LA Councilman David Ryu Proposes Overnight Parking Lot For Homeless Population

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu is taking steps to address the issue of homelessness through the proposal of a Safe Parking program.

Ryu introduced a motion Feb. 7 calling for the consideration of a program that would provide parking areas for people who live in their vehicles.

"Safe Parking lots allow Angelenos who are living in their cars and RVs a safe place to park overnight with access to bathrooms, services and outreach," Ryu said on Twitter.

The space would be located at the parking lot next to 15380 Oxnard Street on the Sherman Oaks-Van Nuys border.

The lot is more than 20,000 square feet, and is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers under a long-term lease to the City of Los Angeles.

Ryu said an estimated 262 people in Council District 4 are living in 86 cars and trucks, and 74 are living in RVs.

He wants to address the crisis by using the parking lot to enroll between 20 to 25 vehicles nightly, and is asking for $266,000 to carry out his plan.