At its meeting on Monday, the West Hollywood City Council unanimously approved an urgency item to reallocate an anticipated $500,000 in savings to enhance services and resources in areas impacted by the increased number of homeless individuals, especially on the city’s eastside.

In response to community concerns by residents, the city council’s actions will provide added public safety resources in neighborhoods east of Fairfax Avenue.

During the recent Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s (LAHSA) annual homeless count, the single highest concentration ever of homeless community members were recorded on the city’s eastside.

In approving the item, the city council asked the Public Safety and Social Services staff to consider increasing mental health and addiction services for the homeless and recommended a needs assessment of the homeless be conducted. Council also requested increasing law enforcement is presence on the eastside.

Predicted strong El Niño conditions continue in the region, and there are current and additional resources available to the city’s homeless community members that a more dedicated presence of Sheriff’s Department personnel can provide.

“Public safety has to be job one. Our residents’ concerns and the council’s concern for our homeless community members are not mutually exclusive,” said Councilman John D’Amico. “West Hollywood is working this complex issue in a holistic way. And collaboration with the Sheriff’s Department and the new West Hollywood Captain as well as our services providers, will make all the difference.”

The item calls for the Public Safety Director to report how the resources have been reallocated and the effectiveness of the reallocation at the next Public Safety Update in March.

For Fiscal Year 2016-17, the Public Safety Director will work with the new West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station Captain, once hired, and the Eastside Working Group to recommend on how to allocate resources in the future.

For information, call the City of West Hollywood’s Public Safety Department at (323)848-6414. For people who are deaf or hearing impaired, please call TTY (323)848-6496.