LoonieProposal

💔 Executive Summary

A visionary, peer-run recovery village designed to serve up to 4,000 unhoused individuals on a 20-acre site, built around dignity, safety, and structure.

This village lifts up the most vulnerable—but just as importantly, it empowers those who are stable and capable to step into leadership. For the sane, for the ready, this is a place of purpose, not just survival.

For decades, Los Angeles has poured billions into temporary shelters, hotel vouchers, and top-down case management—yet tents still line our sidewalks, fires erupt under overpasses, and addiction goes untreated in plain sight.

Programs like Inside Safe and luxury “affordable housing” units cost upwards of $750,000 per person, and often serve just a few hundred at a time—while tens of thousands remain unhoused. Caseworkers are overworked. Outreach is inconsistent. Many solutions ignore a core truth: not all unhoused people have the same needs.

That’s where LoonieLand™ flips the model.

Instead of treating the homeless as passive recipients of aid, we empower the most capable among them to take active roles—running kitchens, maintaining order, mentoring others. This isn’t a shelter—it’s a self-sustaining village, with the structure of a campus and the freedom of the streets, built like a theme park, for real recovery and dignity.

• ✅ Cost-effective: One-fifth the cost of current programs, with far more reach.
• ✅ Tailored: Designed with zones that reflect the actual spectrum of needs.
• ✅ Peer-led: Operated by the homeless, for the homeless—reclaiming purpose.
• ✅ Familiar: Includes open “Skid Row-style” areas to encourage reluctant individuals to stay—safely.
• ✅ Scalable: Built to be replicated on other parcels of unused or underutilized land.

"This is not just a plan—it’s a movement!
And LoonieLand™ offers something the current system has failed to deliver:
hope that actually works!".

💔 Potential Sites for the Village That Works

1. City-Owned Properties Identified by Controller Ron Galperin
Overview: A 2022 report highlighted 26 city-owned properties suitable for interim housing and supportive services.
Details: These sites offer approximately 1.7 million square feet of space, potentially accommodating thousands of unhoused individuals. Source: Urbanize LA, KFI AM 640, 2UrbanGirls

2. Taylor Yard (G2 Parcel)
Location: Glassell Park, adjacent to the Los Angeles River. Size: Approximately 42 acres.
Potential: Previously a rail yard, this site is undergoing redevelopment and could be integrated into a larger community revitalization effort. Source: Wikipedia, MyNewsLA.com

3. Surplus Land Identified by LA Metro
Overview: LA Metro is assessing its portfolio for surplus, vacant, and underused land suitable for housing development.
Potential: Properties near transit stations could offer accessibility benefits for residents. Source: The Real Deal, Spectrum News 1, transittalent.com, Architectural Digest

4. Former School Sites
Example: A 7-acre vacant lot in Woodland Hills, previously an elementary school, has been identified as a potential site for housing development.
Potential: Such sites are often already equipped with infrastructure like utilities and road access. Source: CBS News

5. Properties Managed by the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD)
Overview: LAHD oversees various properties, including those acquired from the former Community Redevelopment Agency and other sources. Potential: These assets could be repurposed for affordable housing initiatives.

🧭 Strategic Considerations Mapping: Utilize the City of Los Angeles's interactive property map to visualize and assess these and other potential sites. Evaluation: Consider factors such as proximity to public transportation, existing infrastructure, and community support when evaluating site suitability. Engagement: Collaborate with local stakeholders, including community organizations and city officials, to garner support and address any potential concerns.

While many potential sites in Los Angeles may be too small for a large-scale project like the Village That Works, there are significant stretches of undeveloped land along the I-15 corridor between Los Angeles and Las Vegas that could be suitable. Much of the land along I-15, especially in California, is federally owned and managed by agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This land often remains undeveloped due to factors such as environmental protections, lack of infrastructure, and zoning restrictions. Additionally, the harsh desert environment can make development challenging.

Here are some notable parcels that might be suitable for development along I-15:

📍 12.5 Acres Near Las Vegas Blvd & Via Inspirada
Location: Just off I-15, north of Sloan, NV.
Zoning: Currently R-U (Rural Open Land) with a planned use of EM (Entertainment Mixed-Use).
Highlights: Adjacent to the 100-acre Speed Vegas Raceway and near the West Henderson submarket.
Source: LoopNet, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Sale Price: Approximately $11.5 million.

📍 67 Acres in North Las Vegas
Location: Within the Villages at. Tule Springs master-planned community.
Potential Uses: Mixed-use commercial buildings, including a casino.
Source: pacificoakcapitaladvisors.com, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Sale Price: $55 million.

📍 20 Acres Near Zzyzx Road Exit
Location: Between Barstow and Baker, CA.
Highlights: Remote location offering peace and quiet, suitable for various uses.
Source: ruralvacantland.com, LandandFarm.com, Land.com, Landwatch.com
Sale Price: Significantly lower than comparable parcels in the area.

💔 Loonie Structure

Designed like a theme park with safe, intuitive, walkable zones serving different recovery stages. We propose building a three-zone recovery village for the unhoused:

• Zone B: Skid Row-style natural habitat - a safer version of the streets with familiar urban elements.
  A secure, open-air environment designed to mirror Skid Row and similar street settings—not to romanticize suffering, but to give freedom with protection. Here, high-need individuals can live without being forced into rehab or confined housing. It's harm reduction with dignity—no fences, just invisible support.
  
  
• Zone T: Safe transitional buffer zone - pods, food kiosks, and support to help move toward stability.
  A bridge between chaos and structure. It features resting pods, clean bathrooms, a peer-run café, and resource centers.
  This zone is where trust is built. No requirements—just the start of connection.
  
  
• Zone A: Zone A isn’t just for healing. It’s for leading. Here, formerly homeless residents take on real roles—managing kitchens, running training centers, offering peer mentorship. They aren’t waiting for help. They are the help. This system provides not just shelter, but purpose—for those ready to rise.

Use Type	% of Total Land	Area (Sq ft)	Description
Zone B (Natural Habitat)	40%	~348,480	Open-air, informal structures, shelters, benches, and safe “Skid Row-like” area
Zone T (Transition Zone)	20%	~174,240	Pods, hygiene facilities, food kiosks, peer support spaces
Zone A (Core Campus)	25%	~217,800	Dorms, structured housing, job training, kitchens, admin
Infrastructure & Buffer	15%	~130,680	Paths, utilities, greenery, fences, roads

Use	% of Total Land
Paths, roads, open space	~25%
Buildings & structures	~40%
Landscape & utilities buffer	~15%
Usable open lots gathering	~20%

✅ Let’s calculate assuming 65% usable land:
Total square footage = 20 acres × 43,560 = 871,200 sq ft
Usable square footage (65%) = 566,280 sq ft
Per person = 566,280 ÷ 4,000 ≈ 141.6 sq ft/person

🏕️ 142 sq ft per person (usable): What It Really Means
That’s roughly a 12x12 square per person—not including shared areas like restrooms, kitchens, or clinics.
In Zone B, people could pitch tents or build custom enclosures spaced a few yards apart.
Not every resident will use space the same way—some prefer privacy, others cluster in groups.
Communal zones (benches, fire barrels, open lots) can absorb overflow and balance crowding.

✅ With Smart Planning:
Zone B: Open and semi-wild to give people room to spread out
Zone T: Compact but humane pods, with semi-private lanes
Zone A: Dorms or modular housing arranged in blocks or courtyards
Vertical solutions (e.g., stacked pods or bunk housing) can increase density where needed

💬 Real Talk:
Most current shelters or transitional hotels pack 2–4 people in a 200–300 sq ft room.
At LoonieLand™, each person gets fresh air, autonomy, and dignity.

If someone wants to stake a tent 10 ft from their neighbor, there’s still enough breathing room—especially in Zone B.

🎯 Conclusion:
Under realistic assumptions, each person would have ~142 sq ft of functional, livable space—including sleeping, walking, and community use.

💔 Cost Comparison (Updated)

The current model is spending over $1M per unit to house a handful of people. Our village costs a fraction—because: It's modular It's peer-powered It's self-sustaining over time It doesn't rely on luxury builds or inflated developer contracts. It relies on human capital that’s already here—waiting to be acknowledged.

Model	Annual Cost per Person	1000-Person Annual Cost
Inside Safe (city estimate)	~$750,000	~$750M
Traditional Rehab Programs	~$40,000	~$40M
Incarceration (L.A. avg.)	~$60,000	~$60M
Loonie Land (full model)	~$150,000	~$150M
- Includes Harm Reduction	(of which ~$2,800)	~$2.8M

💔 Systemic Relief

This village isn’t just for the unhoused—it’s for the whole city. Fewer tents on sidewalks. Safer parks. Fewer emergency calls. Lower taxpayer burden. It’s relief for the people living on the street—and for the people living around them.

• Reduces visible encampments and public drug use
• Restores business corridors, public parks, and sidewalks
• Cuts down emergency calls, police intervention, and ER visits
• Shifts tax dollars from endless band-aids to real outcomes
• Makes the city feel safe and functional again—for everyone
• Less police interaction
• Millions saved from reduced jail/incarceration

💔 Controlled Fire Zones

Designated steel-barrel fires with extinguishers and trained Peer Fire Marshals. Cultural familiarity respected. Cooking centralized.

"If we want them to stay, we must let them live. If we forbid what they know, they will leave."

“Build it, and they will come.” But in LoonieLand™ "Prove it, and they will stay."

LoonieLand™ doesn’t just hide people—it meets them where they are. If someone lived for years warming their hands over a steel barrel, we’re not here to erase that. We just make it safe. With supervision and respect.”In Zone B, we allow for contained, supervised fire use—just like what many residents are already accustomed to on the street. This preserves freedom and familiarity while minimizing risk.

🔧 Key Guidelines:
Fires permitted only in designated steel barrels
Each barrel is placed on fireproof pads, spaced well apart from structures
Fire kits (sand, extinguisher, lid) nearby for emergencies
Peer Fire Marshals trained by LAFD or a nonprofit partner patrol nightly
Cooking zones nearby reduce temptation to light personal fires elsewhere

💔 Projected Impact

✅ Direct Benefits (Year 1)

The community doesn’t just "fix" people. It builds people up, so they can become the solution for others.

• 4,000 people off the streets
• Zone B: Up to 1,000 in a safe, familiar space
• Zones T & A: 1,500+ transitioning toward jobs and healing
• 600+ internal roles filled by residents

✅ 5-Year Outlook

• Street homelessness cut in half
• Job pipeline via social enterprises
• Scalable model proves effectiveness

✅ 10-Year Vision

Here’s a visual chart showing how our Village model steadily reduces the unhoused population over the next 10 years—while the status quo leads to rising numbers year after year.



Here’s the cost savings chart: it clearly shows how our Village model saves hundreds of millions of dollars over time compared to the status quo. Not only are we helping more people—we’re doing it more responsibly.



• L.A. becomes national model
• Culture shift: homelessness is solvable
• Blueprint exported to other cities and countries

💔 Call to Action

We don’t need another committee or crisis. LoonieLand™ is ready. We need a leader willing to say YES. Courage over credit. We are not asking for charity. We are proposing a working system of dignity and logic. A place where every person has a role, even at their lowest point. If we build this village, we won’t need another tax increase. We’ll just need courage to stop doing what doesn't work—and finally try what will.

💔 Resident Typology

• Sane & Functional: Life disruptions only
• Sane with Addiction: Lucid but substance-dependent
• Mentally Unwell: Unstable mental health
• Dual Diagnosis: Mental + substance conditions
• Sleeping Beauties: Passive, need rest & safety
• Street Culture Veterans: Often become peer mentors
• Emerging Helpers: Show initiative and leadership

💔 Harm Reduction & Cost Strategy

• Peer-led outreach
• Safe Use Station
• Detox pods, tapering, MAT
• No punitive policing inside

💔 Global Inspiration

• Portugal: Drug decriminalization success
• Switzerland: Prescribed heroin programs
• Canada: Safe injection and alternative prescriptions

Conclusion:

LoonieLand™ prioritizes life, community, and recovery at a fraction of current system costs. With courage and leadership, this model can succeed in Los Angeles—and beyond.