LOS ANGELES — Today, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Northeast New Beginnings, a first-of-its-kind model of interim shelter in Cypress Park. Councilmember Hernandez was joined by Mayor Karen Bass, Supervisor Hilda Solis, LAHSA CEO Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum, City Engineer Ted Allen, CEO of John Wesley Health Centers Al Ballesteros, representatives from the City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, service providers, and community members to celebrate the new site. Northeast New Beginnings will open its doors to residents next week and will serve up to 95 unhoused individuals.
“Northeast New Beginnings is a first of its kind model of interim housing that will provide intensive, wrap-around services to some of our most vulnerable residents in Council District 1,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. “This new site is a model for what is possible when we invest in a care-first approach to meet the needs of our constituents. I am grateful for the partnerships at the City and County level and our service provider, John Wesley Health Centers, that made this project a reality. There is no issue more urgent than the housing and homelessness crisis in Los Angeles and we will continue to work together to build more sites like Northeast New Beginnings that prioritize the health, safety, and wellbeing of our communities.”
“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. “That’s why I stand here with Councilwoman Hernandez, and 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.”
“I am glad that Northeast New Beginnings considers some of the best lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that we serve people experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Amenities such as in-unit bathrooms, a dog run, and laundry service on-site show our unhoused neighbors that we are willing and able to provide safe, clean, and dignified interim housing which will serve as a stepping stone on their path to permanent housing. As the City and County of Los Angeles continue to work together to solve homelessness, I am thrilled to see that our efforts are already bearing fruit.”
“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.”
“We are thankful for the leadership of Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, her staff and LAHSA,” said Al Ballesteros, CEO of John Wesley Health Centers. “Our partnership with the City will provide for comprehensive health and mental health services for those coming off the streets and we hope that will provide them an opportunity for a New Beginning.”
A New Model of Interim Housing in L.A.
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.
A Care-First Approach to Homelessness
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:
- 3 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 & conflict resolution
- Primary, behavioral, & mental healthcare
- Pet support
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