assistance in, and ensure that they get what they need quickly and easily," she said. "This Center for Interagency Policy and Action on Homelessness moves us closer to that vision."

City News Service contributed to this report.