The city of Los Angeles is moving forward Wednesday with $3 million in funding for the establishment of a respite center within half-a-mile radius of MacArthur Park , which one official described as the "epicenter of overdoses."
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"We're bringing in everything to elevate the quality of life in that area, but the most important thing of the $3 million is that we actually have a place for people to go, so that they can start accessing different things to elevate their quality of life, whether its harm reduction services and drug treatment -- we need a space for that because too many people are dying," Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez told City News Service.
The councilwoman noted the area is a "very transient community" with some 22,000 people moving through MacArthur Park because of the Metro station there.
Additionally, there are people scattered throughout the park and the vending areas of Sixth and Alvarado, with no real place for unhoused people to go. Los Angeles Police Department officers issue 41.18 citations -- or anti- camping violations -- and those individuals get moved from the sidewalks. However, with the creation of the MacArthur Park Harm Reduction Center, they'll have a place to go for a shower, food and access to treatment, according to the councilwoman.
She said money will also support more mobile overdose prevention teams that will drive around the neighborhood, reversing overdoses and taking some pressure off of the city's first responders. A clean streets initiative will also be planned for the area, Hernandez added.
Hernandez, who represents the First District, which includes the park located in the neighborhood of Westlake, secured the funding Wednesday when the City Council -- in a 11-1 vote -- approved guidelines on how to expend money coming from opioid and tobacco settlements. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez was the lone "no" vote and council members Traci Park , Bob Blumenfield and Kevin de León were absent during the vote.
Rodriguez said she appreciated Hernandez's efforts to leverage resources, but without a detailed plan on how the $3 million will be used, she could not fully support her colleague's request.
"How are we developing the models? How are we developing the response so that it can be applied systematically across the city? That is really what is an important part and takeaway to this so that we can really make maximum leverage of these resources because we've seen how resources are being siphoned for specific efforts," Rodriguez said.
She added, "But I know how desperately needed this work is, and I want to thank you for stepping into that, particularly in such a difficult area."
Hernandez expressed her commitment to providing the necessary information on expenses, efficacy of the services and impact on the community.
"I have no doubt that we're going to be able to produce that information and work with our local universities to help us produce that information," Hernandez said.
The $3 million will be the latest funding coming to the park in a bid to address ongoing public safety concerns and reduce substance abuse in the area. The county of L.A. is in the midst of an opioid crisis, which was exacerbated during 2019 and 2021, Hernandez said. Opioid related deaths increased by 121%, according to data from California's Health department , with a majority of these deaths linked to fentanyl.
More than 20% of residents in the zip code around MacArthur Park live below the poverty line. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported it had responded to at least four overdose calls every day at the park, and about 15 calls on a recent overnight shift.
In 2023, the city reported 83 fatal overdoses in the zip code around the park, according to Hernandez.
The councilwoman said the $3 million for the respite center will not serve what is known as a "safe consumption" or supervised injection sites -- which are illegal in the state and in the city. The councilwoman is also looking to secure $500,000 from private philanthropy and another $500,000 through state funding in partnership with the county of Los Angeles.
About $126,000 was secured through private philanthropy to assist in real estate matters, according to L.A. City officials.
Money from the tobacco settlement is part of an agreement in which seven tobacco companies agreed to restrictions on marketing practices and to pay $206 billion during a 25-year period through 2025 to California, 45 other states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. This agreement has since been extended indefinitely, according to a report from the Chief Legislative Officer.
Los Angeles received approximately $10.7 million in fiscal year 2022- 23, and city officials estimated another $10.7 million in fiscal year 2023-24.
Another $29.6 million to $53.3 million is expected to come to the city over a period of 18 years for two settlements reached with opioid distributors in 2021.
Funding from the tobacco settlement is restricted for substance use disorder beds. Approximately 80% of dollars from the opioid settlement is restricted for future opioid remediation and the remaining 20% for opioid- related projects or to reimburse the city for the purchase of Narcan or training for first responders.
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