Los Angeles is getting a brand new, posh, taxpayer-funded homeless shelter that looks more like a hipster paradise than a public housing complex. The shelter will contain apartments with views of the city skyline.
The 19-story structure, which cost around $600,000 each to construct and had 50 one-bedroom units and 228 studios, is situated in the middle of Skid Row and is one of three buildings in a project to house and assist individuals experiencing homelessness.
The sprawling complex features an abundance of amenities, such as a gym with cardio equipment, weight machines, rowing machines, and a cable machine; a shared patio area where members may gather; a computer room, a soundproof music room, an art room, a library, and a cafe. The total cost of the complex is $165 million.
Just a few weeks from now, the 278-unit, 19-story tower will open to the public. It will be constructed in a self-contained setting to shield its formerly homeless inhabitants from the depravity and despair that surrounds them.
The rooms in the tower are equally contemporary and spotless; they come with one bed, a kitchenette with a stove, a refrigerator, and a TV.
According to the website, Tower 1, located on South Crocker Street, offers high-quality apartments in downtown Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Housing Department reports that the project’s funding comes from Proposition HHH, a supportive housing initiative that was adopted by the city voters in 2016. It is further supported by $56 million in state tax credits and state housing funding.
Homelessness, drug abuse, and open manifestations of mental illness are commonplace in Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.
The Weingart Center organization, which aims to end homelessness, is planning to construct three towers, the most expensive of which is the $165 million tower.
The Los Angeles Housing Department and state housing money will finance the opulent refuge, which is expected to cost around $600,000 per unit.
Los Angeles County’s homeless population has grown by nine percent and the city’s homeless population by ten percent, as reported in the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count for 2023.
Upon completion of the three structures, a campus will be formed, providing 700 people with a haven away from the dangerous influences of Skid Row, a notorious area for the homeless and needy.
