LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez was joined by City departments and community members at Northeast New Beginnings in Cypress Park to celebrate the grand opening of a transformative expansion at the site. The care-first interim housing facility now has 15 more modular residential units on a previously underutilized City-owned lot at 503 North San Fernando Road. This adds 58 new beds, bringing the total site capacity to 152 beds.
Councilmember Hernandez opened Northeast New Beginnings in January 2024, launching a first-of-its-kind interim housing model built on dignity, wraparound services, and a care-first approach. Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the site moves away from traditional congregate shelters by offering private modular homes equipped with individual restrooms, showers, climate control, and bedrooms. The facility provides unhoused neighbors with a safe, individualized environment where they can stabilize, access medical and behavioral healthcare, and navigate pathways to permanent housing.
“Northeast New Beginnings is proof of what we can accomplish together when we give unhoused Angelenos the round-the-clock healthcare and stability they need to rebuild their lives,” said Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. “Thanks to our partners across City government and our community, launching this new site gives us the capacity to bring more people indoors as we work to stop the eviction-to-homelessness pipeline."
The expansion of the interim housing site comes after Northeast New Beginnings successfully brought more than 100 unhoused Angelenos indoors in its first 18 months, including 55 people who have moved into permanent housing to date. The recent $9.077 million expansion cost about $156,000 per bed, down from less than $169,000 per bed in Phase 1. Phase 2 of Northeast New Beginnings shows how municipalities can use city-owned land to build housing infrastructure quickly and responsibly.
“Projects like these are how we address the crisis on our streets by getting people immediately housed while connecting people to the critical services they need to stabilize their lives,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “This expansion of Northeast New Beginnings in Cypress Park will help us get more unhoused Angelenos into safe, stable housing while connecting them with case management, medical care, employment support, substance use and harm reduction services, pet support, and more. It provides a lifeline for people who need help getting back on their feet, and it wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of Councilmember Hernandez. I’m proud to partner with her as we continue working every day to bring more Angelenos indoors with the support they need.”
"Every Angeleno deserves a safe, secure place to lay their head at night,” said State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, CA Senate District 26. “Northeast New Beginnings is a critical step forward for our community, quickly delivering 58 beds of interim housing. Thanks to state HHAP investments and Councilmember Hernandez, we are expanding real lifelines for our unhoused neighbors on the path toward permanent stability.”
“The Bureau of Engineering is pleased to join Mayor Bass, Councilmember Hernandez and the many partners who support this critical facility as we join to celebrate the expansion of Northeast New Beginnings,” said Steven Fierce, Principal Architect, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering. “This community is unique in that it was the City’s first site to use a pre-manufactured, residential prototype. Combined with outdoor decks, bright, welcoming colors, and outdoor spaces with shade and seating, we are so pleased to see this community expand and continue to welcome new residents.”
"Housing is the first step toward a new beginning, turning dignity into a permanent reality,” added Cheryl Morris, Wesley Health Centers (JWCH) Program Manager.
Wesley Health Centers (JWCH), the onsite service provider, is a comprehensive healthcare and social services agency. As a Federally Qualified Health Center with Health Resources and Services Administration designation, JWCH provides specialized medical and dental care directly to residents. This model is rarely available at interim housing sites in Los Angeles. Services at Northeast New Beginnings include:
- Three meals a day
- Case management and housing navigation
- Primary, behavioral, and dental healthcare
- Problem-solving counseling and crisis de-escalation
- Benefits assistance and document readiness
- Employment readiness and job placement support
- Substance use counseling and harm reduction services
- Crisis intervention and conflict resolution
- Pet support and dedicated pet area
- Designated Little Library
Beyond Northeast New Beginnings, Councilmember Hernandez has taken a comprehensive approach to tackling homelessness across Council District 1. This includes securing over $6 million to address encampments along the 110 Freeway and dedicating $3 million from the City's Opioid Settlement Fund to establish a health hub in MacArthur Park. To prevent eviction-to-homelessness pipelines, Councilmember Hernandez has distributed $100,000 in direct rental aid, deployed a dedicated Tenant Deputy, and championed historic tenant protections—all while advancing a housing pipeline that includes 815 completed affordable units, 951 under construction, and over 2,000 in development.
With today’s grand opening, Councilmember Hernandez shows her ongoing commitment to care-first, people-focused solutions to end homelessness. The expanded facility now offers a safe and dignified home for 58 more Angelenos as they move off the streets and work toward permanent stability.
Photos and b-roll from the event are available here. Full livestream of the press conference can be found here.