NORTH HOLLYWOOD : Halfway House to Help Youths Straighten Out

Painting rooms, raking the back yard and cleaning the kitchen, a small group of parolees spent Friday readying a halfway house designed to help troubled youths get back on track.

“I spent the past 18 years selling drugs, living in the street, around all the games that are played,” said Wesley Palo, 33, who has spent a total of five years in prison for drug dealing and auto theft. “A lot of these kids can avoid that before the fact if they listen to somebody who’s been there.”

The 25-bed facility, at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Saticoy Street in North Hollywood, will initially house and provide job training for about five parolees and provide counseling, alternative education programs and other services for teen-agers who are referred by the county Probation Department.

“We’re going to be able to offer a lot of components for teens to come in, get an education and stay off the streets,” said Karl Rytlewski, executive of Project GANG (Group Against Narcotics and Guns), a nonprofit group based in Van Nuys.

The project is the brainchild of Claudia Ryan, a former private contractor who now works with parolees. She said the project is being initiated with private donations.

The project has already won praise from government officials. State parole agent Pedro Meza said he can save taxpayers about $2,000 a month per parolee by bringing them to Ryan’s center.

“Last night I got a call from a parolee who needed help,” Meza said. “I had the option of arresting him, sending him to a 30-day dry-out or bringing him here. By bringing him here, I saved the taxpayers a whole lot of money. I’m taking pride in that.”

For one teen-ager, the concept has already had an effect.

“I think its great,” said the youth, 16, who is serving 150 hours of community service and will undergo counseling at the site. He said he was impressed by what he could learn from the parolees.

“Just by seeing what these guys turned into gives you an idea of what you’re going to be.”