Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu faced down an angry crowd Thursday evening during an open house meant to provide information on homeless housing in Sherman Oaks.

While delivering remarks to kick off the event, Ryu was nearly drowned out by shouts of “recall,” “no common sense” and “go somewhere else” from dozens of people who had gathered in the cafeteria of Notre Dame High School.

“Homelessness is an issue that we are facing,” Ryu could still be heard saying through the speakers. “It is a crisis.”

Councilman David Ryu faces a packed room and shouts of “recall” at an open house on homeless housing pic.twitter.com/u4c2xwOYQ8 — Elizabeth Chou (@reporterliz) September 21, 2018

Many were upset over homeless housing sites proposed in Sherman Oaks, in particular one, at 15314 W. Dickens St., that is being eyed as a potential spot for permanent supportive housing. The other site is at the Army Reserve, at 5161 Sepulveda Blvd., that was identified as a potential site for emergency housing. The proposals are part of a larger push by the Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti to house people without homes in all parts of the city. That push has met opposition and concern similar to what Ryu faced on Thursday night.

Booths were set up around the room to provide information, such as on how homeless housing sites are operated, and details on the state of homelessness in Los Angeles. But they were mostly ignored as people continued to crowd around Ryu, who spent the entire event speaking to residents, many of whom addressed him simultaneously.

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One woman insisted, “I know the decision has been made.”

Ryu insisted back that “this is step one.”

“I would love your input,” he added. “I’d love your ideas.”

But the woman continued: “How could you let yourself be made a villain?”

One man remarked sarcastically to a nearby council aide, “You are so brave, to end his political career.”

Another man expressed bewilderment at why one of the sites was so near schools.

“Why would you put this next to a kindergarten? Are you guys nuts? There’s a kindergarten right there,” he said.

The man, who gave his name as Steve, said his daughter goes to kindergarten at Sherman Oaks Elementary Charter School, just two blocks from the Dickens Street site.

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He said he first heard about the proposal on Nextdoor, a neighborhood-based social media forum. The 49-year-old Sherman Oaks resident said he believes the neighborhood council, an advisory panel, pushed the site through without much input.

“I think the people of Sherman Oaks are furious, obviously.”

But there was at least one Sherman Oaks resident at the event who said he was open to homeless housing in his neighborhood.

Eric Silverstein says he is part of a group in his neighborhood that works to figure out solutions to safety concerns in their neighborhood. Homelessness is among their major issues.

The 48-year-old Silverstein said he sees homeless people “right in front of my house.”

“To think you can push them out to a different area, that’s not happening,” he said.

They usually return, he said.

But communication is key. When he heard about the backlash against the housing sites, he hoped the open house could help start a “conversation.”

“It wasn’t meant to be, ‘These are the two sites and this is what it is,’” he said, referring to what he felt is a misperception he heard among some residents that the councilman would not consider alternate housing sites. “It was meant for people to understand what those programs are.”