Skid Row

Recon Survey
Toilet & Shower Public Access
at OHS listed providers
July 30th, 2014
Started @ 7pm


On 7/30/2014, Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Homeless Resident Director Eric
Dean along with a local resident of the Little Tokyo Lofts @ 420 South San Pedro St. Katherine
McNenny, conducted a survey of the restrooms listed in the recent Operation Healthy Streets
Budget document released April 7th, 2014.

Here is the section where expanded restroom access is listed:

The purpose of this survey was to determine the accuracy of the information in this document. It
was already determined by phone conversation that the Downtown Womens Center was not
participating in expanded access, so we did not visit them. Below we have listed our findings on
the status of current hygiene services in the Central City East/Skid Row area where we
conducted our survey.

1. Lamp Village 526 South San Pedro St. -Restrooms were OPEN

Restrooms: 5:30am-9:30pm 7 days a week
Showers: 7am-2:30pm Tues.-Sat.

Bathrooms & showers are accessible through an open door on San Pedro Street & a short walk
down a hallway. There are (2) staff people at this facility. We met one attendant who told us he
oversees the men's bathroom & a staff person in an office who gives people toilet paper if they
need it.

The entire facility was very clean & well run in our opinion. There was a log for how many people
were utilizing the facility per day. We were told between 100-160 men used the place per day
with less women using the facilities.

We were particularly impressed with the staff & they way the place was overseen. We asked
how people knew that they had bathrooms available for the public & we were told word of mouth
by people on the streets.


2. VOA 626 S. San Julian Street - Restrooms were OPEN

Restrooms: 6:00am-10pm 7 days a week
Showers: at 10am and 3pm

While restroom access at the VOA is technically always available, the Staff who control entry
onto the grounds, respectfully regulate use of the restrooms by the general public with the caveat
of not allowing troublemakers to disrupt the atmosphere of safety and trust at the VOA. We feel
this is a reasonable policy- they know the community and are aware of the dangers that
sometimes come along with working to help people.

*Tom Grode has been a shelter guest at the Union Rescue Mission for 9 months & has been
assisting with data collection for this survey. Tom received verbal confirmation from Staff that
the VOA has decided to offer 24/7 toilet access. At the time of this survey being written, this
information has yet to be confirmed with a site visit outside their old hours.


3. LA Mission 543 5th Street - Restrooms were CLOSED

Restrooms: 5:30am-4:30pm
Showers: offered twice a day via a ticket distribution system. For Males only.

At the time of our visit, the restroom facilities at the LA Mission were closed for the day. We were
informed of the Missions procedures and hours of public service by a Staff member.


4. Midnight Mission - Restrooms were OPEN

Restrooms: 24/7
Showers: 24/7

Pretty clear the Midnight Mission has always maintained 24/7 restroom access. There were
several guards just inside the front gate who confirmed this as did several people streaming in
and out of the facility. And they have a few open shower stalls inside that are also 24/7. A big
question with the Midnight Mission- directed to the Mayors Office, is why are they listed as
receiving funding from the new OHS budget, when they have always had 24/7 access prior to
the OHS Initiative.


***Automated Public Toilets (APTs)

Although not part of the current Operation Healthy Streets Initiative, during the course of our
survey we checked the status of (3) APTs in Skid Row. These ATPs represent the only City
owned and maintained Public Restrooms in the area of our Survey.

-5th & San Pedro was working & clean.
-5th & San Julian was working & clean.
-San Pedro at the Union Rescue Mission was out of service.


Recommendations:
.
Encourage the further expansion of hours of operation at facilities like LAMP with the
currently available OHS budget.

Increased accounting by the City and clarity regarding the use of OHS funds by the
service providers identified in the OHS Budget Table.

Post metal decals/street signage using the universal symbol for public bathroom on
poles in front of and/or next to places with public toilet/shower access. This will help
residents and newcomers alike to recognize the location of these services.









Explore emulating a new pilot project from San Franciscos Department of Public Works
called Tenderloin Pit Stop. Launched July 15th, it exists to increase toilet access in the
Tenderloin district. The plan consists of two Solar VIP trailer mounted toilets, a dog waste
bag station, and a safe disposal box at three Tenderloin locations from 2pm 9pm
Tuesday through Friday. Read more here
http://beyondchron.org/tenderloin-pit-stop-gets-effort/