Unarmed teams to serve at MacArthur Park for safety and aid

Los Angeles officials announced new initiatives Thursday to enhance safety, cleanliness and health services for residents near MacArthur Park in downtown Los Angeles.

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez (CD-1), said four new initiatives will be rolled out in partnership with the county and community organizations. Residents can expect an expansion of a health program through LA Care, clean teams, peace ambassadors and a mobile overdose response team in the area.

"I'm proud to be standing here today with an incredible group and coalition of partners who are dedicated to working with us to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike in this neighborhood," Hernandez said during a news conference.

Hernandez described the park as a "historic place" that has been overlooked and left without the critical investment it needs to thrive – a location so dense it's on par with Manhattan, New York.

The peace ambassador program will be funded through discretionary money available to Hernandez. Partnering with Homies Unidos and Healing Urban Barrios, the two organizations will provide intervention workers to prevent violence before it occurs.

Homies Unidos is a nonprofit that has worked for 20 years to implement community-based approaches to public safety. Healing Urban Barrios is a non-profit organization serving at-risk youth and young adults in urban communities in Los Angeles. 

More than 90% of residents who live in Westlake are renters, many of whom do not have a front yard.

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"Some of the most pressing issues of our time that we see mirrored across our city and nation acutely impact this neighborhood, including the dueling homelessness crisis and opioid epidemic, the lack of deeply affordable housing and food insecurity," Hernandez said.

"It's also a neighborhood of hope and promise," she added.

As part of the county's $90 million-plus Field Medicine program, there will be social service providers helping homeless individuals find stable housing and other resources. City, county and healthcare providers will begin operating in and around MacArthur Park in mid-2025.

There will be two unarmed teams, contracted for two and a half years, stationed in the Pico-Union and Westlake neighborhoods five days a week, officials said. 

"Together, we aim to empower local residents by providing essential resources and support to meet the unique needs of the community," Christina Navarro, executive director of Healing Urban Barrios said in a statement. "Our mission is to foster positive change, promote growth, and ensure that everyone has the tools they need to thrive."

Also beginning next month, there will be more cleaning teams at the park.

Earlier this year, the city employed Chrysalis, a nonprofit, that provides two crews of ten people per day, seven days a week, to clean up the park and surrounding areas.

Hernandez was able to secure an additional $400,000 for another cleaning team. This group will begin their work in January, which will also provide cleaning service around the Mayfair Hotel.

The councilwoman noted another cleaning team led by CARCEN, the largest Central American immigrant rights organization in the country, will be deployed around the same time. The program will provide three teams per week, covering a radius of 1,000 feet around the park and some public streets.

Lastly, through a new partnership with Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, the area will receive a full team of trained practitioners in reversing overdoses.

According to the councilwoman, this group began their work in November and will continue to do so seven days a week. When they are not responding to potential overdoses, the teams will distribute hygiene kits and assist in other ways.

"In response to the recent overdose epidemic, HHCLA has trained and mobilized overdose responders to communities hardest hit by this devastating public health crisis," HHCLA Program Manager Aurora Morales said. "MacArthur Park is one of those communities and we know all too well that everyone who lives, works, goes to school, or is just trying to survive here has been impacted."

L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis and state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo joined Hernandez for the announcement, which they said underscored the importance of collaboration between different levels of government.

"This unified effort is essential as we confront the pressing challenges facing MacArthur Park," Durazo said. "Together, we have the opportunity to forge a safer, healthier, and more vibrant community for all."

Additional reporting by City News Service.