Members of the Midtown Los Angeles Homeless Coalition will canvass the community on Saturday for the second time to identify homeless individuals and link them with services.

Coalition members are expecting to contact numerous homeless individuals in the Miracle Mile during the canvassing on Saturday. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The coalition works in conjunction with the Mid-City West Community Council (MCWCC) in neighborhoods bordered by Santa Monica and La Cienega boulevards, the Santa Monica (10) Freeway and Western Avenue. MCWCC chair and coalition leader Scott Epstein said the group hopes to determine what resources are most needed, and plans to work with partners such as People Assisting the Homeless and others, to bring the resources to people living on the streets.

Last month, members of the coalition spread through the neighborhoods in the Beverly Grove District and contacted seven homeless individuals. On Saturday, the canvassing will be held in the Miracle Mile, Sycamore Square and Carthay Circle communities.

“If we are going to connect people to resources, we are going to need information on their priorities, what people need and the level of those needs,” Epstein said. “That information will help us connect them with the right resources.”

The coalition participated in a homeless count conducted in January that revealed the number of homeless individuals has increased by 12 percent countywide during the past two years. Approximately 1,000 individuals were found to be living on the streets in the coalition’s neighborhoods.

Epstein said he is hopeful coalition members will contact many additional homeless individuals in the Miracle Mile and surrounding neighborhoods, which have been experiencing an increase in the homeless population this year, he said. The goal is to contact 100 individuals by the coalition’s third outreach event in October.

“We think this time we are going to find a lot more people,” Epstein said. “We are excited about the opportunity to gather information about folks, and get it into the system.”

Ana Bahr, a spokeswoman with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office, said the Midtown Homeless Coalition’s goals are consistent with the city’s approach to ending homelessness.

“The Mid-Town Los Angeles Homeless Coalition is part of the Coordinated Entry System and is connected to the city’s effort to ultimately assess the needs of L.A.’s homeless population and get them into permanent housing services,” Bahr said in a statement. “To reach maximum efficiency, the CES coordinates with many groups, including neighborhood councils. The people who work with the Midtown L.A. Homeless Coalition find homeless individuals and encourage them to participate in the CES assessment so they can get [added to] the database and ultimately be matched to housing. In the meantime, we try to connect them with interim housing (shelters) and services.”

The mayor’s office is currently working on a plan to better address homelessness that is expected to be released soon, although no specific timeline is available, she added. The mayor is also working to house all homeless veterans in the city and has pushed back a goal of housing all homeless veterans from the end of the year to an undermined date in 2016. The change was necessary because the number of homeless veterans increased by 140 in the January countywide homeless count.

“The mayor’s commitment to housing our homeless heroes is stronger than ever and we will continue to work with the VA, the city housing authority, Home for Good, and the hundreds of service and housing providers throughout the city and county to reach a functional zero as soon as possible,” Bahr added.

Councilman David Ryu, 4th District, is working on homeless issues and is particularly concerned with connecting people to mental health services if needed. Ryu’s deputy, Estevan Montemayor, said the councilman is generally supportive of efforts to link people with services.

“As I listen to the neighborhoods I represent, our homeless crisis continues to be a top concern,” Ryu said. “I’m advocating for a comprehensive and coordinated approach. We must provide greater access to services that can prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place. Any new plan must also include increased access to mental health services.”

Epstein said the coalition is seeking volunteers for the outreach effort. The group will meet at 9 a.m. on Sept. 12 at Bethel Lutheran Church, 5750 W. Olympic Blvd. After a brief orientation and training session, members will head out into the community. For information, visit www.facebook.com/pages/Midtown-Los-Angeles-Homeless-Coalition/349952688528106.