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SHELTER AT LOT 704:
A True Story About LA's Failure to Protect the Unhoused (Thread)
@LADOTofficial @BobBlumenfield @nithyavraman @MayorOfLA @MikeBoninLA @KtownforAll @LAHomeless
A True Story About LA's Failure to Protect the Unhoused (Thread)
@LADOTofficial @BobBlumenfield @nithyavraman @MayorOfLA @MikeBoninLA @KtownforAll @LAHomeless
On January 14, the Board of Transportation Commissioners was set to vote on converting Parking Lot 704 in Canoga Park to a safe parking site for unhoused folks.
For those unfamiliar, a safe parking site is where people living out of their cars can park at night. The sites have bathrooms and security so people can clean up and sleep without being afraid. https://www.safeparkingla.org/
The site in question is a municipal lot off of Sherman Way behind a laundromat, a Chinese restaurant, and veterinarian clinic. These businesses have another parking lot that would not be affected by the change.
The project had both the support of the local council member @BobBlumenfield and of the @LADOTofficial General Manager, Seleta Reynolds, who wrote to the board asking for their final approval
At the public comment portion of the meeting, neighbors spoke for and against the proposal. It had the typical NIMBY stuff (site would "change character of the neighborhood," "homeless people could walk around," the restaurant uses the lot for outdoor dining (false), etc.) BUT
Even the neighbors opposed to the site did NOT ask the board to reject the proposal. Instead they asked the city to periodically (some wanted monthly some every six months) check with them to see if the site had issues.
A reasonable request.
BUT
A reasonable request.
BUT
The board, which is unelected and appointed by the mayor, decided to POSTPONE its decision by another month to elicit more public comment. The fear is that this would lead to death by committee - administrative delay designed to kill projects.
And even if this is just delay, for folks living in their cars in the epicenter of the pandemic, this means another month of fear, another month of danger, another month of daily struggle. AND
https://www.dailynews.com/2020/02/20/for-la-people-living-in-cars-secured-parking-lot-is-nightly-haven/#:~:text=nine%20other%20residents.-,Across%20Los%20Angeles%2C%20nearly%2016%2C000%20people%20dwell%20in%20their%20cars,of%20transitional%20and%20affordable%20housing.&text=Safe%20Parking%20LA%20helped%20pay,didn't%20lose%20her%20car.
https://www.dailynews.com/2020/02/20/for-la-people-living-in-cars-secured-parking-lot-is-nightly-haven/#:~:text=nine%20other%20residents.-,Across%20Los%20Angeles%2C%20nearly%2016%2C000%20people%20dwell%20in%20their%20cars,of%20transitional%20and%20affordable%20housing.&text=Safe%20Parking%20LA%20helped%20pay,didn't%20lose%20her%20car.
If a city commission won't even approve safe parking, at almost zero cost, with little neighbor opposition, with support from council member and general manager, and at the height of a deadly pandemic, how can we hope to solve, or even alleviate, homelessness in this city?
