SIGN UP to volunteer for the Hollywood Homeless Count on January 31!
A group of Volunteers joined members of Hollywood 4WRD and Common Ground to survey Hollywood's homeless individuals.
OVERVIEW In 2008,
representatives of the Hollywood business community, in conjunction with local
government officials, social service providers, the non-profit sector and the
faith community began meeting on a monthly basis to discuss a shared commitment
to ending homelessness. The group - Hollywood 4WRD (4 Walls, a Roof and a Door)
aims to end homeless in Hollywood by 2018. The rationale is that it is less
expensive to end homelessness than it is to manage it. Hollywood 4WRD also
believes that ending homelessness helps to create a safer neighborhood for
residents, businesses, visitors and our homeless neighbors.
TEN YEAR PLAN
Hollywood 4WRD will achieve this goal of ending homelessness in Hollywood
through the development and implementation of a short-term plan and a long-term
plan, both of which comprise the overall Ten Year Plan to end homelessness in
Hollywood; and adhere to the following strategies:
1.ASSESS NEEDS - Assess homeless
population in order to identify housing and service needs by doing the
following: Identify the total number of homeless in the Hollywood community on
a typical day/night and looking at the specific populations - youth, seniors,
families, individuals, HIV Positive, transgender, etc. Assess current capacity
and programs that serve Hollywood's homeless population and delineate by
targeted population. Assess institutions and other points of contact with
people just prior to them becoming homeless. Assess funding sources.
*Update:In 2008, Hollywood 4WRD conducting a
one-night street count of homeless individuals sleeping on the streets of Hollywood.That evening, we counted approximately 500
visible homeless people. * In 2009,
Hollywood 4WRD volunteers participated in the LAHSA bi-annual homeless count in January.Hollywood was selected as a community for
which a full enumeration was conducted. * Most recently,
in 2010, Hollywood 4WRD, with the help of Common Ground, conducted a three-night Homeless Registry, and interviewed
people according to the Vulnerability Index.Those results are attached below (near bottom of page). * Further, the Los
Angeles Times covered this story (click here to read).
2.CREATE HOUSING - Reconfigure
the homeless system into a housing system by emphasizing permanent solutions
and increasing the supply of supportive housing by doing the following:
Identify all units of supportive housing available or becoming available for
the homeless. Identify units immediately available, including newly leased
supportive housing. Set goal for additionally needed new units and/or leased
units of existing housing. Foster entrepreneurial partnerships between private
and public investors and service providers.
* Update:There are currently three permanent
supportive housing facilities in the development stage in Hollywood. First, the Villas at Gower expect to break ground this summer.This is a project of A Community of Friends (www.acof.org).Second, Step Up on Second, a well-respected
service and housing provider in
Santa Monica (www.stepuponsecond.org) has acquired property and will open StepUp
on Vine in approximately two years.Finally,
Step Up on Sunset is a recent acquisition of Step Up onSecond , and will be geared toward housing
individuals identified in the Homeless Registry.
3.PROVIDE EFFECTIVE SERVICES &
OUTREACH - Develop and integrate service systems to place homeless
individuals into housing and keep them housed by doing the following: Develop
and integrate outreach systems to get people into housing. Make rental
assistance programs more effective. Develop a pilot initiative to increase
access to mental health services to Hollywood's homeless population. Increase
support for services (including substance abuse treatment and workforce
development) to keep people housed.
* Update:a pilot program to coordinate outreach to the
50 homeless veterans identified through the 2010 Homeless Registry will commence in June, 2010.The committee will consist of representatives
from the VA Outreach team,
LAPD, PATH HERO team, BID security and GettLove.
4.PROVIDE EFFECTIVE PREVENTION SUPPORT
- Prevent homelessness by focusing on institutional routes to homelessness by
doing the following: Identify specific institutions that are effected by
homelessness in Hollywood, including jails, hospitals and foster care. Develop
specific data on populations and identify points of contact to provide services
to steer people away from homelessness. Increase income support for at-risk
families and individuals.
5.PROMOTE ADVOCACY - Strive for
effective communications between the community, government, businesses and
service providers in effort to make and necessary changes to delivery system
and funding streams.
BOUNDARIES
Hollywood - roughly defined as La Brea Avenue on the west to Western Avenue on
the east, and Franklin Avenue on the north to Santa Monica Avenue on the south.
Sarah MacPherson (HPOA) and Rudy Salinas (PATH) conduct a survey as part of the Homeless Registry.
The Hollywood Property Owners Alliance is proud to be affiliated with the United Way/LA
Chamber Business Leaders Task Force to End Homelessness. The Task Force
recently issued their “Home for Good” plan to end chronic and veteran
homelessness in Los Angeles County within the next five years. Two
representatives from Hollywood are on this Task Force: Kerry Morrison,
executive director of the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance and Bill Farrar,
Senior Vice President of Andrews International, the BID’s security vendor.
Visit the official Hollywood 4WRD website, 
A group of Volunteers joined members of Hollywood 4WRD and Common Ground to survey Hollywood's homeless individuals.
Sarah MacPherson (HPOA) and Rudy Salinas (PATH) conduct a survey as part of the Homeless Registry.
