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This L.A. project shows that homeless housing can be done quickly and cheaply

Doug Smith

January 18, 2021 |

Los Angeles Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

A housing complex in Los Angeles was approved and constructed with unprecedented speed and at a much lower cost than traditional homeless housing projects. Using up-cycled shipping containers, the project will include amenities such as bathrooms and refrigerators for each room. Teamwork and collective action from the county’s public works department resulted in the successful project.

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The coronavirus gave them jobs — and a new lease on life

Doug Smith

August 25, 2020 |

Los Angeles Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Finding gainful employment after incarceration is hard in the best of times, but during a global pandemic it's even more challenging. A Los Angeles nonprofit, Chrysalis, has been able to place the hard-to-employ job seekers in hotels that have been leased by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to house people experiencing homelessness. Chrysalis typically prepares people for permanent jobs but also finds transitional roles such as some of the positions that have been filled in the 38 hotels under lease by the city.

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L.A. races to save 15,000 homeless people from coronavirus — one hotel room at a time

Doug Smith

April 18, 2020 |

Los Angeles Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In Los Angeles, the city-led effort, Project Roomkey, is working to get 15,000 people experiencing homelessness into hotel rooms in the fight against COVID-19. Working with the LA Homeless Services Authority and state negotiators, partnerships with hotels are being developed and are already housing some of these individuals. While costing nearly $190 million, it is helping save lives and hopefully keeping hotels afloat.

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After decades of silence, L.A.'s Triforium becomes the 'pipe organ of light' its creator meant it to be — for three nights

Doug Smith

November 02, 2018 |

Los Angeles Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In Los Angeles, three young creatives tried to bring a renewal to the public art building the Triforium, aiming to “signal the flickering of a new movement.” They were met with limited success, in the form of a grant that sustained their project for just three nights. Though the project was not sustainable, the young idealists jump-started a project in an area of town that many had forgotten. The progress they made may inspire others to pick up where they left off.

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A new house for $286,000? With sweat equity and creative financing, a nonprofit developer aids veterans

Doug Smith

October 14, 2018 |

Los Angeles Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Santa Clarita, California

After serving the military, plenty of families struggle to buy homes. In Southern California, that’s changing with help from non-profit Homes 4 Families, which acquires funding from the government, good development deals, and donations in order to build communities of homes that are affordable to veterans. The veterans put in 500 hours of labor and are rewarded with homes they can afford in a neighborhood of families with whom they share a common bond.

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Developer tests a new way to fund housing for the homeless: private financing

Doug Smith

July 19, 2018 |

Los Angeles Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In an attempt to increase housing for the homeless in L.A. in a financially sustainable way, FlyAway Homes has started several projects to build homeless housing supported by private investment. Fifty six investors will get a return, though not a large one, on the 9-unit property that will house 32 homeless individuals. This model is more efficient than when a non-profit organization builds homeless housing, and more properties under FlyAway Homes will show if the model is in fact sustainable.

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A Venice couple is housing homeless people, one small building at a time

Doug Smith

June 08, 2018 |

Los Angeles Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

SHARE, or Self-Help and Recovery Exchange, is a nonprofit organization that “places extremely low-income people into market-rate housing by matching renters two to a bedroom.” The model depends on renters being able to pay and requires renters to attend weekly self-help sessions. The homes are rented out by local investors who are interested in helping homeless people while still turning a small profit via their investment. Currently, SHARE houses 400 tenants throughout Los Angeles.

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