LGBT youth and adults come to West Hollywood seeking safety and self-determination, but sometimes lack adequate support networks and end up without housing. Many shelters are not equipped to house transgender individuals and, historically, homeless services have not been inclusive of the needs of LGBT youth and adults. The City of West Hollywood set out to create a robust system of support for its homeless population.
The City of West Hollywood actively seeks public participation, including from the Russian-speaking population, which comprises roughly 15% of its population. In the beginning of its city-hood, many new immigrants from the former Soviet Union settled in West Hollywood. The city initially tried informal outreach to engage with the community, but those attempts were unsuccessful, so the city became more deliberate with their outreach strategy.
At certain points in its long history, LA Pride has fallen under criticism for being less relevant, too focused on partying and/or commercial interests, and for lacking an educational component to teach people about LGBTQ history. As such, the city convened a task force in 2005-2006 to look at these issues and created One City One Pride.