Emotions flared at a community outreach meeting in Chatsworth Tuesday night over the construction of 63 studio apartments for the homeless.
Funds from Measure HHH, which taxpayers approved in 2016, could help turn a former car lot on 10243 N Topanga Canyon Blvd into supportive housing for people on the streets for more than 12 months.
While voters agree that homelessness is a huge problem in the west San Fernando Valley, many disagree with the plan, for one, because the location is too close to an elementary school.
"I’ve had homeless people defecate and urinate in my bushes! I’ve had them crawl underneath my garage. I had to call the police," Sharon Taksel, a resident, said.
Voters hoping to derail the project swarmed LA City Councilman John Lee.
"It is not done. They have to go through this entire process," he said about the project.
"It’s not that we don’t want people to have a home. I voted for HHH. I just want it to be in the appropriate place," Taksel said.
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Advocates for the apartments say they have a plan to address resident concerns.
"Being a supportive service provider on site, it is important [people] can call us with concerns. To address any issues with our residents," Amber Roth, Homeless Health Care LA said.
In response, the crowd groaned.
For now, funds are tied to the contested location, although Lee said he had other sites in mind for the apartments, and they are still three years from completion.
"The politicians are the ones that allowed this to happen! And now they expect us to fix it! It’s not right," John Redican, a resident, said.
