Response To LAT’s Article On Hollywood: Since When Is Permanent Housing A Homeless Drop-In Center?

Looks like the NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) got to an LA Times reporter. Today’s article talks about a proposed CRA project in Hollywood (that I blogged about last November.)

The article states that there are too many runaway homeless youth programs in the area—Hollywood Blvd. and Gower Street. And that these programs are just attracting more homeless people to an area that is being redeveloped.

The quotes in the article are from NIMBY groups who are fighting the new proposed project.

What is the project? Let’s dispel the rumors… The project is a permanent affordable housing apartment building for formerly homeless adults, with support services on site. It is not a drop-in center and it is not a shelter.

In order for the County and City of Los Angeles to reduce and hopefully end homelessness, every area of the County needs to build more permanent supportive housing—including Hollywood.

If we don’t… the problem will only grow in downtown Los Angeles and other hotspots.

There is another fact… the original developer of that property (the one who wanted to buy it from the owner—First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) wanted to put a nightclub there.

Let’s see… what’s better? Build a nightclub on a church’s former parking lot, right next door to the sanctuary? Or build affordable housing for people who are formerly homeless?

What would God do?