LOS ANGELES - The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to pay up to $400,000 to rehabilitate a motel in West Hollywood into "permanent supportive housing" for chronically homeless persons with mental illness.The motel, located at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Formosa Avenue in West Hollywood, will transform a 24-unit motel and eight-unit apartment building into a 30-unit housing project to be known as Michael's Village. The project will provide 23 "efficiency units" and seven one-bedroom units at 30% of area median income, as well as two line-in manager's units. The rehabilitation will include adding kitchenettes to the motel units, replacing electrical and water heating systems, adding fire sprinklers, replacing a roof and creating two community kitchens. Step Up on Second, a nonprofit mental health provider and housing developer, will have an office onsite or nearby to work with the residents. The office staff will include a licensed clinical social worker, vocational nurse, substance abuse counselor, mental health and outreach service coordinator, peer advocate and life skills coordinator. The acquisition and rehabilitation of the property is being financed with a combination of public and private funds. The total project budget is $5.8 million.

********** Published: January 6, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 38