The traditional shelter model does not allow homeless people to bring their property into the shelter nor does it allow people to reside during daytime hours. However, the Bridge Home model does make space for some personal property and is available around the clock to residents. These two changes alone increase the likelihood that a homeless person will accept this temporary housing, which means we are more likely to connect them with social services. The Bridge Housing program does not bring homeless people from across the city into our neighborhood. It is designed to serve the homeless people currently living in our neighborhood. Further, the primary qualification to move into a Bridge Home site is proximity to the property.
Part of the Bridge Home program is the augmentation of both sanitation and enforcement services for the neighborhoods in close proximity to the site. Each Bridge Home site is promised a dedicated Rapid Response Team which is comprised of Department of Sanitation workers and LAPD officers. These teams are sent to the surrounding neighborhood to address encampments. This will mean that once we have an operational Bridge Home location the West Valley, will receive an additional Rapid Response Team to clean our streets and enforce the law. Also, the site itself will be staffed with 24/7 on-site security. To read about the program generally use this link or read about my plans for a location in the 3rd district click here.