The State of California has awarded the City of West Hollywood a conditional Homekey grant in the amount of $6,007,661 to address the capital and operating expenses for a proposed plan to convert the Holloway Motel site into an interim housing and supportive services location for people experiencing homelessness.

At its regular meeting on Monday, June 6, 2022, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood unanimously approved a Resolution approving the purchase of the Holloway Motel property, located at 8465 Santa Monica Boulevard, with $4,200,000 (plus closing costs) in unallocated reserves set aside in West Hollywood’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The Resolution initiates a purchase and escrow process. Closure on the sale is subject to negotiation and preparation of a development agreement with the property owner, which will require Planning Commission review and approval by the City Council at a future public hearing. This follows prior approval, in December 2021, of $2,800,000 in unallocated reserves set aside in West Hollywood’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund dedicated as a local match to operating expenses at the proposed interim housing site.

The City of West Hollywood is committed to engaging with the community and to providing opportunities to share detailed information about the proposed project and to collect feedback from residents and businesses. Staff members from the City’s Strategic Initiatives Division will host several meetings about the proposed project. Two upcoming meetings about the proposed Holloway Motel/Homekey Housing Program will take place virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. One meeting will take place at 12 p.m.; the other meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Community members are encouraged to attend either session; information presented by the City will be the same content at each meeting. Details about Zoom sign-up are provided on the City’s website calendar at www.weho.org/calendar.

The City’s Homeless Initiative addresses homelessness with a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, collaborative response and works in close partnership with the City’s contracted and collaborative nonprofit social services providers, the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, and Los Angeles County agencies. The work of the Homeless Initiative is guided by the City’s
Five-Year Plan to Address Homelessness in Our Community, which was approved by the West Hollywood City Council in 2018. The plan was developed based on extensive engagement with the community, and with funding support from LA County Measure H. The plan remains critically important in directing the local response to homelessness.

At its December 20, 2021 meeting, the West Hollywood City Council gave authorization to City staff to apply for a Project Homekey grant from the State of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

The proposed Holloway Motel/Homekey Housing Program envisions the purchase of the Holloway Motel to be updated, rehabilitated, and operated as an interim housing program, that will provide a comprehensive program for people who are experiencing homelessness to move off the streets with case management and supportive services, with the goal of identifying and securing permanent housing. Interim housing would typically provide a stay of up to 90 days to stabilize community members and assist them with getting the necessary care and resources to find permanent housing. The project plans would call for considerable physical improvements to the site and operations would include appropriate security measures and 24/7 onsite staff.

The City of West Hollywood is committed to providing comprehensive assistance to people who are experiencing homelessness in the City. A survey conducted of West Hollywood residents in November 2021 by FM3 Research, found that 90 percent of respondents ranked homelessness as a very or somewhat serious issue (72 percent “very serious” and 18 percent “somewhat serious”) making this one of the most significant issues of concern for the community. The survey also found strong support among residents for interventions to address homelessness. Of those surveyed, 79 percent of respondents supported increasing the prioritization of “Supportive Housing, including homeless services, within City limits” (52 percent “much more of a priority” and 27 percent “somewhat more of a priority”). 76 percent of respondents supported increasing prioritization of “City-funded temporary shelter beds and homeless services provided within City limits,” (50 percent “much more of a priority” and 26 percent “somewhat more of a priority”).

To report concerns about a community member who is homeless, call the West Hollywood Homeless Initiative Concern Line at (323) 848-6590. If the concern requires time-sensitive assistance during nights or weekends, please call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station at (310) 855-8850.

For more information about the Homeless Initiative, please contact Corri Planck, City of West Hollywood Strategic Initiatives Manager, at (323) 848-6430 or cplanck@weho.org. For additional information, please visit www.weho.org/homeless. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

The City of West Hollywood remains in a declared local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. West Hollywood City Hall is open for in-person walk-in transactions at public counters or by appointment; to make an appointment, visit www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services remain accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org. City of West Hollywood coronavirus updates are available at www.weho.org/coronavirus.

For up-to-date news and events, follow the City of West Hollywood @wehocity on social media, sign up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.