Local News in Brief : Service Trailer for Homeless Moving to South-Central L.A.

A trailer that provides services for the homeless will move to South-Central Los Angeles because of the city-sponsored program’s success during its four-week stay in Van Nuys, which ends today.

More than 700 homeless people visited the Mobile Ombudsman trailer, including more than 100 children, said Robert Vilmur, city homeless project coordinator. About 300 of those who came once returned for more help.

The City Council had agreed to consider sending the trailer to locations throughout the city if it proved to be popular. It was the first long-term program to bring together a comprehensive group of services, ranging from veteran’s benefits to welfare, from shelter referrals to job referrals.

Although Vilmur said it will be several weeks before he knows how many of those helped by trailer staff have left the streets, Mayor Tom Bradley made a commitment this week to try to make it a permanent roving program, which he said would operate in the San Fernando Valley at least once a year.

“The really startling statistic has been that almost half the people who have come forward for help have been families,” Bradley said. “Clearly, there’s a very serious need.”

No location in South-Central Los Angeles has been selected yet, but Vilmur said he expects to start serving the homeless there within the next two months. In the meantime, the trailer will be moved to a city storage yard, he said.

Vilmur said the greatest lesson the city learned from its experiences in Van Nuys was to start earlier in the morning. A van that brought homeless people in from parks started making its rounds at 5 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., he said.

Homeless people who continue to come to the 14917 W. Victory Boulevard site will be able to receive some assistance and referrals from the Salvation Army center next door, Vilmur said.