After about 25 years of experiencing homelessness, most recently in Santa Monica, Chris Felts is profoundly grateful for the many helping hands and caring hearts who helped him find a home of his own.
Chris, who has a disability, spent the last 12 years on the streets of Santa Monica. On Valentine’s Day, 2024, Los Angeles County partnered with the City of Santa Monica to conduct a Pathway Home encampment resolution in collaboration with The People Concern. During this operation, Chris and many others got the help they needed to get off the streets and into interim housing, where they were provided a room, three meals a day, and various supportive services.
A key component of Pathway Home is the final leg of the journey – a permanent home. For Chris, this was an apartment at The Laurel, a brand new affordable and permanent supportive housing complex developed by EAH Housing in Santa Monica. He recently welcomed a visit from LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and Santa Monica Housing and Human Services Director Heather Averick.
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 participant Chris Felts recently welcomed a visit from LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and Santa Monica Housing and Human Services Director Heather Averick at the rooftop garden of The Laurel, where he now has an apartment. Photo by Diandra Jay/LA County