News

Bellflower, CA—Today, a gun buyback sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department collected 142 guns, including 8 assault rifles and 4 ghost guns, a term used to describe unserialized and untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home. The event was held in a parking lot at Simms Park. Residents exchanged any unwanted gun for gift cards, no questions asked and without leaving their vehicle.

“Over and over again at these events, we hear from people that they didn’t know what else to do with guns they had in their homes and didn’t want anymore. We actually had to open this event earlier than planned this morning because the line of cars was so long. People want a safe, easy way to get these weapons out of their homes and away from their families and these buybacks provide that,” said Hahn. “There are 142 fewer guns out there now, that won’t be stolen and used in a crime, or won’t fall into the hands of a child or someone considering suicide. That makes all of our time and effort more than worth it.”

This was Hahn’s seventh gun buyback event since last May. Altogether, she and her partners in law enforcement have collected over 1,286 unwanted guns from events in Long Beach, Artesia, Lynwood, Hawaiian Gardens, and Wilmington. Each event is funded by Supervisor Hahn’s office, with the Sheriff’s Department providing deputies to staff the event and collect and destroy weapons.

Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Johnson, Bellflower Mayor Sonny Santa Ines, and Bellflower Councilmember Victor Sanchez joined Hahn for a press conference at the event.

“This is not about vilifying responsible gun owners, it’s not about infringing upon one’s Second Amendment rights, it’s about promoting safety, responsibility, and reducing the chance of accidental or intentional harm these guns will cause in our communities,” said LA County Assistant Sheriff Myron Johnson during the press conference.

Los Angeles, CA – During their meeting today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion recognizing Brenda Rodriguez, a Huntington Park resident and Cudahy employee, for her service to residents of her communities. Chair Janice Hahn, who represents the Southeast Los Angeles communities, submitted the motion as part of a series of recognitions during Latino Heritage Month, which runs through October 15.

“Brenda is an exceptional example of a public servant who gives back to the communities she came from. The events she delivers in Cudahy are golden opportunities for residents to spend some time with their neighbors and have fun in their own communities. I am so grateful for her partnership and her commitment,” said Hahn.

Rodriguez was born and raised in the City of Cudahy and currently resides in neighboring Huntington Park. She began her service to Cudahy at the age of 13, as a volunteer soccer coach for eight years before becoming the Recreation Coordinator in 2015. She also served as a Parks and Recreation Commissioner for nearly two years. Her current role is Community Services Director.

“I’m honored to receive this recognition from Supervisor Hahn and the Board of Supervisors. I love the community of Cudahy and feel so fortunate to be able to serve them every day,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez holds a bachelor’s degree in Administration from California State University, Long Beach and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Southern California. She was the first in her family to obtain a master’s degree.

Downey, CA – On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn opened The Hondo Center of Healing at Rancho Los Amigos, an 80-bed interim housing site on the campus of the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. The dormitories will primarily serve unhoused patients of the LA County Department of Health Services through its Housing for Health program.

“Treating the patients in our care and then releasing them back out on the street with nowhere to go means putting their health in danger again. These 80 beds are really closing a critical loop in their healing process,” said Hahn. “The need was there and the vacant County building was there. This is a model of how we can use existing properties to continue to bring unhoused people in.”

The conversion of the building was paid for using funding from the American Rescue Plan and from Hahn’s office. Its operation will be financed by funds generated from Measure H, approved by voters in 2016. Because the facility is in an existing vacant building, the construction took just six months.

“At LA Health Services our doctors and nurses understand that a patient’s health and wellbeing often depend on our ability to care for them beyond our emergency rooms and hospital beds,” said Doctor Christina Ghaly, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. “The Hondo Center of Healing at our Rancho Los Amigos Recuperative Care Center is an example of the innovative approach to patient care that we are taking in order to provide whole-person care to the most vulnerable amongst us; ensuring that this facility is now open and accessible to members of the surrounding community who require safe and immediate temporary housing to stabilize and recover.”

Though administered by the Department of Health Services, it will be operated by Whittier First Day, a faith-based homeless services organization. Staff will help residents identify opportunities for permanent housing. Hahn hopes that the beds will also soon be available to unhoused people referred by the City of Downey from outside the hospital.

“The 80 beds being brought online represent safety, stability and hope for our neighbors experiencing homelessness in our local community. SPA 7 has gone far too long without having an adequate supply and availability of interim housing options. Today, our leadership and team at Whittier FirstDay, stand proudly by Supervisor Hahn, the County, the City of Downey and the Administration of the Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, as we bring online The Hondo Center for Healing demonstrating the real opportunities for positive impact made possible through Measure H,” said Irene Muro, Executive Director of Whittier First Day, which will operate the site.

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center is a Los Angeles County Hospital dedicated to treating patients with a life-changing illness, injury, or disability. Rancho Los Amigos is recognized as an international leader in rehabilitation medicine and clinical research. As one of the largest rehabilitation hospitals in the United States, Rancho Los Amigos cares for approximately 2,500 unique inpatients each year, and services 75,000 outpatient visits each year.