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Our History
People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) initiates the “Yes in My Back Yard” campaign to stem the NIMBY resistance to services and housing for people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. The first Homeless Connect Day is held at the former Hollygrove site on Vine St.
Philip Mangano, President Bush’s “homeless czar,” attends an invitation-only event at the Roosevelt Hotel, and brings a new concept to Hollywood with him: to accept full responsibility for those who are homeless in your community, business leaders must aspire to end homelessness, rather than take the far costlier approach of simply “managing” it.
The Hollywood 4WRD grass-roots coalition comes to life with a name and a logo and a commitment to regular meetings with a diverse group of stakeholders representing faith, businesses, service providers, government representatives and community. Two early 4WRD initiatives:
- A “snapshot” homeless count within a defined Hollywood catchment area
- Co-hosting PATH’s fourth Homeless Connect Day at the Music Box Theatre
H4WRD takes part in the creation of the first Hollywood Homeless Registry. In partnership with Common Ground, volunteers fan out over the course of 3 nights to survey nearly 300 persons experiencing homelessness (PEH), creating a by-name registry of the most vulnerable. The effort unified the community and led to the formation of the Hollywood Homeless Outreach Team.
Hollywood 4WRD gathers with the community to celebrate the grand opening of Villas at Gower, the first example of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Hollywood. The project encountered fierce resistance from some determined to prevent this type of housing. The opening represents a meaningful triumph for 4WRD, and serves as a catalyst for continued growth of the coalition.
H4WRD holds its first retreat in a perfect setting for the evolving coalition -- a rehearsal room at the Hollywood Bowl! Among the providers who join are PATH, Step Up, GettLove, Housing Works, LACDMH, Blessed Sacrament, My Friend’s Place and others. By the end of the day, they have formalized an advocacy agenda, which leads in time to the creation of the Hollywood Top 14 list – those individuals most in need of attention on the streets of Hollywood.
Hollywood 4WRD holds a second retreat in DTLA and tackles the key issues of the moment:
- how to increase the effectiveness of the new Coordinated Entry System (CES);
- how to better coordinate outreach being done by various organizations in Hollywood;
- how to support or advocate for the needs of frequent service utilizers and the Hollywood Top 14.
H4WRD attempts to keep up with the quickening pace of developments around homelessness:
- The homeless count reveals a disappointing 20 percent increase over the previous year
- Voters approve Measure HHH in L.A. City (11/16) and Measure H in LA County (3/17)
H4WRD members collaborate with civic leaders on how the influx of new Measure H monies can be better coordinated in greater Hollywood.
Facing the uncertainty of the mysterious Covid pandemic, Hollywood 4WRD convenes a Zoom meeting in March and continues to meet every week for the next year to collaborate and share resources. The time has come to transition from an informal grass roots coalition to something more sustainable and professional.
Thanks to a grant from The Hollywood Partnership (BID), a Steering Committee puts the finishing touches on a strategic plan for Hollywood 4WRD, creating a foundation and funding support to hire a full-time executive director. That goal is realized in April of 2021 with the hiring of Brittney Weissman.
LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) chooses H4WRD to be their partner and community liaison for Hollywood 2.0, the new 5-year program intended to bring innovative, community-based care to Hollywood. The launch of H20 in July of 2022 coincides with the expansion of H4WRD as they bring aboard Tim Davis as their new Communications and Operations Director.
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Our Values
Inclusivity
Leadership
Communication
Collaboration
Our Four Pillars
Advocacy
Service Coordination
Education
Innovation
Advocacy
Education
Service Coordination
Innovation
Leadership
Staff
Brittney Weissman
Brittney Weissman has worked at the intersection of advocacy, healthcare, and public policy for 20 years. For eight+ years prior to joining Hollywood 4WRD as its inaugural Executive Director, she was the first Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Greater Los Angeles County where she provided community, hope, and policy advocacy for everyone affected by mental illness, their families, and friends in Los Angeles County.
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Tim Davis
Tim Davis brings a diverse, multi-disciplinary background and a long term commitment to the health and welfare of vulnerable populations to Hollywood 4WRD. The range of his professional experience gave him great insights on how to craft engaging content and establish enduring relationships with leaders in the Hollywood community.
Board of Directors
Aditi is a Hollywood resident and housing policy advocate. Prior to working for United Way, she spent almost six years working for the California State Assembly where she advocated for tenant rights and worked to change the public narrative on unsheltered homelessness. Positive coping strategies: karaoke, audiobooks, and good conversations over good meals.
Nathan has helped to lead The Center to prominence in the Los Angeles homeless services sector, by expanding trauma-informed, and engagement-focused programming to provide access and connection for individuals experiencing homelessness. Positive coping strategies: Cooking and spending time w/ his wife and two young kiddos, seeking the best live versions of Grateful Dead songs, and cheering on Cincinnati sports teams
Arnali brings over 14 years of experience in non-profit social services and healthcare, and a passion for helping marginalized communities. Her career and volunteer service have focused on helping the most vulnerable populations access basic needs and vital services. Positive coping strategies: petting my rescue doggy JJ, being in nature, hiking, and trying new restaurants with my hubby and friends.
Aditi is a Hollywood resident and housing policy advocate. Prior to working for United Way, she spent almost six years working for the California State Assembly where she advocated for tenant rights and worked to change the public narrative on unsheltered homelessness. Positive coping strategies: karaoke, audiobooks, and good conversations over good meals.
Arnali brings over 14 years of experience in non-profit social services and healthcare, and a passion for helping marginalized communities. Her career and volunteer service have focused on helping the most vulnerable populations access basic needs and vital services. Positive coping strategies: petting my rescue doggy JJ, being in nature, hiking, and trying new restaurants with my hubby and friends.
David has lived in Hollywood for over 40 years, most recently as a homeowner at The Broadway Hollywood. After years with an international law firm, he is currently a Managing Director at Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc., which primarily advises boards of directors with respect to executive compensation. He is a board member of The Hollywood Partnership. Positive coping strategies: Athletics, reading.
Leading with heart, humor, and determination, Heather has been with My Friend’s Place for 23 years, serving as the Executive Director since 2009. My Friend's Place offers comprehensive services to 1,000 young adults experiencing homelessness between the ages of 12 and 25 each year. Positive coping strategies: Finding goodness in unexpected places, running, and the love of dog
Having served for over 20 years as the CEO of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., Kathleen now brings her energy and expertise to Hollywood, where she oversees an organization whose mission is to enhance the appeal, vitality, and well-being of the Hollywood Community from the ground up. Positive coping strategies: Cooking, traveling and going to the theater.
After 22 years managing The Hollywood Property Owners Alliance, Kerry stepped away in early 2019 to pursue her passion for facilitating a “new way forward” with respect to how people with mental illness in our society can be treated, integrated into community and enjoy the whole life they deserve. Positive coping strategies: calligraphy, listening to classical music and cooking.
Louis is an astrophysicist and organizer in Hollywood. He earned his PhD from the University of Chicago in 2015 and began leading volunteer homeless outreach in 2019. His work to extend and integrate volunteer and professional homelessness services in his community led him to join Hollywood4WRD's founding board in 2020. Positive coping strategies: Cooking, going on long walks.
Marina is an Urban Planner by trade with experience working in both public service and the private sector. She specializes in coordinating and processing land use entitlements and discretionary actions across multiple jurisdictions. Her role at Kilroy involves analytical property research, project management, government relations, community engagement, and coordination with consultant teams. Positive coping strategies: cooking and baking (especially for/with her husband and two young boys), going on runs through the Hollywood and Franklin hills, and listening to Spanish guitar.
Natalie is a real estate executive with 15+ years of environmental, social and governance (ESG) expertise. She currently leads the ESG and innovation team at Hudson Pacific Properties, a real estate investment trust with over 2 million square feet of office and studio properties in Hollywood. Positive coping strategies: spending time with family, getting outside, and reading.
Nathan has helped to lead The Center to prominence in the Los Angeles homeless services sector, by expanding trauma-informed, and engagement-focused programming to provide access and connection for individuals experiencing homelessness. Positive coping strategies: Cooking and spending time w/ his wife and two young kiddos, seeking the best live versions of Grateful Dead songs, and cheering on Cincinnati sports teams
Over the past 33 years, Nicole has been a force for good in the field of Human Services and Social Work, supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorder in the community seeking medical services from emergency departments. Positive coping strategies: Being spiritually grounded, hanging out with family & friends, shopping, traveling and playing golf.
With decades of experience in individual, organizational and community transformation, and a life-long commitment to helping the most vulnerable, Steve facilitates evaluation and growth for the enhancement of effective functioning and psychosocial adjustments, helping to bring about change that enhances human well-being. Positive coping strategies: gym rat, hiking, cooking/baking, and the garden is my happy place.
Who’s Involved
A diverse range of Hollywood stakeholders participate, including:
- Service Providers
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Neighborhood Councils
- Government Representatives
- Faith Organizations
- Healthcare Organizations
- Businesses and Residents
Many of the stakeholders have been involved in Hollywood 4WRD from the beginning and others are new to the grassroots coalition. We welcome you to join us and find out more!
