Center Provides Housing for Homeless Mentally Ill

A new building that offers services for homeless adults with severe mental disabilities opened at the Hillview Mental Health Center in February, but officials waited until Monday to celebrate the new facility with a ceremony.

“We wanted to be up and running before having this event,” said Eva McCraven, Hillview executive director. “We are full, with 15 people living there now.”

The building, called the Homeless Transitional Housing Unit, has 15 single rooms for temporary housing, a commercial-type kitchen, two large multipurpose rooms, a dining room and shower and laundry facilities.

Mentally ill adults who are homeless can live there for up to one year while working with the center’s staff to learn basic living skills that will allow them to move into permanent housing.

Carl McCraven, Hillview president, said the facility took 1 1/2 years to complete and cost $650,000, which was provided by the Los Angeles Housing Department and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“This will help provide the services needed to get homeless adults with mental disabilities off the streets,” McCraven said.

Hillview, a private nonprofit center, also provides long-term housing and a full scope of mental health services, except acute hospitalization, for 50 mentally ill adults.

One man, who has lived at the new homeless unit since March, said he’d still be on the streets if not for the center.

“It has provided me with a foundation,” said the resident, who asked not to be identified. “I want to thank the staff for providing me with a support system I never had.”