Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky introduced a motion Friday calling for the city to explore the use of recreational vehicles — previously deployed during the coronavirus pandemic — as interim housing in West Los Angeles.
According to the motion, community stakeholders raised the idea of temporarily closing a portion of Cotner Avenue that fronts city-owned properties for the purpose of providing temporary homeless housing. The city previously used these RVs as shelter, but donated some to the Volunteers of America Los Angeles or to other groups.
The proposal would close a block-and-a-half stretch of Cotner, which runs parallel to the San Diego (405) Freeway in Yaroslavsky’s Fifth District, which includes L.A. neighborhoods such as Bel Air, Beverly Crest, Century City, Fairfax District, Melrose, Palms, Sawtelle and Westwood among other West L.A. neighborhoods.
According to the motion, possible locations to place these RVs include L.A. Department of Water and Power Distribution Station #28, 11171 Nebraska Ave.; Bel Air District Maintenance Yard, 11165 Missouri Ave.; and the West L.A. Sewer Maintenance Yard, 11168 Missouri Ave.
“Since assuming office in December 2022, Council District Five has worked to identify and analyze credible opportunities to increase the availability of homeless housing in the district, which remains in drastically short support supply,” the motion states. “As such, the feasibility and cost of this proposal should be fully examined.”
The motion would instruct the City Administrative Officer in conjunction with the Bureau of Engineering to report back on the feasibility of turning the area into an interim housing site using RVs.
The report will provide a cost estimate for developing the site as well as the operational cost to run the site with utility services, hygiene and sanitation facilities, and security. It also proposes for the city to deploy street-based outreach teams in the area to engage current unhoused residents along Cotner Avenue and encourage them to move into the proposed housing facility.
According to Yaroslavsky’s office, the motion would begin those conversations regarding the necessities required at that site to bring more beds online using the RVs.
The motion will be considered by the Housing and Homeless Committee at a future date.