In a continued effort to help get unsheltered people into housing and off the streets, Councilmember Blumenfield was proud to announce the West Valley’s first Bridge Housing site, “The Willows,” opened this Monday. The Willows is located in Canoga Park and currently, 47 formerly unhoused people now call it home. That will expand to help 80 people once the pandemic capacity limitation is lifted. There are many critical amenities and resources onsite including case management, space for animals and larger quarters for couples.
Before becoming The Willows, this site was privately owned, and previously served as a County mental health facility. Blumenfield and Kuehl came together with a plan and the City allocated a conditional grant of $4.3 million to the County to purchase the property., The County renovated the site and will provide at least fifteen years of homeless services. The City’s funding included $1.3 million from the Mayor’s Bridge Housing line item and an additional $3 million from the State’s Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP).
The Willows received its name in honor of the Tongva Tribe, whose tradition it was to house the needy by constructing shelters from Willow Trees. The City of Los Angeles sits on Tongva land and Blumenfield and his team wanted to honor their legacy at this homeless site, where the mission is to help and shelter those in need.