Westwood Village looks into finding new homelessness outreach partner
By Mary Manukyan
Feb. 13, 2017 9:44 p.m.
After having worked with one homelessness outreach program for five years, Westwood Village may soon find a new one.
The Westwood Village Improvement Association’s contract with its current homelessness outreach partner, People Assisting The Homeless, will expire at the end of February. PATH partners with cities throughout California to provide opportunities for housing and other services to homeless people, and has had a contract with the association since 2012.
The association will decide whether to continue working with PATH or move toward collaborating with Block by Block, a national organization which also offers homelessness outreach services in Los Angeles County. Block by Block has worked in Westwood since 2011 to connect individuals with housing and perform general maintenance, cleaning and hospitality services.
PATH and Block by Block presented their bids to the association’s Clean, Safe and Beautiful Committee on Monday morning. Andrew Thomas, the association’s executive director, said the committee will recommend that the board sign a contract with Block by Block as early as Thursday.
Thomas said the vendors’ presentations were similar, but Block by Block’s proposal included 40 dedicated hours of outreach per week. He added PATH currently provides two workers once a week for about one and a half days.
“Additional hours is pretty appealing,” he said.
Block by Block has provided the Westwood Village with other general maintenance services, Thomas said, but the current contract bid would allow Block by Block to take over PATH’s homelessness outreach services.
However, Thomas said he thinks PATH has better connections with Westwood and the Los Angeles area.
Katie Hill, PATH’s executive director, said the organization has worked in Los Angeles since its creation in 1984. She added PATH’s approach was geared toward more chronic cases of homelessness, including individuals who need help with substance abuse and mental illness.
“PATH focuses on long-term clients who are well-known in the community and whom businesses get complaints about most often,” Hill said.
Thomas said he respects the work PATH has done in the past five years.
“PATH has been able to connect a lot of transients to services,” Thomas said. “It’s hard work.”
Thomas added he thinks the Village is succeeding if it can decrease or maintain its homelessness rates.
“Our goal is to eliminate homelessness,” Thomas said. “Everywhere else is up a lot –if we’ve been able to stay somewhat flat or consistent, that’s a win.”
Hill said PATH would be willing to continue working with the Village regardless of future contracts.
“We really think they are a great partner,” Hill said.
