VENICE BEACH, Calif. (KERO) — There's a new initiative to help homeless people in Venice Beach. The aim is to get people out of homeless encampments and into permanent housing.

It's a contentious issue that's been at the center of a political battle between the Los Angeles County Sheriff and some members of L.A. City Council.

Mike Bonin says enforcement will be an option after nearly 200 people are housed in converted motels and shelters in the next six weeks. But he says they need to be convinced one at a time.

"We've found that in other places where the city has done place-based encampment for homes programs, the vast majority of people have said 'yes.' It may take a little bit longer to build trust."

The effort is being handled by the St. Joseph Center through federal, state, and local funds that weren't available before the pandemic. Its CEO says what's different this time is that everyone who gets off the oceanfront walk will eventually get permanent housing.