Los Angeles County’s Pathway Home program brought more than 73 people experiencing homelessness who had been living along the San Gabriel River in the cities of Bellflower, Downey, and Norwalk and into safe interim housing, where they are receiving supportive services and other resources to help them transition out of homelessness and into permanent housing.
Group photo before a Pathway Home operation in Downey, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
This latest Pathway Home operation continues the County’s emergency response to resolve encampments, return community areas to their intended use and ensure people experiencing homelessness are not in dangerous areas, such as flood channels.
“In the wake of unprecedented wildfires, we have mobilized an enormous amount of staff and resources to ensure everyone who has been displaced or lost their home has shelter — and frankly we need to bring that same sense of urgency to our longstanding homelessness crisis,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “This Pathway Home Operation along the riverbed in Downey, Bellflower, and Norwalk is one of the largest encampment resolutions we have conducted yet and it wouldn’t be possible without the partnership and cooperation of leaders in each of these cities.”
Maria Martinez stands with her dog Wolfe in the doorway of her interim housing at a Santa Fe Springs motel after moving from the San Gabriel River in Downey during a Pathway Home operation, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
This latest Pathway Home operation was planned for several weeks and did not affect county resources committed to the fire emergency. The Downey, Norwalk, and Bellflower operation is LA County’s 30th Pathway Home encampment resolution since the inception of the program in August 2023. More than 1,000 Los Angeles County residents have been brought indoors through Pathway Home, and more than 200 of whom are now permanently housed and no longer experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, 624 RVs have been taken off the streets.
The LA County Homeless Initiative collaborated with the Office of Supervisor Hahn and the cities of Bellflower, Downey, Norwalk and Santa Fe to conduct the Pathway Home operation that began Jan. 15 and concluded Jan. 17. Santa Fe agreed to designate a former motel in their city as the interim housing location, highlighting the continued collaboration among cities and the county to identify solutions within specific geographic areas.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and the nonprofit service provider PATH were essential to bringing unsheltered residents indoors as they had built trusting relationships with them by providing engagement and support during their unhoused experience. Whittier First Day and the Department of Health Services – Housing for Health will continue to work with them at the motel operating as their interim housing location.
LA County Chief Executive Office principal analyst Kim Barnette speaks during a briefing at a Pathway Home operation in Downey, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Department of Health Services, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control were also critical partners in the operation, along with Caltrans.
Pathway Home is an LA County Homeless Initiative-led encampment resolution program that is a critical component of the County’s comprehensive response to the local emergency on homelessness adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2023. By leveraging emergency powers and partnerships with local jurisdictions, Pathway Home is a full-circle solution that brings people off the streets, into immediately available interim housing accompanied by a comprehensive suite of supportive services, and, ultimately, into safe, permanent homes.
Pathway Home has been funded primarily through Measure H, a ¼-cent sales tax approved by County voters in 2017 to prevent and address homelessness. Starting July 1, 2025, Pathway Home will receive funds from Measure A, a ½-cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2024 to replace Measure H. With Measure H funds to date, the County has placed more than 115,000 people into permanent housing, ending their homelessness. It has connected 151,000 people with safe interim housing, prevented 37,000 people from becoming homeless, and provided many more people with a diverse array of supportive services.
Martha Martinez and Anthony Benninger sit on the bed with their dogs after moving into interim housing at a Santa Fe Springs motel after moving from the San Gabriel River in Downey during a Pathway Home operation, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)