Los Angeles officials announced new initiatives on Thursday, Dec. 19, to increase safety, cleanliness and health services for residents around MacArthur Park near downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the First District where the park is located, said four new initiatives will be rolled out in partnership with the county and community organizations.
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.
Residents of the area, which is known as Westlake, can expect an expansion of a health program through LA Care, clean teams, peace ambassadors and a mobile drug 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 at the news conference.
Hernandez described MacArthur Park as a “historic place” that for decades 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 Los Angeles Daily News reported in a series published in 2023 that the MacArthur Park community as a whole was harmed by fentanyl addicts whose presence pushed families out of the park, and small businesses nearby were negatively impacted when addicts repeatedly stole items from them to sell on the streets in order to buy fentanyl.
“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, social service providers will help homeless individuals find stable housing and other resources. City, county and healthcare providers will begin operating in and around MacArthur Park in mid-2025.
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.
There will be two unarmed teams stationed in the Pico Union and Westlake neighborhoods, operating five days a week, officials said. They teams will begin serving in January for two and half years, as part of their contract.
“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 MacArthur 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.
Hernandez 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.
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According to Hernandez, 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.”
“This unified effort is essential as we confront the pressing challenges facing MacArthur Park,” state Sen. Durazo said. “Together, we have the opportunity to forge a safer, healthier, and more vibrant community for all.”
Related links
In LA’s fentanyl epidemic, MacArthur Park community bears the heavy burden
Fentanyl addiction fuels underground shoplifting economy in LA’s MacArthur Park
Mired in overdose crisis, MacArthur Park struggles to revive Neighborhood Council
MacArthur Park will get a $3M ‘respite center’ from the city to help residents
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