HOPE ON LA FAYETTE

HOUSING TYPE — BRIDGE HOMELESS

HBG's in-house Design Studio designed a three-year, one-story dormitory community that will provide housing and support services for the transitional homeless population in Los Angeles. Notable elements include a four-story art/sign tower on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Hoover Street, a 10-foot portrait gallery surrounding housing unit entrances, a seasonal garden and a pet area.

After having declared an emergency shelter crisis in April 2018, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti then fast-tracked bridge housing projects with an astounding 147% budget increase over the previous year. With a successful design solution proposed for two City of Los Angeles properties (one of which is Hope on La Fayette), HBG and partners were awarded the next iteration of supportive housing for the mayor’s A Bridge Home initiative.

Everyday Angeleno Changemakers Watch Over Bridge Home Residents

We present the spirit and stories of local heroes as an exhibit of portraits on rigid aluminum panels that are prominently displayed above doorways to all housing unit and two administrative entrances. These larger-than-life, 10’ tall images have been the focus of past LA exhibits including:

Portraits of Compassion
2016 photo exhibit showcased 30 of L.A.’s Unsung Heroes: everyday people doing extraordinary things.

Quiet Heroes
Portrait exhibit shares stories of a diverse group of older Angelenos.

Local Heroes
KCET’s initiative has recognized local activists, educators, community leaders and visionaries — the ones doing the critical work in our region that often goes unrecognized.

Future Exhibits
Community building, art competitions, public outreach.

High Profile / Iconic
Hollywood, Cultural Icons, Billboard revenue, etc.

Community Impact

The NIMBY (Not-In-My-Backyard) phenomenon stretches across the U.S. Ironically, nearly all communities endeavor and vote to assist the homeless in need, however, when a homeless shelter is proposed for those same communities, the overwhelming majority of residents/neighbors oppose and often protest against such structures. Historically, homeless shelters have been viewed as detractors from adjacent land values, compromising the safety of neighborhoods and lacking in maintenance. The very nature of the building type, a temporary housing solution, creates a neighborhood divide — homeless shelters rarely give their residents a chance to become established and contributing members in a residential neighborhood.

“Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

Two HBG Bridge Home sites — La Fayette (Wilshire/La Fayette) and Western (Los Angeles Council District Office 10) were created to bridge that divide. With a goal of providing a positive contribution to an existing neighborhood, the HBG Design Team has reconsidered the social relationship between the new residents and the existing neighborhood residents. The resulting design proposes to create a village with a dual purpose – bridge housing for the homeless and an exhibit space focused on bringing the public to the shelter to view art. The building becomes a public art gallery for Local Heroes, an ongoing and rotating art exhibit meant to humanize the transitional journey from homeless to positive contributing members of society for visitors and residents alike.

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