LA County Conducts Pathway Home Operation Along San Gabriel River in Cities of Bellflower, Downey, and Norwalk
More than 60 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are indoors and on a pathway to permanent housing
Supervisor Hahn meets Maria, a woman who previously lived along the San Gabriel Riverbed in Downey and agreed to come inside this week as part of a Pathway Home encampment resolution effort.
Downey, CA — This week, Los Angeles County’s Pathway Home program brought more than 60 people experiencing homelessness who had been living along the San Gabriel River in the cities of Bellflower, Downey, and Norwalk and into safe interim housing, where they are receiving supportive services and other resources to help them transition out of homelessness and into permanent housing. This latest Pathway Home operation continues the County’s emergency response to resolve encampments, return community areas to their intended use and ensure people experiencing homelessness are not in dangerous areas, such as flood channels.
“In the wake of unprecedented wildfires, we have mobilized an enormous amount of staff and resources to ensure everyone who has been displaced or lost their home has shelter — and frankly we need to bring that same sense of urgency to our longstanding homelessness crisis,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “This Pathway Home Operation along the riverbed in Downey, Bellflower, and Norwalk is one of the largest encampment resolutions we have conducted yet and it wouldn’t be possible without the partnership and cooperation of leaders in each of these cities.”
At a time when devastating wildfires continue to threaten entire communities in Los Angeles and people experiencing homelessness are facing exceptional challenges, Los Angeles County remains committed to bringing people off the streets and into safe interim housing. This latest Pathway Home operation was planned for several weeks and did not affect county resources committed to the fire emergency.
The Downey, Norwalk, and Bellflower operation is LA County’s 30th Pathway Home encampment resolution since the inception of the program in August 2023. The program is an LA County Homeless Initiative-led effort that aims to bring entire encampments inside together using local motels as interim housing. More than 1,000 Los Angeles County residents have been brought indoors through Pathway Home, and more than 200 of whom are now permanently housed and no longer experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, 624 RVs have been taken off the streets.
The LA County Homeless Initiative collaborated with the Office of Supervisor Hahn, the City of Bellflower, the City of Downey, and the City of Norwalk to conduct the Pathway Home operation on January 15 and 16, 2025.
On Wednesday morning, Hahn, Downey Mayor Hector Sosa, and Bellflower City Councilmember Victor Sanchez joined county outreach workers, LASD HOST team members, PATH, and LAHSA teams in Downey’s Rio San Gabriel Park which became home base for the Pathway Home operation.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and the nonprofit service provider PATH were essential to bringing unsheltered residents indoors as they had built trusting relationships with them by providing engagement and support during their unhoused experience. Whittier First Day and the Department of Health Services – Housing for Health will continue to work with them at the motel operating as their interim housing location with comprehensive supportive services and, ultimately, safe permanent homes.
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Department of Health Services, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control were also critical partners in the operation, along with Caltrans.
Maria and her dog in their new room at a local motel for interim housing while Whittier First Day service providers work to connect her with a safe permanent home.
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 receive funds from Measure A, a ½-cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2024 to replace Measure H. With Measure H funds to date, the County has placed more than 115,000 people into permanent housing, ending their homelessness. It has connected 151,000 people with safe interim housing, prevented 37,000 people from becoming homeless, and provided many more people with a diverse array of supportive services.
