The Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness was formed in 2014 by concerned residents responding to the emerging homeless crisis in our community. The goals of our all-volunteer nonprofit organization have remained largely the same since the beginning: We compassionately engage homeless individuals, determine their needs and connect them to resources that can help them become housed, while also addressing community public health and safety concerns related to the consequences of homelessness.
To accomplish these goals, PPTFH raises funds from local partners and residents to contract with our homeless services provider, The People Concern. Without The People Concern’s partnership and guidance over the years, as well as Los Angeles Police Department’s leadership, we would have been unable to aid those who need it most. Together with these and other partners, we have created a unique and highly effective team consisting of a volunteer organization, a comprehensive homeless service provider, and public law and health agencies. This model has become a template for other communities seeking similar solutions.
In furtherance of our mission, we regularly ask if our work is advancing our ultimate goal of housing people. During the past two years, though we have been quite effective at engaging and referring people for housing (while also maintaining the safety and cleanliness of our streets and hillsides), the problematic lack of available public housing and services has prevented us from meeting our goal to permanently house people. PPTFH has also been unable to recruit volunteers who will continue our mission and lead in the coming years. This volunteer vacuum requires that PPTFH make timely, responsible adjustments as many of our board members and volunteers move on, with no qualified replacements.
For these reasons, and honoring our original goal, the board has voted to make significant changes to PPTFH and our role in addressing homelessness in our community:
- PPTFH will phase out fiscal operations by June 1, 2023, and outreach engagement operations by December 31, 2023.
- Remaining donated funds will be transferred from PPTFH to The People Concern, who will become agents for the funds.
- Per our agreement, The People Concern will continue to provide outreach services in Pacific Palisades as long as sufficient funding is available.
- All future contributions to support homeless outreach services in Pacific Palisades will be donated directly to The People Concern.
We are grateful to have helped so many people while protecting the community from the consequences of homelessness. We realize that these changes to PPTFH will cause many Palisadians to wonder what comes next.
With new government leadership and proposed programs, our public officials’ response to homelessness is changing. Whether or not these shifts will be more successful in compassionately moving people from the streets, we will support and help train any new, local, Pacific Palisades homelessness outreach program that is created to further this mission. Over the next few months, we will meet with other community organizations and individuals to explore possible new, creative approaches that reflect today’s challenges and opportunities to meaningfully address homelessness and keep our neighborhoods safe.
To everyone who has given their time, expertise, resources and heart to PPTFH, we thank you for your support, trust and compassion.
Sharon Browning and
Sharon Kilbride
Co-Presidents, PPTFH
During a walk around the Palisades yesterday at about 1:12 p.m., I witnessed a disturbing city LADOT sign with a racial slur. This racial slur was displayed publicly, near a sidewalk with hundreds of daily pedestrians that walk by.
I am puzzled by the complicit reaction to anti-Black hate speech. I don’t know how long the racial slur has been there. Moreover, I am appalled that families just walked by and allowed the sign to remain.
In fact, four years after doing an interview with my Princesses for the Palisadian-Post newspaper titled “If the Crown Fits,” I was disappointed to see that our apparent work to address our community’s unity progress through the arts has, once again, taken a step backwards.
I am asking for your advocacy, that when a marginalized group of people are targeted, that everyone should respond to what is fairness and equality. It seems that there is a sense of urgency to address these racial issues. Perhaps a town hall meeting will be an appropriate idea and platform to address any community or safety issues.
HRH Mykesha
(Robinson) Zelensky
ThePalisadian-Post accepts letters to the editor via email at mypost@palipost.com or mail/hand-delivered at 881 Alma Real Drive, Suite 213, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. To be considered for publication, letters must be signed, and are subject to editing for length and clarity. Opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the views of opinions of the Palisadian-Post.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.