A three-story building at 7253 Melrose Ave. is being converted into transitional housing for youth.  (photo by Edwin Folven )

A former board-and-care facility in the Melrose area that was vacant for years is being renovated into a facility for youth at risk of becoming homeless.

The Los Angeles City Council approved a contract with Safe Place for Youth on Aug. 20 to operate the 60-bed facility at the northwest corner of Melrose Avenue and Alta Vista Boulevard. An opening date has not yet been scheduled, but the city and Safe Place for Youth anticipate it will open in December or early 2026.

Safe Place for Youth provides interim housing and wraparound services for youth up to age 25, with the goal of transitioning them into permanent housing. The center will provide a place for youth leaving the foster system. Efforts to secure the site at Melrose and Alta Vista as interim housing date back to the tenure of former Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz, and were continued by current Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, 5th District.

Yaroslavsky’s spokesman Leo Daube said the new facility was designated for young people because it is partially supported by state funding for transition age at-risk youth. It is part of a larger effort to create more shelter beds and interim housing in the 5th Council District to help alleviate homelessness, he said.

“The property at 7253 Melrose has long been designated for interim housing, dating back to 2021, but in recent years it has sat vacant and became a safety concern for the surrounding area,” Daube said. “The property owners recently completed upgrades to the site and, through council approval, extended its use with a new service provider focused on supporting transition-aged youth, including young people exiting foster care. This is a continuation of the site’s planned use, with stronger management and oversight in place to ensure it is operated responsibly and provides positive outcomes for both the youth it serves and the surrounding community.”

Safe Place for Youth CEO Erika Hartman said the facility will offer comprehensive services in a communal environment. The organization manages similar facilities in Venice, Inglewood, Mar Vista, Echo Park and Westwood, providing services to approximately 1,300 youth. Resources include case management, employment guidance and education, health and wellness support and substance abuse counseling. Safe Place for Youth also offers a Healing Arts Program that provides a nurturing environment for creative expression through music, writing and the arts, as well as cooking and gardening. Hartman added that approximately 20% of Safe Place for Youth’s clients identify as LBBTQ+, and the new facility’s close proximity to the Los Angeles LGBT Center in Hollywood will be beneficial.

The Melrose Avenue facility will have 24-hour staff and security to mitigate any issues in the surrounding neighborhood. Hartman and Daube said staff from Safe Place for Youth and the city will meet with neighbors in the coming weeks to notify them about what to expect.

News about a new use at the site was welcomed in the neighborhood.

“We obviously hope it’s a positive step. It’s important that the city and its contractor are going to manage the facility and make sure it’s a good fit for the neighborhood,” said Donald Duckworth, executive director of the Melrose Business Improvement District. “Like everyone else, we are looking forward to seeing this happen.”

Peter Nichols, founder of the advocacy group Melrose Action, said the previous facility was poorly managed and resulted in problems in the community. The building closed during the pandemic and attracted squatters while vacant, he added. While supportive of the facility’s new use, Nichols said it should serve unhoused people of all ages and not just youth.

“I just wish it was more broad, but I do confidently think it’s a step in the right direction,” Nichols said. “I’m cautiously optimistic that progress is being made.”