Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer continues to promote the Safe Parking LA program so that people who are sleeping in their vehicles can get to a safe place to spend the night.
Safe Parking LA is a community coordinating organization that helps homeless families and people living in their vehicles through “ Secure parking lots ”. In addition, they provide people with a safe place to park each night.
Parking lots have access to restrooms, a security guard, and security resources. social service.
Alfred Beltrán, 52, learned about the Safe Parking LA program, while I was looking for information on possible parking spaces for the night. He was looking for a safe atmosphere in Northeast Los Angeles.
Beltrán, known as AB, was very excited to learn that there are places outside the streets where people like him could get services and a space where they could spend the night.
He had volunteered in his neighborhood with a program of church food and wanted to be more involved in securing secure parking; ever since, AB has been advocating for these lots.
AB became so involved in their neighborhood that when a seat on the Neighborhood Council of Cypress Park, AB ran for the site and was chosen. Apparently he would be the first person to live in a vehicle that is a neighborhood councilor not just in Cypress Park, but in the 96 City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils.
Estimated to be around 15, 700 people sleep in their vehicles every night representing more than 25% of the homeless population in Los Angeles County.
Safe Parking LA is based on the Safe Parking Program New Beginnings of Santa Barbara that has been in operation since 2004. In partnership with local churches and non-profit organizations, New Beginnings is able to provide 133 parking each night.
Like New Beginnings, Safe Parking LA provides daily monitored and confidential parking spots for those who show a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance.
The Safe Parking LA program began in 2018 and currently has nine sites with locations in Hollywood, North Hollywood, Reseda, Echo Park and other places in West Los Angeles. These nine sites provide security for up to 190 vehicles and approximately 220 people each night.
Additionally, sister agencies provide their own safe parking programs as in districts 1, 7 and 9 of the city. In total, it is estimated that there is room for about 450 vehicles per night.
Additional Programs
Prosecutor Feuer said people Those who use the Safe Parking program may qualify for two free programs; HEART and Clean Slate. Both allow participants to resolve certain non-traffic citations, cases and court orders by participating in services rather than paying fines or facing jail.
For information about violations call HEART at (213) 900 – 1937. For information on misdemeanors, call the Clean Slate program at 213 – 978 – 7878.