Palisades Homeless Task Force Is Winding Down Its Operations

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — The Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness has announced that it is phasing out its operations over the next year and passing on its outreach work to The People Concern.

The task force, formed in 2014 by residents concerned by a rise in homelessness in the Palisades, is an all-volunteer nonprofit that helps connect homeless people with resources, particularly to services provider The People Concern.

"We regularly ask if our work is advancing our ultimate goal of housing people," task force co-presidents Sharon Browning and Sharon Kilbride wrote in a letter.

Their goals have been hampered by the "problematic lack of available public housing and services" and the organization's difficulty recruiting volunteers.

"This volunteer vacuum requires that PPTFH make timely, responsible adjustments as many of our board members and volunteers move on, with no qualified replacements," the wrote.

The task force plans to phase out its fiscal operations by June 1 and its outreach operations by Dec. 31. Remaining donated funds and all future donations will be transferred to The People Concern. And per an agreement, The People Concern will continue to provide outreach services in the Palisades as long as funding is available, the co-presidents wrote.

The task force will support and help train any new Palisades outreach programs that emerge and plan to meet with community leaders to explore new approaches to address homelessness and safety, they wrote.

"To everyone who has given their time, expertise, resources, and heart to PPTFH, we thank you for your support, trust, and compassion," the letter reads.

The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count last year recorded 82 homeless people living in Pacific Palisades, which offers a snapshot of unhoused people living across the region over three nights in February.