Here are some of the past activities involving the Committee:

  • April 2014: Held Community Homelessness Forum  @ Grand Annex    (100+ in attendance)
  • September 2014:  Stakeholder/Community Coordinated Entry System Training @ Harbor Interfaith
  • Throughout end of 2014 & early 2015 ~ Numerous contact with stakeholders, Officer Bravo & Nua about concerns over encampment @ Summerland & Gaffey.   Visited site with Nicole Wells and stakeholder.
  • January 2015:    Homeless Count 2015   Two Central NC board members served as volunteer Lead and back-up on this effort for San Pedro (50 volunteers helped to counter over 300 homeless individuals)
  • March 2015:   Anderson Park      Did site visit and determined facility was underutilized; motion passed to further review possible use of facility for homeless storage lockers.   Joint community/stakeholder meeting with Rec & Park subcommittee to discuss usage of Anderson Park.
  • April 2015:   Motion to support L.A. City Council Motion 15-0276 ~ De-commissioned buses to be used for mobile showers throughout the city.
  • Other ~
    • Community Impact Statement in support of L.A. City Council Motion 15-0727.  More storage, restrooms, lockers throughout the city of Los Angeles for unsheltered.
    • Tour of P.A.T.H. Headquarters in Silverlake
    • Monthly meeting with Emergency Response Team of LAHSA @ CD15 office
    • Regular contact with Quality of Life officers Harbor Division, Harbor Interfaith Services, DMH Outreach workers

HOMELESS AD HOC COMMITTEE MOTION PASSED AT AUGUST 11, 2015 MEETING: 
Agenda Item 4b: Motion requesting support of the Central San Pedro NC board in
having the Homelessness Committee move forward with the “Tiny House Project.”

The following motion was presented by the Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness. Motion to amend by Karen Ceaser adding additional language as follows: “Be it resolved that the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council (Central SPNC) supports the tiny homes initiative, not with any financial support, but as a policy, and that we continue to look for alternative spaces for these homes to be placed that are not on city streets; and urge the city to assist in the search for alternative locations. Furthermore, that a community forum be held, sponsored by the Central SPNC within the next 30 days, at a location to be announced within the Central SPNC area in order to have a further discussion with the community in regards to dealing with the homeless issue.”
Motion seconded by Sue Castillo and passed with 10 yes votes (Hunter, Galaz, Hall, Gray, Hartwell, Anderson, Sandoval, Scoville, Ceaser, Castillo, Obiama-Sakhu, 0 no votes, 1 abstention (Allen).
Motion by Karen Ceaser to approve the motion as amended, seconded by Sue Castillo and passed with 10 yes votes (Hunter, Galaz, Hall, Gray, Hartwell, Anderson, Sandoval, Scoville, Ceaser, Castillo, Obiama-Sakhu, 0 no votes, 1 abstention (Allen)

  • LA Times Article 8/11/15: L.A. councilman takes aim at tiny homes on wheels
  • Daily Breeze Article 8/11/15: ‘Tiny houses’ for the homeless create backlash in San Pedro
  • 9/18/15:  Councilman Buscaino is pleased to announce his new San Pedro Community Homelessness task force which will be co-chaired by Ray Regalado, San Pedro resident and Senior Relations Specialist at Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations.
    The other ten members of the task force include: Elise Swanson, president and CEO of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, John Bagakis, Honorary Mayor of San Pedro and manager of Big Nick’s Pizza, Mona Sutton, co-owner of the Omelette and Waffle Shop and co-chair of LAPD Harbor Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB), Mike Harper, South Bay Realtor Consultant, George Palaziol, San Pedro resident, Ken Hillman, retired LAPD commander, Dr. Andres Jimenez, Providence Medical Institute, Steve Casares, San Pedro resident, John Larson, Communications and Policy Director for Dr. Richard Vladovic, and Shari Weaver, Regional Coordinator at Harbor Interfaith Services for Coordinated Entry System.

    The first assignment Councilman Buscaino will give the task force is to create a plan for the coordinated consolidation of food banks in town. As we learned during the San Pedro Homelessness Forum, there are many unintended consequences of the simple act of offering food to the homeless which may enable an individual to continue a negative spiral of substance abuse and illegal behavior. Food should be available to those in need, but it should come from professional sources that have an ability to offer additional services, making the individuals with the highest need more visible to those that can help.

    The intention of this task force is to create a smart, effective and civil dialogue between San Pedro stakeholders about issues caused by homelessness.

    The task force will hold their first meeting in mid-October.