City to make it easier to move homeless into motels, build supportive housing

The City of Los Angeles advanced two ordinances to expedite the creation of additional housing units for the homeless.

Urbanize LA reported that that first ordinance would allow the city to more easily bypass regulations that delay the moving of homeless persons into available hotels, motels and other transient residential buildings. According to the ordinance, motels, mostly those of 50 rooms or fewer, are the most likely to be affected by the ordinance allowing their temporary use as supportive or transitional housing.

The second ordinance would change land use guidelines in the city’s general plan to allow for smaller dwelling units, allow an increase in building height and make other allowances for new construction supportive housing projects.

According to reports last year, Los Angeles’ homelessness population grew 20 percent to reach 34,189 in 2016, 74 percent of whom lived unsheltered.

This summer, local lawmakers proposed a $75,000 homeowner subsidy for residents willing to take people in off the streets. [Urbanize LA] — Natalie Hoberman