Residents Push Back Against Blumenfield's Plans To Build Homeless Cabin Community In Residential Area
RESEDA (CBSLA) -- The revolutionary tiny home community trend is being reimagined to help provide housing for homeless populations in the Southland.
A cabin community is set to be built in a neighborhood in Reseda, but some of the people who live nearby are pushing back against the plans because of the proposed location.
L.A. City Councilman Bob Blumenfield plans to put 50 to 75 cabins for the homeless in his parking lot, which is across the street from a townhome complex.
Dozens of people who live nearby say he's putting their neighborhood at risk.
"You work so hard, living in L.A. to save enough money to purchase a home that is safe for your family, and knowing that it's being threatened overnight is absolutely devastating," said Laura Fuduli, a Reseda resident.
The community would house 8x8 tiny homes for single occupants, communal restrooms and showers, mental health and drug services will be onsite, and a police station next door.
"Right now, there are people living on the sidewalks, sprawled out on the sidewalks in our communities. And by creating this cabin community you are going to get those folks off of that sidewalk," Blumenfield said. "There is no ideal place. Everywhere we thought about putting it, people have oppositions to it."
Some homeowners say they understand the mission, but that an existing residential area is not the place for it.
"I feel that they can provide shelter to the homeless, but I don't think it has to be in a residential neighborhood with a mix of families and children," Laura Puana, a Reseda resident said.
"Obviously, the knee-jerk reaction to this is there is a homeless community across the street, how will we sell our houses? But then also, it's raising kids, like how safe are they going to be at night?" said Sean Africa, another Reseda resident.
Residents have expressed that they feel powerless about their oppositions against the plan, and Blumenfield confirmed that it's already ready to be implemented.
"It is not something that is coming up for a vote," Blumenfield said.
Cabin communities are already being built throughout the city of Los Angeles.
"Any one of us can be formally homeless at some point, so I would ask people to open your hearts a little bit and to realize that we have a crisis on our hands," Blumenfield said.
Currently, there is no barrier separating the area where the cabin community will be built from the townhomes across the street, but Blumenfeld says one will be built.
He hopes to start construction in the winter and be open by spring 2021.
Learn more about the planned cabin community here.