Union Rescue Mission Purchases 71-acre Complex For Homeless Families
The downtown Union Rescue Mission recently spent $7.5 million for a large complex near the Angeles National Forest to house 80 homeless families from Skid Row.
The facility, when it is open sometime next year, will be used for transitional housing with lodge-style dormitories.
The idea is simple—homeless families should not be in Skid Row. So why not provide a camp-like setting to help them transition into stable living? It makes sense to me.
And where were the NIMBY’s in this? The Kagel Canyon Civic Association, the local neighborhood, met with URM officials and agreed to the project contingent on some security and staffing details. Kudos to this neighborhood group, who didn’t fall into the trap of NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard.)
Here's a brief article about the new facility.
posted by LA's Homeless Blog at
6:05 PM
12 Comments:
This article is factually incorrect. The current Kagel Canyon Civic Association President, Randy Drew, provided misinformation. The community is NOT supportive of this project, and are amassing support from Kagel Canyon, Lakeview Terrace, and surrounding areas to do whatever is necessary to keep URM from obtaining the conditional use permit necessary. Most of us consider this no less than a disaster for our neighborhood.
What a shame for an individual to proudly suggest that they are organizing against those who wish to provide a safe home to homeless families. We can only hope that those issuing the conditional use permit will use common sense and compassion in making their decision, and not be pressured by those selfish enough to call providing desperately needed aid to homeless families a "disaster." Individuals such as this should be held personally responsible for the suffering of homeless families left out in the cold winter months as a direct result of their NIMBYism and refusal to allow a safe shelter in their community.
Unbelieveable!! You would think that this day and age people would have some kind of heart for homeless children. These are kids and mothers they are talking about. You have all of those sex offenders on Fotthil Blvd and no one says anything yet say homeless child and its all the sudden a crime shame on you Kagel Canyon residents. The facility is so far from your precious area you live why do you even care? Chidren and mom's a disaster? No you residents are a disasater. SHAME ON YOU!
Please do not lump the entire Kagel Canyon community into one united group. There are many of us who are for the URM facility. Our President, Randy, was grossly misquoted in that "Daily News" article, and soon will be asking for a retraction. I object to those few extremely outspoken residents who dare to speak for me. Those same people took offense over the inaccurate published statement, saying our President spoke on their behalf without their permission, I take the same offense to them.
In an ideal world, people should be able to duplicate more than one point of view to understand why individuals express concerns or feelings on a matter.
I'm a Kagel Canyon resident and moved here because of the safe, quiet, and practically crime-free environment.
That said, I'd like to point out that, statiscally proven, areas around or near homeless shelters are ridden with crime. That concerns me.
I'm very supportive and concerned for homeless people. However, I believe that an ideal solution for a shelter site for them would be in areas that are not next to neighborhood communities -- but rather more remote locations.
There are many places like this, and ideal spots to rehabitilate homesless individuals to get on their feet again. There is so much land, after all. And, the drug dealers won't want to drive that far to push their goods on these poor people.
In an ideal world, people should be able to duplicate more than one point of view to understand why individuals express concerns or feelings on a matter.
I'm a Kagel Canyon resident and moved here because of the safe, quiet, and practically crime-free environment.
That said, I'd like to point out that, statiscally proven, areas around or near homeless shelters are ridden with crime. That concerns me.
I'm very supportive and concerned for homeless people. However, I believe that an ideal solution for a shelter site for them would be in areas that are not next to neighborhood communities -- but rather more remote locations.
There are many places like this, and ideal spots to rehabitilate homesless individuals to get on their feet again. There is so much land, after all. And, the drug dealers won't want to drive that far to push their goods on these poor people.
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In an ideal world, people should be able to duplicate more than one point of view to understand why individuals express concerns or feelings on a matter.
I'm a Kagel Canyon resident and moved here because of the safe, quiet, and practically crime-free environment.
That said, I'd like to point out that, statiscally proven, areas around or near homeless shelters are ridden with crime. That concerns me.
I'm very supportive and concerned for homeless people. However, I believe that an ideal solution for a shelter site for them would be in areas that are not next to neighborhood communities -- but rather more remote locations.
There are many places like this, and ideal spots to rehabitilate homesless individuals to get on their feet again. There is so much land, after all. And, the drug dealers won't want to drive that far to push their goods on these poor people.
This facility is not a homeless shelter. It is a residential oasis for families to heal and get on their feet. There will not be homeless wandering the street. As a someone who has worked with the children of these women in a camp setting, I can testify to the good behavior of their kids while at our camp and to the POWERFULL impact being in a safe country setting was for their healing and growth. Downtown LA is not a safe place to shelter mother and child.
Like a good neighbor, I plan on welcoming the future residents of the URM facility. What a perfect use for the complex! The parents and children will have a splendid opportunity to recreate their lives just as happens in thousands of other places like it all over the country. See the successful integration into a neighborhood of the Warren Village in Denver, Colorado, where several city blocks of homes serve the same purpose as will the URM. See the same type of opportunity run by the Salvation Army in Glendale, California.
I'm planning on making friends at the URM, unless they reject me because I'm from Kagel Canyon.
Thanks for interesting article.
I was lucky to grow up in a very nice neighborhood. The local government decided to build a development for poor people in the midst of this neighborhood. The result is that the poor people could never become part of the neighborhood and thefts and drugs proliferated. No one denies the need for compassion and lending a hand to someone in need. Solving the unfortunate situation of the people in skid row requires more than just moving them someplace else. It is a fact that they will bring a lower standard of living to the residents, not because they are bad people and not because they are mean, but because of the condition they find themselves in. A different place to live, or a roof over their heads is not going to change the terrible dramas they are living in their heads, within themselves. This will require professional counselling (not drugs) and they will need to undergo a program to rebuild and rehabilitate their lives. This can be done and should be done. Just placing homeless people without proper supervision, counselling and a program to rebuid their lifes is going to impact very negatively on Kagel Canyon. Kagel Canyon needs an uplifting not a downgrading.
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