News

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.

South Whittier, CA – On Wednesday afternoon, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn issued the following statement about the homicide reported in unincorporated South Whittier by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“I’m outraged by this vicious attack on an elderly person in his own home, where he was supposed to feel safest. This is a tight-knit community where neighbors look after and care about each other. Their concern is what ultimately led Sheriff’s deputies to investigate. I can’t imagine the heartbreak his neighbors and loved ones are feeling at this sudden loss. My prayers are with them all.

I’m thankful to Sheriff Luna and to the deputies from our Norwalk and Pico Rivera stations for their quick work to track down and share footage of the suspect. This person has not been brought to justice yet and could still be a threat. If you have any information that could help investigators solve this crime, I urge you to bring it to the Sheriff’s Department.”

Los Angeles, CA—This morning, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn signed a declaration of local emergency as Hurricane Hilary makes its way into Southern California. County departments and agencies, including the Office of Emergency Management, LA County Fire Department, LA County Sheriff’s Department and LA County Public Works have mobilized augmented staff and equipment in preparation for the storm’s arrival.

“This storm is unlike any we have seen in recent memory, but LA County has been preparing. Our County departments have been hard at work to make sure that residents are aware of the storm’s progress and protected from its impacts as much as possible. But this is an all-hands-on-deck response, and with this declaration we will be able to receive state and federal assistance,” said Hahn. “I’m thankful for the round the clock work of our County family and this assistance from our state and federal partners.”

The emergency declaration unlocks the possibility of receiving emergency assistance including but not limited to funds from state and federal agencies.

“By proclaiming a local emergency, Los Angeles County, has the ability to use emergency powers, when necessary and request assistance from state and federal partners. It is also a mechanism to seek financial assistance from the state and federal governments and seek mutual aid from governmental and non-governmental organizations. This is just one measure the County is taking prior to the arrival of any severe weather coming to the area, in our expansive toolkit of preparedness and response we have at our disposal,” said Kevin McGowan, Director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management.

Rolling Hills Estates, CA — This morning, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn visited the site of last month’s land movement in the City of Rolling Hills Estates, where 10 homes were destroyed by a sudden shift in the hillside early last month. With Hurricane Hilary expected to bring rain and high winds to Southern California tomorrow and Monday, crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department began a process of entering all 12 red-tagged homes.

“The County of Los Angeles Fire Department’s specially trained urban search and rescue (USAR) team worked diligently throughout today to remove household hazardous products and personal items from red-tagged homes impacted by the land movement event that occurred in Rolling Hills Estates on Saturday, July 8, 2023,” said Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. “I am grateful our USAR team was also able to use this opportunity to bring some comfort to affected residents by retrieving and ensuring cherished heirlooms, photos, and other mementos found their way home to families.”

A total of 12 structures were red-tagged, including the 10 homes destroyed in the land movement and two others that have not moved but that are at risk. On July 8, residents were given 20 minutes to evacuate and have not reentered their homes since.

“These residents had just minutes to evacuate. They left behind family heirlooms, passports, birth certificates, treasured belongings. Today LA County is doing everything we can to try to help them recover some of those items,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “They lost not only their belongings and their homes but the land itself. We hope that getting some important items back will really help as they continue the long process of recovering.”

In addition to the personal belongings retrieved, the USAR teams were searching for and removing hazardous materials from homes, including cleaning products. With Hilary expected to bring heavy rain, those toxic substances could be washed out to sea, presenting a risk to beaches and marine life.

RHE Hilary

Structural engineers from LA County Public Works are also on site to help in the effort. They are continuously evaluating the site for land movement, ensuring that conditions remain safe before the USAR teams enter the structures.

“LA County Public Works has been supporting the City of Rolling Hills Estates as they assist their residents during this difficult time. Public Works is providing geotechnical and structural support to the LA County Fire USAR team to maximize safety as they retrieve household hazardous waste to prevent it from going into the ocean during the storm, and to retrieve irreplaceable items for the residents who have already lost so much,” said Public Works Director Mark Pestrella, PE.

Representatives from the City of Rolling Hills Estates were also present, and have worked closely with the LA County Fire Department since the land movement.

“The City of Rolling Hills Estates is grateful to the Los Angeles County Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue Team for their recovery mission on Peartree Lane,” said Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Britt Huff. “This operation to collect household hazardous waste from the homes was critical to protecting the environment ahead of the anticipated rain this weekend, and I know our residents appreciated the retrieval of some personal items as well. We also thank Supervisor Hahn and her office for the continuous support and dedication of County resources.”

Artesia, CA—On Saturday, August 19, 2023, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn will hold a gun buyback event in Artesia in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Artesia. The drive-thru event will be held from 10am to 2pm in the parking lot of the Artesia branch of the LA County Public Library at Artesia Park. It gives residents an opportunity to exchange any gun for gift cards, no questions asked. The event’s location near the junction of the 91 and 605 freeways offers easy access for residents from across the Gateway Cites region.

“No one is safer with a gun in the home. It can be stolen and used in a crime, it can fall into the hands of children, it can discharge accidentally. We want to make it as easy as possible for residents to exchange guns they no longer want, and help keep their families and communities safe,” said Hahn. “I’m glad to be able to bring this opportunity to Artesia.”

The event marks the sixth gun buyback that Hahn has held since last May across her district. Altogether the events have collected over 1,120 guns.

There are important guidelines to participating in the buyback that ensure the safety of the public and LASD officers. Participants should not arrive on foot or transit, and should transport firearms unloaded and in the trunk of a vehicle.

Los Angeles, CA—Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the distribution of $130,455,070 to Los Angeles County Public Works for stormwater capture projects through the Safe, Clean Water project. $42,404,419 of those dollars will go toward projects in 13 cities in the Fourth District. Safe, Clean Water funds are generated by the Measure W parcel tax passed by voters in 2018.

“The wet winter we had this year and the hot summer we’re in now are red flags: our weather is becoming more unpredictable. That means our traditional sources of water will be less reliable. This historic investment in capturing stormwater under communities across LA County is setting us up to meet this moment,” said Chair of the Board Janice Hahn.

Two Safe, Clean Water projects are already under construction by Los Angeles County Public Works in Hahn’s district. In February, Hahn broke ground on a 6.4 million gallon underground and above-ground runoff capture system at Adventure Park in South Whittier. There is also a stormwater capture component to a new park currently under construction in the unincorporated community of Walnut Park, which will open later this year. The underground infiltration will capture water from an area of more than 31 acres surrounding the park.

“The funds approved today by the Board of Supervisors will go a long way towards ensuring all Los Angeles County residents have access to safe, clean, and reliable water resources,” said Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella P.E.

Among the cities receiving the largest funds are Paramount, with a total of $11,618,308 for stormwater capture projects are Progress Park and Spane Park, Bellflower, with $5,632,570 for John S. Simms and Carruthers Parks, and La Mirada, with $5,752,200 for the La Mirada Creek Park Project.

Click here for a complete list of projects in the Fourth District, including in the cities of Downey, South Gate, Huntington Park, Lakewood, Long Beach, Artesia, La Habra Heights, Los Angeles, Lomita, and Torrance.

South Whittier, CA – On Tuesday August 1, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn will host a National Night Out event at Mayberry Park in South Whittier. The event will feature a public safety display, food vendors, games, live music, and a chance for residents to meet deputies from the South Whittier Sheriff’s Station.

“Our Sheriff’s deputies are valued members of the communities they serve across LA County, and residents are important partners in keeping our neighborhoods safe. National Night Out is a great opportunity for residents to meet the deputies who serve their neighborhood and learn about all of the resources available to them in that partnership,” said Supervisor Hahn, who represents South Whittier.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna will join Hahn for a brief program at the event. The event begins with a Peace March from the Community Resource Center (10750 Laurel Ave.) to Mayberry Park.

Who: Supervisor Janice Hahn

Sheriff Robert Luna

Director Norma Garcia, LA County Department of Parks and Recreation

What: National Night Out March and Rally Against Crime

When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023, 5:30pm – 8:00pm

5:30pm – Peace March begins

6:00pm – Event begins

Where: Mayberry Park

13201 E Meyer Rd.

Whittier, CA

484048 LGTBQ Center Site Visit 06-14-23 (Photo by Bryan Chan / Los Angeles County)

Whittier, CA – Today, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn and California State Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier) are announcing a plan to create a LGBTQ+ Service Center in the City of Whittier. The center will be established in an existing LA County building at 7639 Painter Avenue. Assemblymember Calderon secured $4.2 million in the state’s budget to support the creation and operation of the future center.

“The LGBTQ+ residents of Whittier and surrounding areas have always had to travel far to find dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces. There just isn’t anything like that in this area. That’s going to change when this center opens. When this space became available, I knew we had to snatch it up,” said Chair Hahn, who represents Whittier and who recently visited the construction site. “At a time when the rhetoric of hate across our country is louder than ever, LGBTQ+ centers like the one we’re building here are lifelines for this community. I’m thankful for Assemblymember Calderon’s work to secure the state funding we needed to make this a reality.”

LGBTQ Whittier

The property, which already belongs to the County and has sat empty since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, consists of a single-story building of approximately 2,694 square feet and a surface parking lot. It is currently undergoing previously planned upgrades by Los Angeles County Public Works.

“It is important to bring resources to my district that help our communities thrive. That is why I am pleased to partner with Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to establish a new LGBTQ+ Center in Whittier,” stated Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, Whittier resident and representative for the state’s 56th Assembly District. “I was thrilled to advocate for this project in the legislature, which will support the livelihoods of my constituents and individuals in the region through the creation of a safe and supportive space for all!”

At the direction of Supervisor Hahn, the County’s Internal Services Department is already conducting evaluations of the site’s ADA accessibility, building systems, designs, costs, and programmatic needs for the future center. The Internal Services Department will next provide the Board of Supervisors with cost and timeline estimates.

Los Angeles, CA – Today the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors proclaimed June 12, 2023 as “Philippine Independence Day” in Los Angeles County. The motion, authored by Chair of the Board Janice Hahn and coauthored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, reads in part “The Board of Supervisors recognizes the importance of this day to Filipino residents in Los Angeles County and the contributions made by Filipino employees who are a vital part of our County workforce and continually dedicate themselves to serving our communities.”

“The histories of Los Angeles County and of the Philippines are inextricably linked, and Filipino immigrants have shaped our region over generations. We’re honoring those historical ties and also saying to our Filipino community: LA County is celebrating with you,” said Chair of the Board Janice Hahn. “I’m especially thankful for the role that our Filipino employee groups like the LA County Filipino American Employees Association and the Filipino American Employees Association of DPSS play in the life of our County government, and I wish them a very happy celebration of Philippine independence next month.”

Los Angeles County, which has the largest Asian American population of any county in the nation, is home to more than 340,000 Filipino Americans.

“This June 12 will commemorate the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day, marking the historic day when the Philippines declared independence from Spain. I am proud to represent a vibrant community of Filipino American residents, from Historic Filipinotown to West Covina. I am honored to celebrate this historic milestone with them and am so grateful to them for their part in making our County so special,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District.

After 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, Filipino rebels declared independence on June 12, 1898. After its defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War, the United States subsequently annexed the Philippines, and governed the archipelago until full independence was granted on July 4, 1946.

Manhattan Beach, CA– This morning, less than two years after she announced her intention to return Bruce’s Beach to the Bruce family, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn celebrated the official transfer of the property to the great grandsons of Willa and Charles Bruce.  Hahn joined Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Senator Steven Bradford, members of the Bruce family including Anthony Bruce and Derrick Bruce, and local activist Kavon Ward for a ceremony at Bruce’s Beach to mark the occasion.

Supervisor Hahn has released the following statement:

“When I met with our County lawyers last year and said I wanted to return this property to the Bruce family, they told me nothing like it had ever been done before. No government in this country had returned land that was taken from a Black family unjustly. They said the work ahead of us would be unprecedented. Now, we are sending a message to every government in this nation confronted with this same challenge: this work is no longer unprecedented. We have set the precedent and it is the pursuit of justice. 

Today I am thinking of Willa Bruce, who never gave up on getting this land back for her family.  I am thinking of her children and grandchildren, who were denied the generational wealth and opportunity that should have been theirs.  I am thinking of her great grandsons, Derrick and Marcus Bruce, who today become the owners of some of the most beautiful beachfront property in the world. And I am thinking of the generations of Bruces to come – whose lives will be forever changed because of the wrong we are setting right today. 

We can’t change the past. And we will never be able to make up for the injustice that was done to Willa and Charles Bruce nearly a century ago. But this is a start. ”

Learn more about Bruce’s Beach: https://ceo.lacounty.gov/ardi/bruces-beach/