4. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Name
Dawn
Lowe
Comment 05/23/2025 01:04 PM : (For)
Honorable Mayor and Council:
How can we just make the homeless disappear?
Let’s ask Redondo Beach. According to the LA Times’ reporting, they claim to have reached an effective zero homeless population using four tools: Homeless Court, Temporary Shelters, Outreach Workers, and LongTerm/Permanent Housing.
Through the Torrance Courthouse participation in the Redondo Beach Homeless Court, it can be claimed that Torrance is using 3 of the 4 tools. So one more tool left to use to join in Redondo Beach’s success: Longterm/Permanent Housing such as Project Homekey at the Extended Stay on Torrance Blvd.
Don’t worry about this program affecting your precious mall. I think the unhoused are more occupied with surviving than creating mayhem at the overpoliced mall. Aren't the Redondo Beach tiny homes near the Galleria? I've heard no problems about that.
Rent and housing prices are too damn high in Torrance. Regular people are getting priced out and I don't want to see this town taken over by oligarchs. We need to have this project.
Let’s not stop just short of success. I support bringing Project Homekey to Torrance.
Thank You
Dawn Lowe
1 Public Comment Report
for Agenda Item 4A
4. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Amie
Ichikawa
Comment 05/22/2025 08:54 PM : (Against)
I am a lifetime Torrance resident. I am an ambassador for the Independent Women’s Forum, and I'm very active in California politics. I have worked directly with the L.A.
County BOS and the L.A. City council in attempts to get project homekey funding for my non profit organization Woman II Woman, where I assist incarcerated women with parole preparation and reentry services.
Project homekey is just another circular spending scam where all of their projects take years to completeif they're ever completed.
The county is on a mission to degrade and devalue every last neighborhood in Los Angeles. It's all part of a much deeper agenda that's coming out of Sacramento that is working hard to infiltrate cities like Torrance with forced low income housing provisions and mandatory interim housing for the unhoused.
We have all seen the county squander millions and millions of dollars that were allocated to help our homeless crisis. There’s not been enough results or ROI to justify their continued efforts.
Torrance can handle our own issues without the interference of the corrupt crooks running the county into the ground.
The links below are to articles that take a deep dive into the real estate Ponzi scheme that project homekey really is. This is the last thing we should want or need. https://calmatters.org/housing/2024/01/californiahomelesshousing lawsuit/#:~:text=As%20CalMatters%20reported%20last%20month%2C%20the%20 projects,otherwise%20short%20on%20services%20for%20the%20homeless. https://www.mbsafe.org/post/westsidecurrentinvestigationfindshundredsmore vacantunitsofhomelesshousingin3california
2 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Jenifer King
Comment 05/22/2025 10:46 PM : (No Vote)
Do people living in the tiny homes compound graduate to the 120 units of permanent housing or is this a separate operation of 120 additional people experiencing homelessness?
The tiny homes compound is next door to the police station.
The extended stay America is not.
What sort of security and support will be provided to the people who will be living there?
The permanent supportive housing in a motel on Pacific Coast highway in Redondo Beach experiences issues that necessitate contact with with law enforcement, it's been in the news.
How is Torrance going to address possible crime that might result from this hotel like housing and people who may not be ready to live independently? 3 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Marian Eskander
Comment 05/23/2025 09:06 AM : (Against)
Dear Mayor and council members,
Thank you for bringing this up and holding this meeting.
This is a very crucial matter that would affect my family, community and I.
Our church is a block away from the property considered. Our church is our second home. That’s where we meet almost daily, for services, Sunday school, youth groups, senior citizen meetings, weddings, baptisms, showers and even funerals. My teenagers hang out there with their friends freely, playing basketball and just having a safe place to be.
We fear that converting the Extended Stay would threaten the safety of ‘our second home’. We’ve had incidents before where transients did come in and roam the property and steal or vandalize it. There’s been multiple times where we had to call TPD for assistance. As a house of worship, we want to welcome guests, but that backfires in these cases.
Please, I ask you to do whatever is in your power to prevent this from happening!! Thank you.
Marian Eskander
4 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Nabil Eskander
Comment 05/23/2025 09:27 AM : (No Vote)
I am writing to oppose the proposed Homekey project. I attend the church located adjacent to the proposed property. I have concerns regarding safety, sanitation, and the general upkeep of the surrounding area, which may impact both the church’s operations and neighboring properties.
I have encountered Homeless personnel entering the church grounds unlawfully after hours. Sometimes, homeless personnel stand outside the church asking for money from the congregation. During Sunday School outdoor activities, homeless personnel enter the premises and poss a threat to little children.
I respectfully urge you, the City Council, and authorities to find an alternate location that is more suitable. Thank you for your attention and ongoing commitment to our neighborhood.
5 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Edward
Apodaca
Comment 05/23/2025 10:09 AM : (Against)
I wanted to express my concerns about the proposed Project Home key proposal on Torrance Blvd. The neighborhood under consideration is an area that has key local businesses and hospitality/tourism. These are major revenue generators (Sales tax and TOT) for the city general fund. Turing this into transitional housing, while well intended, it is misaligned with this location. Our city has done a remarkable job with its commitment to addressing homelessness with the small homes project and the homeless services team. Putting a facility like this in a tourist corridor will have a significant negative impact on the business and hospitality/tourism with in turn will negatively impact a major city funding stream.
I urge the city council; to consider alternate location better suited for this project.
Thank you,
Edward Apodaca
Torrance resident
6 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Bill Reynolds
Comment 05/23/2025 11:16 AM : (No Vote)
Honorable Mayor and Council:
How can we just make the homeless disappear?
Let’s ask Redondo Beach. According to the LA Times’ reporting, they claim to have reached an effective zero homeless population using four tools: Homeless Court, Temporary Shelters, Outreach Workers, and LongTerm/Permanent Housing.
Through the Torrance Courthouse participation in the Redondo Beach Homeless Court, it can be claimed that Torrance is using 3 of the 4 tools. So one more tool left to use to join in Redondo Beach’s success: Longterm/Permanent Housing such as Project Homekey at the Extended Stay on Torrance Blvd.
Let’s not stop just short of success. I support bringing Project Homekey to Torrance.
Thank You
Bill Reynolds
7 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Robert Proffitt
Comment 05/23/2025 11:45 AM : (Against)
We are against the proposed Homekey + Project at the Extended Stay hotel. My wife works for the City of Los Angeles and has been forced to work at Homekey hotels in LA. There was rampant drug use by the residents, and they destroyed the rooms and hotel common areas. That is not what we want for Torrance. 8 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Helen Chong
Comment 05/23/2025 12:07 PM : (Against)
While I respect and support the goal of providing longterm housing for vulnerable individuals, I have serious concerns about converting the existing hotel into permanent supportive housing at this location. It’s situated near one of the city’s busiest business districts—an area already strained in terms of parking, traffic, and public safety.
Our police department is currently unable to hire enough officers, even with financial incentives in place. This shortage is already impacting response times and public safety in highdensity areas. Introducing a permanent housing facility without fully resourced support systems or a parallel increase in police staffing will likely worsen the situation.
We’ve seen similar outcomes in other cities. For example, in Los Angeles, the conversion of motels into permanent supportive housing under Project Roomkey was followed by a marked increase in calls for service and reports of criminal activity in some neighborhoods. A 2021 report from the Los Angeles Police Department noted spikes in property crime and disturbances near certain converted sites. Similarly, in Seattle, several lowbarrier permanent housing facilities saw significant increases in drugrelated incidents and assaults, especially where onsite mental health or addiction services were underfunded or unavailable.
These examples demonstrate that without adequate planning, security measures, and supportive infrastructure, permanent housing projects can inadvertently harm both the intended residents and the surrounding community. I urge city officials to prioritize locations with the capacity to support these facilities responsibly—and to ensure public safety infrastructure is fully prepared before implementation.
9 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
David Bornstein
Comment 05/23/2025 12:10 PM : (Against)
Turning this hotel into housing right next to one of the busiest business areas in the city just doesn’t seem like a good fit. That part of town is already dealing with traffic, parking issues, and safety concerns.
On top of that, our police department can’t even fill the open positions they have, even with bonuses and hiring incentives. How are they supposed to handle more calls if we add a highneeds housing project right in the middle of a busy district?
I’m not saying we shouldn’t build housing—I’m saying let’s be smart about where and how we do it. We need to make sure the area has the resources to support it, including public safety and community services. Otherwise, we’re just creating new problems while trying to solve another one. 10 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Haein Vieira
Lisboa
Comment 05/23/2025 12:12 PM : (Against)
I understand the intention behind turning the hotel into permanent housing, but I think there are some serious issues being overlooked. For one, this area is zoned and built around commerce—it’s one of the busiest business districts in the city. Bringing in permanent residential housing changes the character and function of the neighborhood in a big way. That kind of shift shouldn’t happen without a lot more public input and planning.
Also, local businesses are already struggling to stay afloat with rising rents, labor shortages, and reduced foot traffic in some areas. A project like this could make it harder, not easier, for them to survive—especially if it affects parking availability, safety perceptions, or brings in activity that makes customers feel uneasy.
And let’s not forget—we’re already short on essential services. Our police department can’t hire fast enough, and we’re adding more demand without a plan for how to support it. Where’s the guarantee that there will be onsite caseworkers, mental health support, or addiction services? Without that, we’re not setting people up for success—we’re just relocating the issue.
There are better locations for this kind of project—places where services are already in place, where the zoning makes sense, and where the community has been properly involved in the decisionmaking. This feels rushed and not well thought through.
11 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Lisa Deierling
Comment 05/23/2025 12:14 PM : (Against)
I support helping those in need—but converting a hotel into permanent housing in a busy business district with understaffed police, no clear support services, and zero community input isn’t the answer. We need smart, sustainable solutions—not rushed decisions.
12 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Mike G.
Comment 05/23/2025 12:41 PM : (Against)
Turning a hotel into permanent housing might seem like a quick fix, but without proper support services, mental health care, and addiction treatment onsite, it could create more problems than it solves. Our police are already stretched thin, and the community hasn’t had enough say in this decision. We need thoughtful planning that keeps both residents and the neighborhood safe and supported.
13 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Maura
Toma
Comment 05/23/2025 12:59 PM : (Against)
I voted “NO” because there is a security high risk concern for adding this to the neighborhood. Crime/illegal incidents will rise:
1:A female was raped by a homeless guy on Emerald Street from less than 2 years ago. Check police reports.
2: There are kids who walk home from surrounding schools who might get in any type of incidents with “potential proposed residents” who might be on drugs or trying to sell it / kidnapping / obstacaling and scaring away our kids.
3: There is a senior building on the other side of the hotel where the intended project is and there have been 2 incidents where homeless persons jumped and tried to steal and go around in the building opening residents’ doors. Reported to the police.
4: A homeless man left a fire lit infront of the former buy buy baby. This was reported to the police.
5: A homeless man sneaked into the church during Sunday school scaring the kids away.
6: A homeless person sneaked into a general bathroom inside a property for the use only of the property residents and refused to get out screaming and scaring ppl including kids away.
6: A Drunk homeless person passed the street when cars are driving and not from the assigned passing lanes or when traffic lights are green for pedestrians causing many cars to stop suddenly / almost crash by Emerald and Hawthorne. Check Torrance Police reports, this isn’t the only incident of the sort.
7: More pressure on the emergency rooms because of the health issues they need medical attention for.
8: Stoles Bikes & mailed packages & vandalized cars from residential properties are reported to the police.
I have lived in Torrance for 15+ years now and since the shelter in the city center, all the above incidents happened and more are happening.
Justice for hard working Torrance residents is never served when the Police can’t arrest or seize back stolen assets. The police department will be so pressured and unable to fulfill its duties with an escalating crime rate rise because of such a project the city is willing to endorse. 14 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Mike
Patel
Comment 05/23/2025 02:49 PM : (Against)
Hello I am the owner of the Best Western Avita Suites located directly next door to the Extended Stay America. We oppose the acquisition to convert this to homeless/workforce/transitional housing due to the negative effects it will have on the nearby community, overall city, and our guests. Our guests who are in the area for business, leisure, and group travel contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in transient occupancy tax to the city and expect an environment that is safe. Guest reviews are read thoroughly and we will begin to have guests write reviews stating our hotel is located next to a shelter, ultimately detering guests from staying. Also along Torrance blvd the other hotels will be affected as well. The Del Amo Fashion center is within walking distance and the prominent main cross road of Hawthorne and Torrance blvd is nearby – having this property converted so close to the major attractions to the Torrance will continue to deter higher end retail and visitors to our area. This would be so counterproductive to the goals of Torrance, but specifically this immediate area.
There is an ESA (19200 Harborgate Way, Torrance, CA 90501) that is near another former ESA that was acquired for housing, and feel that location is more conducive to the use of this housing. This property was for sale, through a broker, and was known the owner of ESA was willing to sell that location too. I don't understand why this property would be entertained when this location is prominent for the city, and there are various other locations that can be considered that would not have the negative effect. It was mentioned 5 locations were being looked at, but if any are in Torrance it should be 19200 Harborgate). To further convince, look at the police/911 call log for that location and see the trouble that already arises from that location. I understand there is a serious problem regarding affordable housing for the homeless, but I also understand that the ownership of the ESA hotels, Blackstone, have been selling these properties from Homekey Funding at above market valuations and there have been negative impacts for the area. Please consider rejecting this proposal as there is another ESA property that is very ideal located within Torrance Harborgateway near another acquired ESA. The benefits to that location provides operational efficiency and location that is also located around food, retail, and public transit. 18602 S Vermont Ave, Gardena, CA 90248 (former ESA converted to housing) 19200 Harborgate Way, Torrance, CA 90501 (the primary location that should be looked at to be bought)
15 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
Matthew
Lawrence
Comment 05/23/2025 02:51 PM : (For)
To the Honorable City Council,
I want to comment on Agenda Item 4a, City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. I want to say that broadly given the state of the housing and homelessness crisis in California that the city should be supportive or at least not opposed to this motion by LA County.
The temporary housing village has been a great program for the city. In it members of our community have been connected to the support they’ve needed to get back on their feet. I think that it provides a good model of what homeless services and outreach can look like for our city. The proposed project has the potential to have triple the impact that the tiny home village has done given that a major bottleneck for the temporary housing village is a lack of space.
That being said, I think there are legitimate concerns raised by the community particularly with funding. The county has had to pull $300 million dollars from LAHSA because of failed audits and manage it themselves separate from LA city. I think given the current issues with the instability of both county and state funding sources, the city needs to ask serious questions about the stability of funding, the plans for costs related to services on site, and what kinds of coordination will be possible between the County and the City of Torrance homeless services. It would potentially negatively impact the city if this project were to run out of funding early on and leave our homeless residents just left in limbo without resources.
I think the city should consider supporting this opportunity but also ask the important questions of potential downsides. The city has a responsibility to residents to make sure that our homeless community members are supported and reintegrated back into society, but to also make sure that our financial commitments translate into results for our community. I think that despite some legitimate concerns, there’s the potential to help our city.
Respectfully,
Matthew Lawrence
16 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
4A.
City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on City’s position regarding the County of Los Angeles’ Proposed Homekey + Project at 3525 Torrance Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Name
James Lake
Comment 05/23/2025 02:56 PM : (Against)
Torrance Council Members:
As a local District 3 resident my family and I have already suffered violent aggression from local homeless due to the 3290 shelter at the courthouse. Increasing this concentrated population to include 120 more units at 3525 Torrance Blvd and 15 more units at 2930 El Dorado St is unacceptable. Please do not bring additional danger to our community.
V/r,
James Lake
17 From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 23, 2025 8:24 AM
To: CityCouncil <[email protected]>
Subject: lololol
There are 4 council members who march in lock step with harris, newsom, waters, lieu, bass, etc....And they think that a public meeting is going to change the homeless fiasco?? These 4 council members want to spend more money and allow a hotel to be used for housing for homeless and even crazed homeless. Brilliant genius idea!! FACT, the homeless crisis will NEVER be solved. It will take a crapload of more money to even put a dent in it. So the answer is to give them a hotel (which they will trash) and it will have a very negative effect on responsible citizens. The 4 leftists do not give a damn. In fact they report back to the previous administration all the time. Clowns. Why don't we give the marriott or the doubletree to them?? REALLY why not?? The idiot bleeding heart libs on the council talk one thing and do another. Let's see, 12 billion in the red for the state. Close to 2 billion in the red for L A. And the 4 libtards literally fall over themselves trying to get a photo opp with lieu, waters, newsom, sushi boy AL etc, each time those clowns are in Torrance. The meeting tonite is a waste of time. The broke county and state WILL ENFORCE this. There's nothing that the council can do, except puff themselves up and say false things that the public wants to hear. Keep worshipping your idiot leftist pals. Here's an idea, ENFORCE 98% taxes on everyone!! And PISS that money down the toilet on the social justice problems. Do the 4 leftists have any common sense? HELL NO.....Good luck council, lololol
18 From: Don T <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2025 9:12 PM
To: CityCouncil <[email protected]>
Subject: Strong Opposition to Including Extended Stay America on Torrance Blvd in Homekey+ Program Consideration
Dear Honorable Mayor and Torrance City Council Members,
I am writing as a deeply concerned Torrance resident regarding the proposal to include the Extended Stay America Hotel located on Torrance Boulevard as one of the five properties being submitted for potential conversion under the State’s Homekey+ Program.
While I fully recognize the importance of addressing homelessness and providing interim and long-term housing solutions, placing such a facility in the heart of Torrance is entirely inappropriate and poses significant risks to the safety, character, and well-being of our community.
This particular hotel is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and is in very close proximity to numerous schools, parks, and family-centered community spaces. Within just a short distance are schools such as Torrance High School, Torrance Elementary, and several childcare facilities — locations where the safety and security of our children must remain an unwavering priority.
Converting this hotel into interim housing would fundamentally alter the character of this central part of our city. Torrance Boulevard is a heavily traveled corridor that serves as the gateway to our civic center, retail, and dining areas. Introducing a high-density interim housing facility into this setting risks increasing public safety concerns, impacting local businesses, and eroding the sense of security that families and residents have long enjoyed in this area.
There are far more appropriate locations that should be prioritized for such uses, including properties closer to the freeway or in areas such as Harbor Gateway, where facilities are 19 better suited to accommodate these types of services without placing a strain on school zones and densely populated residential neighborhoods.
I respectfully urge the Council to remove the Extended Stay America on Torrance Boulevard from consideration for this program and to focus efforts on identifying sites that are better aligned with public safety, land-use compatibility, and community expectations.
Thank you for your time and for your continued commitment to preserving the quality of life in Torrance.
20