More than 30 families with children are homeless no more – thanks to the help they received from Los Angeles County’s Homekey Compton East.
The County purchased the former Travel Plaza Inn in 2020 with the first round of Homekey funding from the State, then converted its 41 rooms into temporary shelter for homeless families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
So far, the County and its service provider, HOPICS, have opened its doors to more than 70 families (more than 300 individuals) who had been living in cars and other makeshift accommodations. It also provided them with wraparound services and case management, with a focus on permanent housing placement. Thanks to this program, about 30 families have already secured an affordable apartment and efforts are ongoing to house additional families.
HOPICS officials said criminal activity used to be prevalent when the site operated as a motel, but this stopped after it became a Homekey interim housing site dedicated to serving homeless families, complete with a playground. HOPICS officials said the community, and particularly surrounding businesses, have embraced the change.
California Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez recently visited the site with Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, LA County Homeless Initiative Director Cheri Todoroff, and representatives from the Office of Supervisor Holly Mitchell and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA).
Los Angeles County currently has 10 Homekey sites in operation and has been approved for additional State funding to open at least 12 more Homekey sites.