Gardena RV encampment residents moved to interim housing in LA County's latest homelessness initiative
GARDENA, Calif. - Los Angeles County's Pathway Home, a program aimed at resolving street and RV encampments by providing Angelenos with interim housing, launched its second housing initiative this week.
Pathway Home announced Tuesday, Aug. 29, that they successfully housed 58 people, including families with children, pets and service animals, getting them off the streets in East Gardena. These efforts removed 30 RVs and makeshift dwellings out of the area.
"This is LA County government in action," said LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. "Ending homelessness, especially for people living in RVs, requires collaboration with residents, multiple government departments, municipalities and community partners. The launch of Pathway Home proves we can do it."
East Gardena and West Rancho Dominguez have some of the highest concentrations of RV encampments countywide, according to officials. The RVs removed by the organization were deemed unsafe, inoperable or otherwise unlivable by officials, and were towed with the owner's consent.
Pathway Home then provided program participants with a hotel or motel room, or another type of immediately available intermit housing, along with permanent housing resources.
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"RV encampments cannot be resolved by simply posting ‘No Parking’ signs," said LA County Homeless Initiative Executive Director, Cheri Todoroff. "In East Gardena and West Rancho Dominguez, the County mobilized an all-hands-on-deck response and assembled a package of resources that offered people a way out of the streets and into housing with services."
Once in interim housing, participants receive supportive services such as on-site case management and connections to physical and mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatment, according to Pathway Home.
To better facilitate participants' transition to permanent housing, the County assists participants in navigating lease applications. Once permanently housed in their own apartment, participants can still continue to receive supportive services.
After declaring a state of emergency on homelessness in January 2023, the Board of Supervisors ensured that the County could expand and expedite its homeless services system. Between its two operations, Pathway Home has successfully housed over 100 Angelenos since the beginning of August.