The goal of ending homelessness took another big step forward, or in this case, 264 big steps, as the Rossyln Hotel celebrated its grand re-opening on January 22, 2015. This 264-unit rehabilitation project was originally built in 1914 and the Rosslyn Hotel Annex was built in 1923 by the entrepreneurial Hart brothers for the staggering sum of $1 million (hence the signage, Million Dollar Hotel). Designated as a historic building by the Office of Historic Preservation, the exterior has been preserved with minimal changes to the interior. SRO Housing Corporation, a non-profit organization, purchased and renovated the building with new paint, flooring, lighting fixtures, kitchenettes, and refurbished communal facilities. The new look facility will provide 264 studio apartments for homeless and low-income residents with 46 units set aside for homeless veterans, 47 units for chronically homeless with mental illnesses, and the remaining units for low-income constituents.

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) awarded 93 project-based vouchers to SRO for the Rosslyn Hotel to house homeless and chronically homeless individuals and veterans. In addition, HACLA was awarded 75 HUD-VASH vouchers, which combines the housing vouchers for veterans with case management and clinical services from the Department of Veteran Affairs. This project was heralded as a successful collaboration between the City, County, and philanthropic organizations in their efforts to end veteran homelessness by 2015 and chronic homelessness by 2017.

Other newsworthy items:

  • Property owners can now pay Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) and Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP) fees online or by downloading the HCIDLA Billing Mobile Payment App on their smart phone.
  • In honor of Women’s History Month, HCIDLA’s Commission on the Status of Women has collected artwork from local female artists and will showcase them at the City Hall Bridge.
  • This summer, HCIDLA will introduce housing.lacity.org, an online affordable housing listing service. This free service will list affordable residential rental properties, including ADA accessible units, throughout the LA County region.

To read the full HCIDLA April bulletin, click here.