This motel in Venice was bought by the city for $10 million to be used for housing the homeless.
By ANGELA MCGREGOR
(Editor’s note: The following story appeared in a June 15 edition of the Westside Current and is reprinted with permission. CTN printed a story “Sexual Predator Moved into Venice Neighborhood” in August 2022. There were unanswered questions then about where did the initial $10 million come from and now this property is it owned by the City or by the nonprofit?)
After spending $10 million to purchase a 33-room Venice hotel for conversion into permanent supportive housing in December 2020, the L.A. City-owned property has now been vacant for eight months – and won’t house anyone until December 2024.
In December 2020, the City of Los Angeles purchased the Ramada Inn at 3130 Washington Blvd., just west of Lincoln, with Project Homekey funds.
The property was subsequently sold for $1.00 to People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a homeless services agency who is also receiving funding to oversee the operation and renovation of the building.
At a contentious meeting with nearby residents in January 2021, a representative, from then Councilmember Mike Bonin’s office, announced that the facility would be used for “transitional” housing for the “next 3-5 years.”
In April, 2021, a group of 400 Venetians called Family First Venice filed an appeal to the project, in response to the city’s refusal to work with nearby residents to establish conditions whereby the facility could be operated safely. That appeal was denied, and the building — which is within three blocks of three different elementary schools — was opened for transitional housing.
By August of 2022, two residents of the facility had died of overdoses and a convicted sexual predator a had made the facility his home for a few months. That summer, everyone who lived there was notified they would have to move out to accommodate the building’s conversion to permanent supportive housing. The last resident moved out roughly eight months ago.
According to Tyler Renner, the Director of Media for PATH, construction to convert the former motel to 33 permanent supportive housing studio units is anticipated to begin in October of this year. Architectural plans were submitted to City Planning in December of 2022, and PATH is still responding to city comments on the project. They hope to complete construction by the end of 2024.
The scope of work for the project includes:
- Installation of vents and kitchenettes for all units
- Installation of cabinets in each unit
- Replacement of flooring in units and throughout the property as needed
- Converting existing hotel lobby into on-site management and case management offices for Tenants
- Converting existing common area room into ADA compliant laundry room
- Conversion of 2 existing rooms into ADA compliant units
- Conversion of Two existing rooms into visual/noise impaired units
- Creating outdoor patio areas for tenants
As for the exterior of the building it will, according to Renner, “remain as is…with an exception to new paint and plants.”