Los Angeles County’s proposal to convert a National Guard armory into a 167-bed homeless shelter has sparked controversy among Westside residents. The $32.7 million project, funded by the American Rescue Plan, aims to provide interim housing and services for unhoused individuals in Service Planning Area 5, which includes West Los Angeles.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath is expected to address community concerns at a meeting on Wednesday with the West Los Angeles Sawtelle Neighborhood Council. The council’s Planning and Land Use Committee recently voted to recommend scaling back the project, citing concerns about its “low-barrier” entry model, which does not require sobriety or treatment participation. Residents fear this could attract individuals with untreated substance use disorders and pose safety risks, especially in an area with many UCLA students.
The committee also raised issues about traffic, public safety, and potential legal violations related to the site’s historical use. The property, located at 1300 Federal Avenue, is currently a military operations hub. A key legal question is whether the project violates the Bandini-Jones covenant, which restricts the use of adjacent land to benefit military veterans…