Wave Staff Report
CULVER CITY — The city collaborated with the city of Los Angeles Oct. 24 to help bring housing and services to people experiencing homelessness at an encampment on Venice Boulevard near the San Diego (405) Freeway.
Several agencies, including Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, were involved in the project that is part of the city of Los Angeles’ Inside Safe program.
Everyone in the encampment was offered housing and the vast majority accepted. More than 50 people were brought inside. The voluntary approach is one feature in a comprehensive strategy to confront the homelessness crisis.
“Today’s work shows what can be done when we work together and lead with care and compassion,” Culver City Mayor Albert Vera said. “Our teams worked patiently with our unhoused neighbors to connect them to the housing and services they need.
Vera thanked Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as well as Culver City employees for their efforts.
“Inside Safe is reaching all areas of Los Angeles, and we will continue to hit the ground running with this program in our efforts to house more Angelenos and change lives,” Bass said.
As part of the project, Culver City and the state Department of Transportation will perform much-needed repairs to the freeway underpass, including graffiti removal, lighting repairs and cleaning over the coming days and weeks.
Vera said his city has invested heavily to build sufficient resources to meet the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness. With the recent additions of Culver City’s Safe Sleep site, Project Homekey, and Motel Master Leasing, there are now 157 new units of temporary and permanent supportive housing and shelter in Culver City.
State Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan recently called Culver City a “leader” and “a model for the entire county” on homelessness.
Los Angeles City Councilwomen Katy Yaroslavsky and Traci Park also were involved in the program.
“Our homelessness crisis requires regional collaboration, and that’s what today was all about,” Yaroslavsky said “I am deeply grateful to all the partners who helped bring dozens of people off the street today, including Mayor Bass, my colleague Councilmember Traci Park, the city of Culver City, and the county of Los Angeles.”
“We could not have done today’s operation without [our partners],” Parks said. “The encampment at this location has been among the largest and most challenging on the Westside. Its presence has significantly affected nearby homes and businesses. This initiative will restore public safety and accessibility, ensuring a better quality of life for all residents.”
County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath also took part in the project, calling it “another example” of the city and county’s “commitment to not letting jurisdictional lines get in the way of bringing people inside and offering the services and care they deserve.”
“We will continue to meet people where they are throughout L.A. County,” Horvath added.
This is the 29th Inside Safe encampment operation in Los Angeles. The initiative is responsible for bringing more than 1,600 Angelenos inside.
Bass is moving Los Angeles forward with an urgent and strategic approach to confronting the homelessness crisis, which includes declaring a state of emergency, taking action to dramatically accelerate and lowering the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, moving to maximize the use of city-owned property for temporary and permanent housing and cutting through red tape to move people into permanent housing.
Inside Safe supports five goals: reducing the loss of life on city streets, increasing access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for those living in encampments, eliminating street encampments, promoting long-term housing stability for people experiencing homelessness, and enhancing the safety and hygiene of neighborhoods for all residents, businesses and neighbors.
