A vacant retail building in Beverly Grove could be the next property used in the City's new "A Bridge Home," program to stymie the growing homeless crisis in Los Angeles.

Last week, 5th District Councilmember Paul Koretz introduced a motion which identifies a vacant structure located at 7951 Beverly Boulevard for reuse as an emergency shelter.  The one-story, 10,850-square-foot structure was built in 1959, and most recently housed a religious school.

Koretz, as well as other Councilmembers, are responding to a push to identify suitable properties in their districts for use as emergency shelter facilities or permanent supportive housing.  Four other Councilmembers - Mitch O'Farrell, Paul Krekorian, Current Price, and Council President Herb Wesson - have already suggested parking lots in Hollywood, the San Fernando Valley, South Los Angeles, and perhaps most controversially, Koreatown.

Koretz has also identified a surface parking lot in Westwood that could also be suitable for an emergency shelter facility or affordable housing development.

The motion has been referred to the Council's Homelessness & Poverty Committee for review.