City Council will review an expansive analysis of demographic data exploring how community members of color have utilized the city’s social services over the past decade.
Between 2011 and 2020, the city’s agency partners provided services to 92,446 West Hollywood community members.Community members of color accounted for 28% (25,682) of those served. Of the 28%, 3% identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% Black, 12% Hispanic, 4% identified as “Other,” and fewer than 1% identified as Native American.
According to the Community Study, the percent of housed residents in West Hollywood who identified as non-Hispanic white was 74%, relative to individuals who identified as Hispanic or Latinx (12%), Black (4%), Asian or Pacific Islander (5%), and “Other” (4%).
Modest gains were made in services such as Employment, Financial Assistance and Mental Health Services. Staff members have recommended to council that the city hire a consultant to pore over the data and “clearly identify unmet needs within the West Hollywood community.”
West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation update
City Council will receive a report of initiatives undertaken and ongoing activities of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation during the second half of the fiscal year, including:
- WHCHC acquired ownership of the 12 affordable inclusionary units at 702 N. Doheny Drive (Harland Boxwood). The property is 100% occupied. All new residents were selected from the City’s inclusionary housing program list.
- WHCHC’s occupancy rate remained at 98% on June 30, 2021.
- In March, WHCHC’s Resident Services team arranged for mobile vaccination clinics to administer vaccines to WHCHC residents, on‐site, at their homes.
- WHCHC staff maintained regular wellness checks through a variety of platforms, both virtual and in‐person.
- In April, WHCHC launched an all new and much more user‐friendly website, www.whchc.org.
Pet Week
Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Meister and Councilmember Sepi Shyne want the city to consider working with community partners to develop a webpage with information on pet-friendly West Hollywood businesses, such as restaurants that provide special animal treats or have dog-friendly patios, and developing a “Pet Week” with programming and an event focused on companion animals. The plan includes a Pet of the Year contest in the categories of Canines, Felines, and others, in which residents can submit photos of their pets and include why their pet deserves to be recognized. The agenda item budgets $5,000 toward the cost of the event.
Opposing the recall election
Mayor Lindsey Horvath wants the city to adopt a resolution in opposition to the recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The city passed a similar resolution in 2003, when Gov. Gray Davis was recalled. The rationale for pursuing a resolution again is because “this process undermines our democracy and perpetuates a dangerous precedent of electing a governor with potentially a small percentage of the vote.”
Now the city is dividing social services amongst demographics and socioeconomic when homeless services drug outreach now reach into hollywood? Where are the funds from the city when it pertains to West Hollywood non-senior disabled residents seems funding for us has dwindled and now is contracted out of the city to services in hollywood. Last I checked I live in a LA County city. If I wanted to go east I would live east I don’t feel like it. Bring money back into West Hollywood for your non senior residents!
Why are there so many negative comments about reviewing service offerings against race and other demographics? That’s a pretty standard exercise in analyzing health and service offerings. We can’t assume that offering the same programs to everyone will be successful or meet the needs of our changing community. If that upsets you or you need to make fun of it, you probably need to ask yourself why it angers you. Seems like a very fragile self centered view.
The city should be analyzing if their services are reaching and being utilized by all of the people that they are to serve not just some based on the color of their skin.
As I read this it is not a breakdown of demographics in population; it just identifies who receives city services. I’m curious about how the population has changed. Where have the Russians gone who used to be in WeHo in large number, the population of gay people seems to have dramatically decreased, and there are a LOT more black people in WeHo than there used to be. What happened?
Stop dividing people by race.
Yes!
If you are very light-skinned, do you still get the services? If your DNA claims you are 11% pure Argentinian? Does this make you a POC or a POMC Person of “Minimal Color”? Isn’t it time to have a DNA Identity Card? WEHO, like the first city to have only Unisex Toilets, could have the first proof of DNA I .D. Sepi Shine and John Erickson could propose this. But many of the PONC – People of No Color, like Lindsey Horvath, might object, though. Perhaps it is time for the City Council to examine Services To People of No… Read more »
“92,000 West Hollywood community members”? There’s only 34,000 of us. Who are the other 58,000?