Lee Answers Questions On Proposed Homeless Hotel

CHATSWORTH, CA — District 12 Councilmember John Lee has released answers to a series of frequently asked questions about the proposal to turn a Devonshire Street Travelodge into temporary homeless housing.

The transformation, administered by state initiative Project Homekey, is being proposed in order to comply with a court order to provide 6,700 new beds in the city of Los Angeles for homeless people living near the freeways, over the age of 65, or at vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.

According to Lee's release, the city would purchase the property, which has 72 rooms available. The rooms would be targeted towards any homeless individual from District 12, with priority given to people over 55, living near the freeways, or with previous health issues. The rooms will need to be available by April, and will initially serve as interim housing lasting three to five years, though some rooms will be permanent later on.

The project is referred to as "interim housing," a "stop-gap measure until individuals are able to find long-term housing," according to the release.

The project is mostly funded by the Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds allocated by the state. Homeless grants are being used for necessary safety and Americans with Disability Act upgrades. Across the state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is picking up 75 percent of the tab for rooms, according to a report in the Mercury News. As of April, the state has distributed $150 million for counties to pay for motels and homelessness services.

The site will be substance and alcohol-free and observe a curfew. A to-be-determined private security company will provide 24-7 onsite security, and Lee says that his public safety deputy will be in regular communication with the LAPD to keep the public apprised of the security situation in the nearby area.

24/7 onsite staff will be "experienced with facility operations, resolving conflicts, and other types of issues related to behavior and facility rule compliance." Case management staff and social workers will be available during the day and early evening hours. Drug and mental health services will be offered, but it is illegal to require clients to participate in them.

Lee said that the project is different from the Topanga Apartments, a proposed project that would turn a car sales and lot garage at the intersection of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Devonshire Street into a 63-unit homeless apartment complex. Rather than interim housing, the site would provide long-term residency and intensive support. Lee says that he strongly opposes that project because he does not believe it is suitable for the site. A Motel 6 near Roscoe Boulevard and the 405 Freeway was sold to a private developer before the court ruling.

Feedback has been mixed. "We're happy to hear Councilmember Lee supports this project!" the West Valley Peoples' Alliance, a social justice group, wrote in response to a Facebook post by Councilmember Lee. "We would love to work on solutions for people experiencing homeless in CD12, especially welcoming the new residents into our community! Let's make sure this project gets off to a great start."

"Good to hear in the meeting that you strongly support this project. We desperately need housing for our 700+ unhoused neighbors in CD 12. This should be the first of many projects!" wrote another reader.

Comments were more negative in a reposting of the release on the My Chatsworth Facebook page.

"There goes the neighborhood... so glad I move out from there," one user wrote. "It’s going down hill fast. Can’t even take your kids to the park with out seeing drug paraphernalia like needles in the parking lot or under the bleachers. Chatsworth used to be a beautiful clean proud place. Now it’s flooded with rundown RVs and tents on sidewalks that you can even walk on. Sad."

"How about a one way bus ticket back to their hometown? California and LA can't keep supporting the nation's homeless...I understand that winter in LA is much nicer than in Minneapolis but send them back there," another user wrote.

"Lets make sure to keep the homeless on the street and under bridges. That's so much better than housing them. Right?" one user countered. "Makes me sick to read some of these selfish and uninformed posts. Not everyone who cannot afford housing is a criminal or drug addict. They are already in Chatsworth, they are not leaving and you will have to decide how best to house them."