Mayor Karen Bass and Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez toured the new PATH Hollywood Villas on Aug. 31 with representatives from PATH. (photo courtesy of PATH)

Los Angeles city and county officials and representatives of People Assisting The Homeless cut the ribbon on a 60-unit building on Aug. 31 for low-income seniors transitioning out of homelessness.

Known as the PATH Villas Hollywood, the six-story building is located at 5627 Fernwood Ave, near Sunset Boulevard and the Hollywood (101) Freeway.

“The PATH Villas project in Hollywood plays an important part in the city’s comprehensive solution to homelessness as it will help ensure older Angelenos have access to stable housing and the services needed to live healthy, full lives,” Bass said. “We thank PATH for their partnership to bring more people inside as we work to urgently confront the homelessness crisis.”

The $40 million project was spearheaded by PATH, an organization building affordable housing and providing supportive services for people experiencing homelessness. The organization transformed a former interim housing facility at the site into the new housing. The 60 units include 45 studios, 14 one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom manager’s unit. Residents in the 59 supportive units will be subsidized through HACLA’s Project-Based Voucher Program.

The new facility will also include community rooms and a rooftop deck. An onsite resident service coordinator will lead communal activities. A landscaped courtyard and  community room with a communal teaching kitchen is located on the ground floor.

Residents will receive case management and supportive services such as interview training and classes in building life and coping skills. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health will offer onsite services at the PATH Hollywood Villas.

“PATH’s history in the Hollywood community runs deep and we are dedicated to supporting people experiencing homelessness here make it home,” PATH CEO Jennifer Hark Dietz said. “We recognize the need for more affordable homes to truly end homelessness. That is why we redeveloped this site, making it one of many PATH Ventures communities in operation or development across California, with a large majority in Los Angeles County.”

“Residents of this new housing complex will now be able to get mental health [and] addiction treatment, jobs programs and everything they need to get on their feet,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez, 13th District. “This is exactly the type of project we want to see more of because there are thousands of people living on our streets who want this assistance. We just need to give them a helping hand.”

Soto-Martinez’s spokesman Nick Barnes-Batista said the PATH Villas Hollywood project was started prior to the councilman taking office during the tenure of former Councilman Mitch O’Farrell. The project was built with funds from Measure HHH, as well as money as state and local sources.

The PATH Hollywood Villas are among a large portfolio of projects the organization has already built, is building or that are in the planning process. PATH Ventures has created 2,491 housing units since its inception in 2017 and has housed more than 13,500 people. PATH Ventures has 11 new communities with 867 units in the pre-development process.

The New PATH Hollywood Villas offer 60 units of housing for seniors who were formerly homeless. (photo courtesy of PATH)