By Lookout Staff

October 27, 2025 -- The City Council on Tuesday will discuss key issues raised by two transitional housing facilities on Ocean Avenue for the mentally ill homeless that caught City leaders and neighbors by surprise.

The item placed on the agenda by Mayor Lana Negrete addresses questions raised "regarding possible neighborhood impacts" and "the lack of prior notice."

The item also addresses "the inability to provide public input before funding was approved by LA County and site renovations began" for the two facilities at 413 and 825 Ocean Avenue that were initially slated to open this month.

If approved, City Manager Oliver Chi will be directed to coordinate with LA County, operators and project developers for supportive, shelter or transitional-housing projects "to ensure broad communication and outreach to both residents and adjacent businesses."

The City Manager would work with the key parties to "ensure that professional experts also include community stakeholders and local service providers who would help serve the population and manage property-related impacts."

The item also requires checking the zoning for supportive, shelter and transitional-housing projects to establish if "such uses are permitted, conditionally permitted, or require discretionary review."

In addition, "whenever projects of this nature are first discussed or potential sites are under evaluation," the City Council would be provided "an official written briefing outlining the proposal, location considerations, and anticipated community impacts."

To inform residents, the item also calls for a "communications framework" that includes a webpage with "a comprehensive FAQ (purpose, population served, staffing, hours, oversight) and a designated hotline or contact for residents and businesses.

If the item is approved, the City Manager will conduct a retrospective review of similar existing or recently approved projects "to determine whether proper community engagement and communication occurred."

The Council will take up the item two weeks after County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath announced the County funded transitional housing program on Ocean Avenue had been paused to "allow for more robust community engagement."