Interim housing facility set to open in Cypress Park

Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday for a facility in Cypress Park that will provide interim housing for people experiencing homelessness.

The project, called Northeast New Beginnings, broke ground in May 2022 and was expected to open to residents next week.

According to Hernandez, who represents the 1st District, which includes Cypress Park, the facility is a “first-of-its-kind model” that will provide general and mental health services as well as substance-abuse treatment to some of the most vulnerable neighbors in her district.

“This new site is a model for what is possible when we invest in a care-first approach to meet the needs of our constituents,” Hernandez said in a statement. “I am grateful for the partnerships at the city and county level, as well with the Northeast New Beginnings’ service provider, John Wesley Health Centers, that helped make this project a reality.”

Each unit contains a bedroom, kitchen and restroom, and the facility also features on-site laundry services, a community flexible space, pet area and case management offices, officials said.

Bass emphasized the importance of building housing, both permanent and interim, to meet the needs of the city.

“That’s why I stand here with Councilwoman Hernandez, and I am delighted to begin year two in this way at a ribbon cutting,” Bass said in a statement. “I look forward to doing this as many days in a week as possible until we get all Angelenos off the street because it is unacceptable to live in the nation’s second largest city in the richest country in the history of the world and to spend an evening on the street hoping you survive until the morning. We can no longer continue to do this.”

The new interim housing site can serve up to 95 unhoused adults at a time. There are 27 units for three people each, five units for couples and two ADA units for two people each.

Hernandez’s office, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Agency and partner agencies have developed an outreach plan that focuses on identifying people experiencing homelessness in the areas around the site and in the Northeast Los Angeles area, officials said.

Officials will create a “By Name List” of people interested in coming indoors. Participants will not pay any cost for rent or other services, according to a representative from Hernandez’s office.

Participants will be recertified every 90 days to ensure progress with self-set goals. Residency at the site has no time limit, however the ultimate goal is to have residents work with housing navigators to identify permanent housing options that are appropriate for them, officials said.

Hernandez’s office said John Wesley Health Centers is a health care and social services agency with a Federally Qualified Health Center designation — meaning it can provide residents with more robust health and dental services on-site than are offered at other facilities.

In addition, residents will receive three meals a day, case management, problem-solving counseling, benefits assistance support, employment readiness and job placement support.

“I am glad that Northeast New Beginnings considers some of the best lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that we serve people experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect,” LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis, whose 2nd District includes the northeast part of the county, said in statement. “As the city and county of Los Angeles continue to work together to solve homelessness, I am thrilled to see that our efforts are already bearing fruit.”

Northeast New Beginnings was slated to open sooner, but the project experienced some delays in construction due to severe weather.

The facility was developed on a previously undeveloped parcel of land, surrounded by the 5 and 110 freeways, the LA River and industrial zoning.

Hernandez’s office noted the facility is more than a quarter-mile from the nearest residential or multifamily housing, and that her staff engaged with local residents, school, faith-based leaders, small businesses and other neighborhood stakeholders for feedback on the location. According to Hernandez’s office, the reception was generally positive.