Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday for a 95-unit facility in Cypress Park that will provide interim housing for people experiencing homelessness.
The project, called Northeast New Beginnings, broke ground in May 2022 and is expected to open to residents next week, Hernandez’s office said.
According to Hernandez, who represents the First District, which includes Cypress Park, the facility is a “first-of-its-kind model” that will provide general and mental health services as well as substance-abuse treatment to some of the most vulnerable neighbors in her district.
“This new site is a model for what is possible when we invest in a care-first approach to meet the needs of our constituents,” Hernandez said in a statement Tuesday. “I am grateful for the partnerships at the city and county level, as well with the Northeast New Beginnings’ service provider, John Wesley Health Centers, that helped make this project a reality.”
Each unit contains a bedroom, kitchen and restroom, and the facility also features onsite laundry services, a community flexible space, pet area and case management offices, officials said.
Hernandez’s office noted that John Wesley Health Centers is a healthcare and social services agency with a Federally Qualified Health Center designation — meaning it can provide residents with more robust health and dental services than are offered at other facilities.
Northeast New Beginnings was slated to open sooner, but the project experienced some delays in construction due to severe weather.
The facility was developed on a previously undeveloped parcel of land, surrounded by the 5 and 110 freeways, the L.A. River and industrial zoning.
Hernandez’s office noted the facility is more than a quarter-mile from the nearest residential or multi-family housing, and that her staff engaged with local residents, school, faith-based leaders, small businesses and other neighborhood stakeholders for feedback on the location. According to Hernandez’s office, the reception was generally positive.