KTLA

Coronavirus, financial hurdles delay projects to build homeless housing in L.A.

PATH’s Metro Villas Phase 2 -- an affordable, supportive housing project -- is shown under construction in this 2019 photo. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

During an ebullient January ceremony for the first project completed with funding from the city’s Proposition HHH homeless housing bond, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti framed the moment as a turning point.

“We will see an opening of one of these about every three weeks this year,” Garcetti said.

That didn’t happen. More than six months later, there has been only one other opening to celebrate. Five other projects that were scheduled to open by now have not, and dozens of others have had their schedules pushed back by months.

Already sharply criticized for its slow progress and rising costs, the $1.2-billion bond program is in a new slump. A Times analysis of data from the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department shows that 57 projects have fallen behind schedule since January. Of those, 21 were pushed back more than six months.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.