Los Angeles County’s most recent Pathway Home encampment resolution operation connected 25 people with safe interim housing who had been living in dangerous conditions near the Los Angeles River and Long Beach Freeway in the city of South Gate.
The operation focused on makeshift encampments, many with built-up wooden structures and hidden from public view. These put people experiencing homelessness at significant risk because of their proximately to the river, the freeway, and nearby commercial waste operations using heavy equipment.
“These encampments were unsafe and unhealthy. No one should have to live there. Today, thanks to the work of Pathway Home and our partners, 25 individuals no longer do,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes South Gate. “They have roofs over their heads and have accepted our help to connect them with resources and long-term housing.”
LAHSA’s Jose Gutierrez, center, speaks during a briefing before a Pathway Home operation in South Gate, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
The South Gate operation is part of the County’s multi-year initiative funded by a $51 million Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) grant providing resources and housing to people in encampments along state highways and along the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers. To date, 11 ERF-funded operations have connected nearly 300 people with interim housing placements, supportive services, and a pathway to a permanent home. Past operations occurred in the cities of Inglewood, Downey, Norwalk, Bellflower, Santa Fe Springs, and in unincorporated areas of Willowbrook and West Athens.
Heavy equipment clears a homeless encampment along the 710 Freeway
during a Pathway Home operation in South Gate, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
In this latest effort, joint outreach teams from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the nonprofit service provider PATH, and County departments of Mental Health and Health Services-Housing for Health division worked for several weeks leading up to the operation to prepare people to voluntarily accept housing and supportive services. The Pathway Home team then coordinated the June 25 operation to place people – and their pets – into rooms at two designated nearby interim housing locations, which are converted motels managed by HOPICS and Whittier First Day.
The City of South Gate police department assisted Los Angeles County Sheriff’s with security. The state Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) and county Department of Public Works managed site cleanup, removing more than 1,190 cubic yards of debris. The effort also removed two recreational vehicles and a moving van being used as temporary shelters.
The South Gate operation was the 55th overall Pathway Home encampment resolution since the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative launched the program in August 2023. More than 1,600 Los Angeles County residents have come off the streets through Pathway Home, over 300 of whom are now permanently housed. These operations have also removed more than 900 RVs from the streets and returned community spaces to their intended use.
Pathway Home is a critical component of the County’s comprehensive response to the local emergency on homelessness adopted by the Board of Supervisors in
Leticia Armenta holds her dog “Baby” at her interim housing in Los Angeles during a Pathway Home operation, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
2023. By leveraging emergency powers and partnerships with local jurisdictions, Pathway Home is a full-circle solution designed to bring people off the streets, into immediately available interim housing accompanied by a comprehensive suite of supportive services and, ultimately, into permanent homes while returning community spaces such as public streets, waterways and other facilities to their intended use.
Since the program’s inception in August 2023, 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 be partially funded by Measure A, a ½-cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2024 to repeal and replace Measure H. Funding also pays for removal of any non-operational RVs, trash, and other debris that accumulates at encampments. It also covers costs associated with securing interim housing sites, such as motels, and site security.
Jacob Lucero and Maria Duarte stand in their interim housing in Los Angeles during a Pathway Home operation, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)