Over the first two days of April, Los Angeles County’s Pathway Home program brought 45 people living unsheltered in encampments near Compton Creek in unincorporated Willowbrook into safe interim housing. From there, they will be able to access supportive services and other resources to rebuild their lives and move into permanent housing.
“This is our 75th operation,” said Kim Barnette, a Pathway Home leader, to the outreach workers and others assembled in George Washington Carver Park on the morning of the first day. The group interrupted her with applause and cheers.
Vanessa Guillen, another Pathway Home leader, called it “a huge milestone for the Pathway Home program,” adding “This is not possible without all the work you do, day in, day out, showing up for your clients.”
Just months before the encampment move, people living in encampments in the same area near the Compton Creek had experienced the extreme dangers of living unsheltered.
“What we know is that people surviving outside are more commonly the victims of crime than the perpetrators of it,” said Carter Hewgley, a senior manager with the Department of Homeless Services and Housing and one of the creators of the Pathway Home program. “It’s not safe to be outside for any reason. So, we’re responding as we always do to the fact that no one needs to be out here.”
James Foley, an outreach worker with the service provider, HOPICS, cradled a cat that had taken up residence in Carver Park. “Whatever we can provide, we’re there to help whenever they’re ready,” said Foley, who runs a program at HOPICS that provides food, leashes and collars for the pets of unhoused people they are trying to help. “That’s the best way you can make a connection sometimes,” he said. “That’s their baby.”
On the edge of Compton Creek, Tashawn, 53, was packed up but had to corral her dog, Blue, who scampered up and down the side of the creek. “Come on, baby, it’s time!” Tashawn called to her dog. For 13 years, Tashawn had been living by the creek on and off at a spot under the 105 freeway when she met Hector Carranza, a lead outreach worker with HOPICS, two months ago. “I’m very happy that I had Hector to come help me finally get from underneath here. And then when all that stuff was going on down there, it frightened me.”
Initially, Tashawn said no to Carranza’s offer of interim housing. Eventually, though, she changed her mind. “Something about his voice,” she said looking at Hector standing next to her. “I mean he sounded very understanding, and I trusted him.”
“And thank you for the trust,” said Hector.
“And he’s been here for me ever since—for us,” she said including Blue.
What did he say to her? “This is one of my pitches to the people we come here to serve—a real simple, ‘You want to get off the streets.’” he said. “And once I say that, it catches air.”
“I could feel it came from his heart, he sounded very sincere,” said Tashawn. “And that’s what really caught me.”
They exchanged a fist bump. “And now here we are looking forward to whatever comes next in her life,” Carranza said.
“And I’m ready to go,” Tashawn said.
Edmond, 43, had a fraught past with housing—an apartment that was his that he lost, he says, because friends stayed there too long; relatives he lived with who died or sold the property; a woman friend he would live with sporadically.
“I lost both my parents since I was out here,” he said. “I was living with my mom before I became homeless. Who chooses to be homeless?” he said.
“I do mobile detailing. I’m pretty good at it,” he said. He had bought equipment when he had money from a relative who died. Now, he needs another base for his business. “I’ve got to work and try to get this detail thing up.”
He accepted interim housing. “I just need some stability and security.” Now that he is safely indoors, he’ll be able to work with HOPICS, the organization providing onsite case management at his interim housing site, to pursue detailing work.
Thedward, 64, is a Navy veteran who had been homeless for 22 years, struggling with drugs and dealing with his own guilt over his son’s history of violent crime. “Today he said ‘yes’ because he knew that he’s going to be housed with his girlfriend,” said LA Sheriff’s Dept. Sargeant John Strosnider, a member of the Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) and a military veteran who works with military veterans transitioning out of homelessness. “He’s been saying no to housing for 10 years.” (His girlfriend, Yvette, is 58.)
Strosnider wasn’t the only veteran there to help Thedward make the move inside. Thedward was assigned a veteran “battle buddy” —through the Veteran Peer Access Network—who would help him navigate the paperwork of moving into interim housing, connect him with resources and just be, well, a buddy. In this case, it was Luis Lopez, a veteran, who stayed by Thedward’s side through the intake processes to get him into a motel that day.
Once inside, Thedward and Yvette took in all the amenities that they had been missing for years. “It’s a whole lot better than where we were,” said Thedward.
“Oh—like a breath of fresh air,” said Yvette.
Thedward had been a cook in the Navy for more than three years. “I wanted to cook. I was 17,” he said. “Now I’m pushing 65. I don’t want to cook anymore.” He added quickly, “I cook for my women.” For a while, after his service, he did medical transport services.
Yvette has been homeless since 1999, she said. Before then, she did a variety of “little jobs” she said including helping people who were autistic. Eventually depression overcame her, she said.
She and Thedward have been together five years. “I’m going to make it legal,” he promised.
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This operation in unincorporated Willowbrook is part of the County’s multi-year initiative funded by a $51 million grant providing resources and housing to people in encampments along state highways and the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers. It was conducted in partnership between HSH and the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, District 2. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the LA County Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST), and nonprofit service provider HOPICS provided outreach. HOPICS and PATH provide onside case management at the two interim housing sites.
The LA County Chief Executive Office and Departments of Public Health, Mental Health, Public Health, Public Works, Fire, and Animal Care and Control were also critical partners. Caltrans and the County’s Emergency Centralized Response Center also played roles in this operation.
