TROUBLES STALL HELP DUE FOR HOMELESS PROJECTS ON HOLD AFTER FUNDS CUT.

Byline: TROY ANDERSON

Staff Writer

Nearly a year after Los Angeles County officials unveiled a $100 million plan to aggressively combat homelessness, efforts have run into trouble.

Amid community opposition, a proposal to move homeless women and children on Skid Row to a facility northeast of Sylmar has stalled. Recent and proposed changes also have affected who is heading up efforts to address homelessness in the city and county.

And last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority just $52.5 million to help the homeless -- $8 million less than the previous year.

"Losing the federal funds is really a blow to homeless people on the streets and in the shelters," said Bob Erlenbusch, executive director of the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness.

"And it really puts a major dent in the hopes of implementing a plan to prevent and end homelessness."

LAHSA Executive Director Rebecca Isaacs said the agency had requested $12.5 million for five anticipated housing projects that were not funded.

"We don't know at this point what the reason is," Isaacs said. "And that's something we are going to be trying to work with HUD to get debriefed on.

"To figure out why they didn't fund those new projects, whether there are opportunities for new funding sources for those projects and how we can make sure those are funded next year."

Since March 2006, the city and county have allocated more than $329 million - mostly in one-time funds - to address the homeless crisis, but advocates say $1.5 billion is needed annually to shelter and sustain the county's homeless population.

On any given day, about 90,000 people are homeless in the county, 40 percent women and children.

As part of efforts to reduce the problem, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has tapped Torie Osborn as the city's point person on homelessness.

Recently, Leslie Wise took over as the city's homeless policy coordinator. Wise said Osborn is spending a "decreased percentage of her time" working on the issue.

Janelle Erickson, the mayor's spokeswoman, said Wise was hired to help increase the city's capacity to help the homeless.

"The mayor has made reducing the number of homeless in Los Angeles a priority," Erickson said. "So we hired Leslie to help in that effort. The mayor has been actively working with LAHSA and the housing authority to build both of these agencies into leading voices for the homelessness issue, making Greater Los Angeles more competitive for grant money."

Organizing county

In the county's Chief Administrative Office, Assistant Administrative Officer Lari Sheehan has been overseeing the county's initiatives on homelessness.

But as part of plans to give Chief Administration Officer David Janssen more power and to hold one person accountable for county operations, Janssen is considering naming Sheehan a deputy CAO who will oversee a cluster of departments.

Janssen said the county is looking to hire a homeless coordinator to take over the responsibilities.

"This is not her principal job," Janssen said. "It is a priority, but we are looking for a full-time person to do it. We haven't made any personnel decisions about the new organization because the board hasn't approved the new ordinance. But regardless, the county remains fully committed to implementing the (homeless) initiative approved by the board."

Erlenbusch said it makes sense that Osborn is playing less of a role in addressing homelessness because she was a "placeholder" until Wise was appointed.

But he said replacing Sheehan will be "huge shoes to fill."

Meanwhile, the county's plans to set up five regional "stabilization centers" as full-service sites to aid the homeless are still in the works.

Sheehan said that while there has been some interest in setting up the centers in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Gateway cites areas, no commitments have been made.

"We're providing information as they need it and are waiting to hear from them," Sheehan said. "This is a huge undertaking. It needs to be done expeditiously, but with thoroughness, with buy-in and collaboration."

Collaboration has become a sticking point in efforts to move up to 225 homeless women and children from the downtown Union Rescue Mission to the 78-acre Hope Gardens complex northeast of Sylmar.

Mission President Andy Bales says the area would be safer for the families, but County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has hindered the effort.

"We were promised (by Antonovich's office) that they would act as a bridge between us and the neighbors, but instead they are acting as advocates for the Kagel Canyon opposition," Bales said.

Antonovich's spokesman, Tony Bell, said Bales' charges are inaccurate.

"The Hope Gardens project is in the regional planning process and has been treated as any other project would be treated in determining the impact on the environment and the community," Bell said.

"However, Supervisor Antonovich believes strongly that the community must be involved in the planning and development of any project when it goes into their area for the project to be successful."

The Regional Planning Commission is holding a public hearing April 18 on whether to issue a conditional-use permit that would allow moving the women and children to the Sylmar facility.

Moving plans delayed

Some Kagel Canyon residents have opposed using the facility for transitional housing for homeless women and children, saying there are a number of similar facilities in the area and they are concerned about the effect on property values and potential fire dangers.

As plans to move the women and children to Hope Gardens have been delayed, Bales worries about the dangers on Skid Row and said one homeless woman recently vanished from the mission, leaving her 11-year-old daughter.

"We heard a story she got shot. We heard a story she got stabbed. But we have no validation from any authorities," he said.

The Coroner's Office, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Sheriff's Department have no records on the woman. The Department of Children and Family Services has placed the girl with her aunt in Los Angeles.

Despite the delays and setbacks, Bales said he has been encouraged by the support he's gotten from the community.

"I don't think the efforts to delay us are going to succeed," Bales said.

"I talked to a lady from Hollywood, and she said at all her Beverly Hills parties, all they talk about is the homeless situation and how the hospitals have to stop dropping off patients on Skid Row and how there needs to be adequate housing.

"It's the talk of the town and the attention of the town. And I don't think people will tolerate efforts to stall helping the homeless."

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com

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