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Effort underway to find housing for homeless near Olvera Street
Los Angeles Dec 07, 2021
Olvera Street. | Photo by Kent Kanouse via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
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An operation to find housing for people experiencing homelessness residing near Olvera Street will enter its second day Tuesday, one day after 17 previously unhoused individuals were placed into Project Roomkey and interim housing.
Olvera Street, officially known as El Pueblo de Los Angeles, is facing a significant homelessness crisis with encampments surrounding its streets, according to Pete Brown, the communications director for Councilman Kevin de León, who represents the area.
Homeless outreach teams have been attempting for months to build relationships with individuals experiencing homeless in the area and providing them with critical housing and supportive resources, Brown said.
A recent headcount identified around 70 individuals experiencing homelessness around Olvera Street, including and along Spring, Main, Los Angeles and Alameda streets, between Aliso Street to Cesar Chavez Avenue, Brown said.
For the past several weeks, de León’s staff has worked with the mayor’s office to identify housing resources in Project Roomkey, bridge housing, mental health beds, drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities and other interim housing programs, Brown said.
The operation began Monday and included LA Sanitation & Environment collecting 2,000 pounds of trash and litter, cleaning and disinfecting 45 pounds of human waste and address one location with rodents, Brown said.
One of the people placed into housing Monday tested positive for the coronavirus and was immediately taken into a safe quarantine hotel where they will be monitored until full recovery, Brown said.
De León’s staff is leading the operation, with assistance from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s Engagement Team, The People Concern, PATH, Behavioral Health Services, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homeless Outreach Services Team, Brown said.
The operation will continue for the coming days until housing is offered to all those in need, Brown said.
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