LA County launches new housing program for people living in RVs

CRENSHAW, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A new housing program in Los Angeles County aims to address a major part of the housing crisis: people living in RVs.

The Pathway Home RV Interim Housing Pilot Program, which operates at a parking lot in Crenshaw, is designed to serve people living in their RVs, providing them with legal parking, a safe place to sleep, and case management to transition them out of homelessness and into permanent housing.

"Our families, friends and neighbors who are experiencing homelessness who have RVs, this is safe parking," said Supervisor Holly Mitchell. "We hope to help these people transition into permanent supportive housing, again to make space for the next group of people who are living in RVs."

The lot can accommodate 14 RVs and up to 20 participants. The county said the first group of participants moved onto the lot on Nov. 4. Since then, additional RV owners experiencing homelessness have also moved their vehicles to the site.

To qualify, participants must own an operable RV, consent to the additional wraparound services and agree to relinquish their RV once transitioned into permanent housing.

"From our health department to our mental health services to job training and placement, all of the wraparound services that help people, once they get stable housing, stay housed," said Mitchell.

Pathway Home is an LA County Homeless Initiative-led encampment resolution program and funded primarily through Measure H, a -cent sales tax approved by County voters in 2017.

Maria Valencia is one of the participants of the program and said having a place to legally park, and not needing to continuously move, has been a big help.

"We get breakfast, we get lunch, we get dinner," she said. "We don't have to worry about taking a shower, we get showers. We have the bathroom all the time. We're free to go and come and it feels great."

"The streets are not easy to live," said Jose Garcia, another resident on the lot. "In one month here, we have electricity, we have restrooms, some food, security, it's good."

The program is a one-year pilot program, but could be extended to bring in more participants as others find permanent housing.

"We have the greenspace that's here to really invite people to come out and share space and create community," said Isela Gracian, the Sr. Deputy Housing and Homelessness for Mitchell's office. "There's a dog run for those people that have their pets. There are showers and bathrooms and there's staff that comes on site to support people."

To learn more about the program, click here.