U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) speaks with representatives of Covenant House on May 31. (photo by Rance Collins)

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) toured the Covenant House California campus in Hollywood on May 31, marking the recent announcement that the facility for homeless youth will receive $880,546 in federal funding. Covenant House will use the money to provide 16 new emergency housing beds, serving 64 young people each year.

“This is a huge blessing for Covenant House, most importantly the young people who need the additional housing,” Covenant House CEO Bill Bedrossian said. “We are particularly grateful for you, congressman, because you’ve been a huge advocate, not just for young people experiencing homelessness, but also young people in foster care … which many of our young people are, close to 50% of the people we work with came through the foster care system. This is an opportunity for us to have a campus for young people where they can be safe, where they can be loved unconditionally, many of them for the first time in their lives, and to be able then to pursue their dreams.”

Bedrossian said that at Covenant House, residents are asked what they want to do with their lives, and they work to help them achieve those goals.

The organization has many educational opportunities available for the youth, including an animation program, supported by local film and television studios, and a barber college.

Covenant House has received support from the Hollywood community as well, with a recreation room on the property renovated by Nate Berkus and his husband Jeremiah Brent. The room has a projector and screen donated by Michael Bay, which he had previously used in his own home.

“It’s good to have friends in Hollywood,” Bedrossian said.

When Schiff entered the facility, some renovation for the space had already been completed, with far more on the way.

“You must be a person of great faith,” Schiff quipped to Bedrossian. “When someone from the government says the check is in the mail, that’s not a sign to begin construction.”

Schiff is responsible for 10 different projects receiving $8 million in federal funding throughout the 28th District, including the Covenant House.

“We want to be able to open these beds as soon as possible,” Bedrossian said. “It’s been part of a bigger plan of some capital projects we’re doing around the state, and so it is something that we’ve been trying to get funding for close to three years. We had some of the money, and we were able to [some of the work done], and now we’re out of money. So, when the [federal funding] comes in, we’ll be able to finish it. We’re trying to be a bigger part of the solution.”

“With the right kind of investment in community organizations like this one, we can make real progress on ending the homelessness crisis once and for all,” Schiff said.

Covenant House has projects throughout the state, with the facility at 1325 N. Western Ave. aiming to take troubled youth, aged 18-24, off the street and get them the resources necessary to thrive.

Bedrossian said that oftentimes young people are resistant to adult shelters out of safety concerns.

“Young people will choose to stay on the street rather than accept a bed at an adult shelter because they don’t want to be victimized by adults [who are] chronically homeless or are coming out of prisons. It just increases the sense of urgency for us to have more housing opportunities so that we can get as many young people into housing,” Bedrossian said.

Schiff heard from residents who have benefitted from Covenant House services. Grace, a trans woman who immigrated to the United States several years ago, praised the support she received from the organization.

“I found a home, and I found people [who] care about [my] life,” Grace said. She found Covenant House through the Los Angeles LGBT Center youth center. Covenant House helped Grace find employment and later was able to help her transition to permanent housing.

Schiff also spoke with Jovan, another resident.

“This place has really been like a pillar for me to build in my life,” Jovan said.

Jovan, who spent his adolescence in the foster care system, was able to get internships within the film industry to help him pursue a career as a documentarian.

“I feel like we all have a story to tell, and I feel like everyone wouldn’t mind listening to it,” he said.

Anthony Conley, director of support services for Covenant House, said that once trust is built with the residents, they can start them on a path to success.

“There’s ups and downs,” Conley said. “Sometimes people don’t want to come in, and so we push and we push and we push until we can find something for them. It might not be housing at the time, but maybe somebody wants a job. Or maybe somebody just needs medical attention at our clinic. Maybe somebody wants to be referred to another shelter. Whatever we can do to make sure they feel loved is what we do.”

Grace said that while the number of lives impacted may not sound like a lot, it makes a big difference. Bedrossian agreed.

“That’s 64 lives that are going to be changed and impacted and launched into hopefully independence for the rest of their lives,” Bedrossian said.

“Might be one of your films,” Schiff suggested to Jovan.