By Brett Callwood
At the City Council meeting on the evening of Tuesday, May 14, the council denied an appeal by Soul Housing for the initial denial of a business license for the property located at 15906 S Western Avenue.
Soul Housing states on their website that they are, “focused on providing high quality comprehensive care and support to homeless or displaced individuals in need. Whether the individual is transitioning out of a medical facility or is at-risk of hospitalization without a safe and stable living environment, we provide short-term housing and individualized care in a social setting with clinical and medication oversight.”
Services offered by Soul Housing include: 24/7 supervised care; Medication assistance and monitoring; Daily vital monitoring and weekly assessments; Psychiatric professionals available via telehealth; Coordination with case management and housing transition service providers; Scheduling coordination for medical appointments and transportation; Assistance with applying for housing assistance programs, DMV, and new benefit programs; Life skills training.
These are clearly vital services that are necessary when transitioning members of the unhoused community into a safe and stable living environment. However, the council was utterly and unanimously unmoved when denying the appeal.
Much of the debate between staff and those speaking on behalf of Soul Housing was the definition of a “motel.” Questions were asked about whether a property can be considered a motel if there are rules regarding what residents are allowed to bring in, such as alcohol.
Ultimately, the council decided that the business couldn’t be classified as a motel, and unanimously denied the appeal. It remains to be seen if Soul Housing has any cause for a legal response.
Action Item 15A saw the council unanimously re-approve the use of military equipment. As has been clarified at past meetings, the term “military equipment” is broad, and the Gardena PD aren’t buying any equipment solely designed for military use. Rather, they were seeking permission to use the equipment they already have such as flash-bangs, sandbags, and a bomb-detecting robot.
Finally, Council Item 19A, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gardena California, In Support of An Enduring Ceasefire in Gaza, Ukraine, Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” passed 3-2.
The staff note read that, “the City of Gardena City Council finds that the International Court of Justice has determined the plausibility of genocide and that Israel is in violation of the Genocide Convention.”
It’s the use of the word “genocide” that Council Member Rodney Tanaka objected to when casting his “no” vote, despite the findings of the the International Court of Justice. Mayor Tasha Cerda also voted no, because she felt that the City Council should stay out of global matters and focus on local concerns. Still, the vote carried 3-2
