California’s Homekey program, an initiative to convert hotels, motels, and apartment buildings into supportive housing for homeless individuals, has come under scrutiny amid concerns over rising crime and public safety in surrounding neighborhoods. Since 2020, the program, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, has allocated approximately $1.3 billion in state funds, with local agencies in Los Angeles adding another $1.3 billion to renovate and operate these projects. The significant regional investment has aimed to address the growing homelessness crisis but has also raised questions about its impact on community safety and law enforcement resources.

Multiple reports indicate that several Homekey-funded developments have experienced frequent police calls over the past two years, ranging from mental health crises and domestic violence to assaults and narcotics activity. For example, the converted apartment building at 5050 Pico Blvd., originally marketed as luxury housing near Beverly Hills, registered over 1,200 police dispatches within about two years. Incidents reported there include assaults, trespassing, welfare checks, and ambulance calls. Neighbors noted a memorial outside the building for a woman who died after falling from the roof under circumstances allegedly related to substance intoxication, though authorities have not publicly confirmed details.

Similarly, The Iris on Barry Avenue in West Los Angeles, partly funded with nearly $7 million in local Proposition HHH dollars in addition to Homekey state funds, has seen repeated police responses involving assaults, suicide attempts, burglaries, and mental health emergencies. A high-profile case involved a resident allegedly committing assault and attempted sexual assault while out on bail, sparking further community concern.

Other locations in Los Angeles with public funding under Homekey have generated hundreds of police calls annually. Properties on San Pedro Street and San Julian Street, for example, have reported a range of criminal incidents including fights, armed reports, shots fired, and trespassing, often demanding substantial emergency response. Law enforcement officials from the area note that a growing share of police and fire department calls involve mental health-related calls connected to homeless housing developments and encampments, creating challenges for resource allocation.

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who served from 2018 to 2022 and is currently running for sheriff again, has criticized the program’s effects. He highlighted the strain on police and fire services due to increased mental health calls and suggested that the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric hospitals since the 1960s, along with community-based housing initiatives, have not adequately addressed public safety concerns. Villanueva advocates for the reinstatement of psychiatric facilities capable of treating acute patients and calls for more decisive action to remove homeless encampments that pose safety risks.

Community members in affected neighborhoods have expressed frustration over the lack of consultation and ongoing challenges. Homeowner Raphael Swann, who purchased a townhouse near a development converted during the pandemic, described the process as demoralizing and criticized city officials for insufficient engagement and accountability. Political figures such as Scott Meyers, a Republican candidate for California’s 30th Congressional District, argue that taxpayer funds are inefficiently spent on high-cost housing units for homeless individuals, which, in his view, become centers of crime while police and fire departments struggle with budget cuts.

Officials from Governor Newsom’s office and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have not publicly responded to requests for comment regarding these concerns. As the debate over the impact of Homekey grows, questions remain about balancing the urgent need for homeless housing with ensuring safety and quality of life for surrounding communities.