• Site selection process:
  • Mayor announced “A Bridge Home” Program, calls on City Council Districts to find sites, provides list of publicly-owned sites in each district
  • District offices survey community for input
  • Subject Metro-owned site identified as possibility due to current under utilization and proximity to highest concentration of unsheltered people
  • City council district office and Mayor host a townhall for feedback on site, present initial site plan
  • LA City’s Bureau of Engineering (BOE) completed a site inspection and feasibility plan to move forward
• Plans for the Venice shelter triggered a lawsuit by an advocacy group, the Venice Stakeholders Assn., arguing that the city and other government agencies had failed to properly review how “this large and extraordinary project” would affect the neighborhood.
• A Superior Court judge ruled against the group, citing a state law, championed by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), that exempts any shelter or homeless housing project in Los Angeles from the California Environmental Quality Act if it receives funding from key state and local sources.

• $5+ million City funding sources: $2.8 million from Homeless Services Program Fund, $1.3 million from the Crisis and Bridge Housing Fund, $815,011 from the Homeless Emergency Aid Program Grant Fund
• Program services funding provided by HEAP (2019,2020) and then HHAP (2021)
• City Council instruct the City Administrative Officer (CAO) to
  submit to the Homeless Strategy Committee (HSC) for review a funding request totaling $1,000,000 for shared housing placement services for Venice Bridge Home clients
• The City pays for the Furniture, Fixtures and Other Equipment (FF&E) required to provide services at the facility (C.F, 18-0510). Either the service provider or the City procures the furniture and fixtures (source).
• Funds were requested to be set aside from the State’s FY 2019–20 Homeless Budget allocation to the City to provide for shared housing placements for individuals at the Venice Bridge Home.

Additional Funding Notes

• HHAP – This year, as part of the State’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Budget, the State set aside $650 million in one-time funding for the construction and expansion of emergency shelters and
  navigation centers, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, job programs, and for innovative projects like hotel/motel conversions. The Homeless Housing, Assistance, and
  Prevention Program (HHAPP) will make available $275 million to large cities, with a significant portion going to Los Angeles.
• HEAP – Prior state funds for emergency shelters were provided by the 2018-enacted HEAP funding allocations (link).

Overview

• The design includes 100 beds within the membrane structure, 54 additional beds in youth trailers, a hygiene trailer, a youth hygiene trailer, 154 60-gallon storage containers, a free-standing shade structure, an administration trailer, and an exterior dining area. Other features include an outdoor pet area, bike racks, a smoking area and general open space.
• Utilities: Central bathroom unit connected to municipal water, sewer, power (~$100k upfront cost)
• Design priorities is maximizing bed space capacity on the site
• Modular trailer provider, Design Space Modular, is same as prior A Bridge Home projects

Process

• BOE’s feasibility study includes the initial design and site plan
• Kickoff design meeting includes service provider of programmatic feedback
• Council office can customize color scheme and vendor provider

• PATH is a nonprofit that has done work with the City of Los Angeles in the past
• Local preference policy at shelters
• 6 feet distance between residents