Construction Begins at Skid Row Southeast 1

Construction has begun on Skid Row Southeast 1, a project to renovate Las Americas Hotel Apartments and Olympia Hotel Apartments, two of our buildings in Downtown Los Angeles. Renovations at both buildings will focus on improving energy efficiency, reducing water usage, and extending each building’s life. The project will also focus on updating housing amenities and enhancing common areas for current and future residents. Major improvements include installing an elevator at Las Americas, reconfiguring the courtyard and kitchen at Olympia, and creating new spaces for supportive services in both buildings. Renovations are expected to be complete by the end of 2016.

Las Americas and Olympia

Marinello Salon Day

Every second Wednesday of the month, Marinello School of Beauty offers free haircuts, styling and manicures to Skid Row Housing Trust residents. It is a great opportunity for the Marinello students to gain experience while giving back to the community. Residents receive a day of pampering that helps them gain confidence. “You can see how proud residents feel about getting a haircut or a shave,” said Brent Smith, a Peer Advocate. “To see someone with a smile like they have makes me feel the joy that they are feeling. I’m so glad that I can be a part of this.”

California State Senate supports ‘No Place Like Home’ initiative

Like the much-needed rain that has reached California, the effort to help the homeless has even more significance to it as the impact of El Niño storms has displaced the thousands of homeless living in makeshift camps along the Los Angeles River.

On Jan 4, members of the California State Senate held a press conference to announce the “No Place Like Home” initiative.

 The bipartisan coalition wanted to alert the press that Monday to this first-of-it’s-kind comprehensive collaboration designed to help local communities meet the critical needs of the homeless in California. More than 40 speakers and representatives from State and local agencies voiced their concerns for the homeless at the The Star Apartments on East 6th Street in Los Angeles, an area known as Skid Row.

Mike Alvidrez, president of the Skid Row Housing Trust which owns and manages The Star Apartments, began the press conference by saying “permanent support of housing works and it saves money.” He mentioned that the SRH Trust has been working with the homeless for over 25 years and in its management of The Star Apartments and other properties, their approach has been homelessness is a reversible circumstance and that everyone in a community has a role to play in ending homelessness.

Veteran Housing Completed in MacArthur Park

Construction is complete for the Six Apartments, a new affordable housing complex in MacArthur Park targeted at veterans and chronically homeless individuals.

Video: Senate leader, Steinberg propose $2 billion homeless plan

Sacramento Bee: In an opening to this year’s budget negotiations at the Capitol, Senate Democrats on Monday proposed a $2 billion bond to build homes for homeless people with mental illnesses. The measure would be funded by Proposition 63, the existing, 1 percent income tax on Californians earning $1 million or more per year to pay for mental health services. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León said at a news conference in Los Angeles that the money could fund construction of at least 10,000 housing units statewide.