The Avalon City Council unanimously supported a staff proposal to create a homelessness task force. The large issue of affordable housing also came up. The measure passed 4-0. Councilmember Cinde MacGugan-Cassidy was absent.
The issue was on the agenda because in September some council members raised questions about how Avalon was addressing the issue. In January, city staff and the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted an Avalon homeless population of 23 individuals, according to the staff report prepared by Administrative Analyst Devin Thompson and City Manager Denise Radde. That number include 12 individuals living aboard vessels in Avalon Harbor. No homeless individuals of less than age 24 were identified.
Mayor Anni Marshall said she was concerned with what local people need. Marshall wanted to find out the needs of the “obvious” homeless.
Councilmember Pam Albers believed they were talking about two populations: the mentally ill and those who are “one medical bill away from being unable to pay their rent.” Albers said the city needed to get funding from the county to help that population.
Marshall pointed out that the school feeds kids breakfast and much of the food isn’t eaten.
Albers said Los Angeles Unified has an “amazing” program that allows children to take food home.
Thompson said the task force would most likely include the Community Services director and Avalon Medical Center staff.
Scott Schmeckpeper of Avalon Community Church said, “Everytime I listen to a homeless discussion, it always ends up being ‘them’ and it really quite bothers me.” He said the people who come through his door are employeed people who have lost their housing. He said Avalon’s housing stock continues to deminish. “There is some supply out there. The demand’s out there. But the wages don’t match,” he said.
“We’ve got a workforce that we can’t house,” he said.
City Attorney Scott Campbell suggested a motion to support the formation of a task force. Councilmember Oley Olsen made the motion.
