Beverly Grove residents encouraged by efforts taken to clean homeless encampment
After months of asking for the removal of a large homeless encampment outside of their homes and businesses, Beverly Grove residents are pleased to see that efforts have actually been taken by local government to solve the problem.
"I think it's amazing," said Craig Brill, who lives in the area. "I have to give real credit to Karen Bass for prioritizing the area and helping people get off the streets and into some temporary shelter and housing."
The cleanup operation is orchestrated through Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program, which offers the unhoused population "immediate quality housing and a commitment of services and permanent housing so they can stay inside safe for good," according to the executive directive signed back in December.
In order to clean the large encampment in Beverly Grove, located on San Vicente Boulevard, Bass partnered with Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky.
"I'm proud to partner with Councilwoman Yaroslavsky in bringing the Angelenos who had been living outside on San Vicente Boulevard inside," Bass said in a statement. "Inside Safe is a real solution that proves there is hope in Los Angeles. Together, we will confront this crisis by bringing unhoused Angelenos inside for good."
The mayor visited the site on Wednesday, interacting with some of the unhoused people staying in the area, the culmination of months of planning and focus on providing permanent shelter to inhabitants of the encampment.
According to the mayor's office, 21 people were brought inside on Wednesday and an additional eight were provided housing Thursday.
Mima Adams, who owns a business adjacent to one of the largest sections of the encampment, said the difference between what she saw Thursday versus two weeks ago is astounding.
"It's just kind of an overwhelming feeling," she said, noting how for the first time in a while she was able to open shop without "feeling afraid."
City sanitation workers could be seen tossing unwanted belongings, like the remnants of tents and mattresses, before powerwashing the street and sidewalk of the newly cleaned area.
"I feel overwhelmed," said Marie Carpenter, one of the many unhoused residents who was offered housing. "I'm happy that somebody's going to help me. I've been out here for two years."
She's among the many who are getting moved to hotels with the intention of moving into permanent housing in the near future.
Inside Safe workers were also available to connect unhoused people with Medi-Cal and food support.
With the area now clean for the first time in years, Adams said she's extremely appreciative of the efforts taken over the last week, but she's only cautiously optimistic that things will last.
"I want to say that I want to feel excited, it's like a night and day," she said. "I just hope and pray that it continues to stay this way — I have my doubts."
Inside Safe was introduced by Mayor Bass as one of her first initiatives in office. Thus far, more than 1,000 unhoused Angelenos have been housed in just over 100 days. The program is designed to reduce the loss of life on LA city streets, increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment and permanently eliminate street encampments by promoting long-term housing.
After early success, the Inside Safe program received a $250 million expansion in April when the mayor revealed her proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
