You’ve probably heard that the results of the 2019 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count are in. The count reports that 184 unsheltered people live in Eagle Rock, up 38% from 133 people in 2018. That’s more than three times the 12% rate of increase in Los Angeles County overall. While most of Eagle Rock’s homeless neighbors live in RVs or cars, the share of those in tents or on the street grew substantially this year.
So, if it seems like things have gotten worse and our neighbors are more frustrated, that’s understandable — and that’s why it’s so critical for us to continue advocating together for solutions. There are currently no emergency shelters, temporary housing, permanent supportive housing, or regular services offered to the homeless population in Eagle Rock.
Now, TERA and the Housing & Homelessness Committee of the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council (ERNC) have our own survey results to share. Based on community input, mobile showers and safe parking have emerged as the most highly-supported solutions among Eagle Rockers. More than 70% of respondents to our survey ranked mobile showers as their #1 or #2 priority, and 50% selected safe parking as one of their top two solutions. These were followed by service access centers, temporary bridge housing, and permanent supportive housing.
This information was solicited from more than 200 community members who attended meetings hosted by the ERNC and TERA in August 2018 and May 2019. Attendees provided feedback through an open-ended mapping exercise followed by a preference survey, as well as through dialogue and Q&A. To view the complete survey results, click here.
Survey responses indicate that the Eagle Rock Recreation Center parking Lot, located at 7560 N. Figueroa Street , is the most supported location for temporary services such as mobile showers and safe parking, followed by the Eagle Rock Plaza mall parking lot. For temporary bridge housing, the vacant St. Barnabas Church, located at 2109 Chickasaw Avenue, and a Southern California Edison-owned lot on Scholl Canyon Road received the most support.
So, what’s next for our efforts? TERA and the ERNC are asking City and County officials to identify feasibility, funding, partners and next steps needed to implement the most-supported solutions in the community’s preferred locations. We’re encouraged that Councilmember Huizar has already introduced a motion calling on City departments to study St. Barnabas as a potential bridge housing site for 12 families, but much more is needed to see results.
TERA and the ERNC will continue to promote dialogue and advocate for solutions around homelessness in our community, and volunteers are welcomed on the ERNC’s Housing and Homelessness Committee. Interested individuals may contact Chloé Renee Ziegler, chloe.renee.ziegler@eaglerockcouncil.org.
With your help, we will continue to promote dialogue and advocate for solutions around homelessness in our community. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or suggestions, and stay tuned for more follow-up.
Additional Resources on Homelessness:
For City of Los Angeles Proposition HHH information, visit hcidla.lacity.org/prop-hhh or lamayor.org/HomelessnessTrackingHHH.
If a homeless individual needs outreach and on-site assessment for services, submit a request to the Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal at LA-HOP.org. For medical, mental health, or other emergencies, call 911.
To report non-emergency crime or illegal activity, call LAPD at 1-877-ASK-LAPD.
Report trash and encampments to 311 or myla311.lacity.org and/or install the My 311 app on your cell phone . For encampments located on the side of a freeway or off-ramp, report to CalTrans.
Trees are an important part of Eagle Rock’s living infrastructure. Trees provide beauty, shade, cooling and pollution control for our urban environment, and are one of the most sensible and effective pollution fighters for our city. As living things, trees require care and maintenance. TERA has been working with the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council (ERNC) and Council Office to help fund planting, watering, and maintenance of street trees. 