Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Can The President Make The Army Say Yes To A Homeless Shelter In Sherman Oaks?

A plan to build an emergency homeless shelter in Sherman Oaks fizzled back in March, but now Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu is hoping President Trump can help the project make a comeback. He might be a little busy today. But still.
In a letter sent to the president on Thursday, Ryu said he was pleased to see the federal government acknowledge California's homelessness crisis, and offered Trump a tangible opportunity to help: grant access to federally-owned land, including a location at 5161 Sepulveda Blvd., so the city can build more shelters.
"If you are interested in solutions to homelessness, I urge you to allow us access to this underused lot," Ryu wrote. "If you are interested in scoring political points to the detriment of those experiencing homelessness and the communities in which they live, please look elsewhere."
The Sepulveda Boulevard site is the one that got away from Ryu and his staff.
The land is owned and managed by the U.S. Army but has long been sitting empty.
The site was recommended by the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council and the homeowner's association after Ryu sought their support to shelter homeless residents in the San Fernando Valley community.
Ryu, who represents L.A.'s 4th Council District, first proposed building a temporary shelter there as part of Mayor Eric Garcetti's bridge housing initiative back in August 2018.
A petition, an unruly protest at a neighborhood meeting, and threats to recall the District 4 councilman followed, but city leaders weathered the outrage and took strides to begin a feasibility study.
But the Army wasn't making it easy.
Initially, city officials opened a dialogue and came to an agreement that staff would soon be granted access for a study. Then the Army walked back the agreement, citing security protocol concerns, as mentioned in an October letter from Sen. Dianne Feinstein. After that, the dialogue stopped.
In March, District 4 finally cut its losses, with Ryu saying the proposal is "no longer considered a viable option" in a letter to constituents. The councilman cited the Army's "unwillingness to help" local officials as they grappled with rising homelessness in the city.
But after Trump's recent visit to Los Angeles and comments about L.A. and other cities "destroying themselves by allowing" the homelessness crisis to worsen, Ryu and his team decided to try a new approach.
"President Trump has expressed repeated interest in L.A.'s homelessness crisis, but I haven't seen a lot of discussion around the most obvious solution -- opening up federally owned land here," District 4 spokesman Mark Pampanin told LAist. "I mean, the president keeps slamming us to do something about homelessness, and here's a city councilmember who has been trying to bring bridge housing to an empty lot owned by the federal government for over a year. What gives?"
Elsewhere in Ryu's district, one homeless shelter is open and another is under construction in Hollywood -- both of which predate the mayor's program. A third site is being studied for an emergency shelter in Los Feliz.
New renderings of the emergency homeless shelter proposed on the edge of Griffith Park in Los Feliz. Councilman @davideryu's office says the site could house 100 men and women. The city's parks commission approved the project today. Next step: funding motion to city council pic.twitter.com/BJUxy5YQDZ
— Ryan Fonseca (@RyFons) September 4, 2019
The White House did not return our request for comment.
You can read Councilman Ryu's full letter to President Trump below:
MORE ON THE L.A. HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
LA's Current Homeless Outreach Strategy Is Misguided, Says City Controller
What Is The Federal Government Doing To End Homelessness In LA?
LA's Rules About Where Homeless People Are Allowed To Sit And Sleep Could Get Even More Complicated
Even Local Officials Are Fighting On Facebook About Homelessness
LA Leaders Pitched Emergency Homeless Shelters As Quick And Temporary. Here's The Reality
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?