The first ribbon cutting of the year was held last week at Northeast New Beginnings, a first-of-its-kind model of interim shelter in Cypress Park in Los Angeles.
“We know how much housing we need in Los Angeles and we are going to continue the partnership that we’ve built over the last year to continue delivering housing,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “I am delighted to begin year two in this way at a ribbon cutting.
“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.”
Northeast New Beginnings offers a new model of interim housing for Los Angeles with each unit containing a restroom and shower, a kitchen with storage, and a bedroom, with additional onsite amenities such as a pet area and laundry services.
The onsite service provider, John Wesley Health Centers (JWHC), is a fully comprehensive and integrated healthcare and social services agency. JWHC is a Federally Qualified Health Center with HRSA designation which allows the agency to provide health and dental services that are not typically offered at interim housing sites in Los Angeles.
“The Bureau of Engineering is pleased to join Mayor Bass and Councilmember Hernandez today to celebrate the grand opening of Northeast New Beginnings, the 12th Tiny Home Village to be built by our team since 2021,” said Ted Allen, City Engineer, City of Los Angeles. “This community is unique in that it is the City’s first site to use a pre-manufactured, residential prototype. As we continue to create communities that people want to live in, these units have outdoor decks, bright, welcoming colors, outdoor spaces with shade and seating and the entire site has a path of travel that is accessible on a wheelchair.
“We believe this community brings a new model for safe, accessible, community-based housing for our Los Angeles neighbors.”
The new interim housing site can serve up to 95 unhoused adults at a given time. There are 27 units for three people each, 5 units for couples, and 2 ADA units for two people each. Councilmember 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. Housing navigators will work with participants at Northeast New Beginnings to identify and transition into permanent housing options.
Services at Northeast New Beginnings will include:
- three meals a day
- Case management
- Problem-solving counseling
- Benefits assistance support
- Employment readiness and job placement support
- Substance use counseling and harm reduction services
- Crisis intervention and conflict resolution
- Primary, behavioral, and mental healthcare
- Pet support
