June 11, 2015

 

City News Service 

 

 

Recently,  the Housing Author­ity of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) was honored to receive a grant of over $226,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to further its security and safety program for its public housing sites located in South Los Angeles

 

Together with input from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, HACoLA has incorporated the practice of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design as a proactive approach to deterring crime from being committed in and around its public housing developments.  The Emergency Safety and Security Grant will support extended fencing, upgraded Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems, increased lighting, and improved vehicle and pedestrian gate security.  Further, the grant will allow HACoLA to install six CCTV systems throughout the South Los Angeles sites that will allow for remote monitoring by select HACoLA staff and law enforcement partners.

 

Sean Rogan, HACoLA’s Exec­utive Director, said, “Providing quality housing extends beyond the bricks and mortar.  It is our responsibility to ensure safe communities for families and seniors. With declining Federal capital improvement funds, public housing up­grades have been difficult, but we continue to pursue alternative funding sources, such as grants, to maintain a high quality of living for our residents.”

 

As part of HACoLA’s public safety goals, the agency remains an active participant in local and national efforts to invest in crime prevention for youth residents. The agency has a long-standing relationship with the Los Angeles County Probation Department to administer a Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act program which inspires youth to make better life choices and stay on a path to success.  Most recently, HACoLA addressed attendees at the U.S. Department of Justice National Forum on Youth Violence Pre­vention to highlight the agency’s nationally-recognized Community Policing Program as well as its other best practices and steps for incorporating youth programs to create an environment where public housing families can feel secure and live comfortably.

 

 

 

Category: Community