Hollywood-Gower Neighborhood Association

 Opinion Paper – November 2005

 Rational Expectation of Outcome of Permanent Adult Homeless Housing Proposal

 Currently, we have approximately 80 homeless youth residing on the Hollywood-Gower streets. Many are drug addicts (Methamphetamines, Crack, Pot & alcohol). They are bored, undisciplined, unmotivated, and unsupervised but well fed and cared for by more than 8 local social service feeding and support operations from Bronson and Hollywood to Gower and Hollywood. 

What if we add at least 60 to 100 homeless adults? Many of these adults are mentally and/or physically handicapped or impaired and many are also addicted to drugs (heroine, crack, pot, alcohol). They too are bored, usually unable to work. They will be free to roam the neighborhood and mingle with the above-mentioned homeless youth. Our constitution does not permit us to prohibit the gathering of people together so there is no organization that can control this inevitability. The mere suggestion that a so-called “outreach component” of any program mandates a “zero tolerance” for vagrancy is an outlandish and impossible claim. It is absolutely impossible to control these two bodies of individuals.  

The neighborhood is suffering greatly because of the high concentration of social services that have attracted such a large number of street youth. If we introduce another group of homeless to this mix, we are inviting trouble similar to that which one sees on the streets of downtown L.A.  

Supportive Services: 5,000 sq. feet of social services will be on the main floor of this proposed project and available to the general public. This will result in a greater influx of homeless into our community via the metro and many will not be leaving. There is precious little space in and around the existing services for any more camping homeless.  

Public Safety: The “new residents” will find themselves living in the midst of that which many are trying to elevate out of; drugs, crime, etc. Other “new residents” that may have mental issues will find that they have gone from a familiar area of downtown L.A. only to be living in the midst of a criminal homeless element eager to take their money or to inflict bodily harm in this effort. Is this fair to place such a facility in the middle of an area that is not safe? Then there is the fact that there are four daycare centers within a block of the project – one right next door!  

Conclusion: This model of supportive housing has merits if the social services were offered only to the tenants! It then would be a project that could find a home in any neighborhood with single family dwellings or next to the freeway similar to the P.A.T.H. Mall (People Assisting the Homeless) on Vermont & Beverly. Such a property exists and is for sale and it is the former Tropicana (mud wrestling in the old days). It is currently being used as a billboard up against the 101 freeway.  

Offer: We are eager to help find a better home for this project if those social services are restricted to the tenants and look forward to dialog in that direction. 

Finally, the business owners, property owners, renters, clients and patrons of local services are united in their opposition to this project in this location but are willing to assist in finding a better location for an amended model. 

Fran Reichenbach, Founder and supporter of Hollywood-Gower Neighborhood Association.