A county-funded interim housing program for homeless people with mental health issues is now on hold.
The project would’ve included two facilities on Ocean Ave. and would have reserved room for at least 15 homeless people who have serious mental health issues.
L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath made the announcement pause, adding that she was disappointed with the lack of transparency and engagement with Santa Monica residents.
During an online meeting last week about the facility, some residents expressed safety concerns.
“How are you going to guarantee that we're going to have the protection, the safety, the security when we already don't have that here for these kinds of issues?” one woman asked.
KNX News’ Jon Baird spoke with a resident who said this is not the right neighborhood for these facilities.
“I think there are resources in other areas that are better equipped to support the homeless community,” he said.
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But other residents disagreed, saying these facilities are needed.
“There are a lot of homeless people who are down here who need services, and if they want services, they usually have to go downtown,” one woman said. “So if there was something right here, I mean, I don't think that I'm better than them just because I'm housed.”
Another woman said she had no problem with the facility.
‘I think it would solve a multitude of problems,” she said.
It’s unclear when the facilities will open.
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