The Los Angeles City Council has approved a directive for the Department of General Services, in collaboration with the City Attorney and City Administrative Officer (CAO), to negotiate a new nonprofit lease with the Alcott Center. This lease pertains to the continued use of the city-owned property at 305 East 1st Street for the CIRCLE Program, which provides community-based, unarmed response services for non-urgent incidents involving unhoused populations. Originally piloted in 2022, the CIRCLE Program replaces police involvement with trained response teams and has expanded citywide. The current provider, Urban Alchemy, will vacate the site on March 31, 2025. The Alcott Center, newly selected to operate the program, is scheduled to begin operations on April 1, 2025. Council action ensures continuity of services at the location through the lease transition.
This lease agreement enables uninterrupted delivery of the CIRCLE Program’s community-led emergency alternative response services. It marks a continued investment in public safety reform by offering a compassionate, non-police approach to serving unhoused residents.