The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved a proposal aimed at streamlining homelessness prevention services, including assistance for residents displaced by the Eaton and Palisades fires.
A motion by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey Horvath calls for the creation of a countywide homelessness prevention resource page on the county website, and a coordinated referral system designed to connect residents with housing assistance before they lose their homes.
The motion was approved Tuesday as survey data from the nonprofit Department of Angels found that two-thirds of fire survivors remain displaced and nearly half have exhausted, or soon will exhaust, insurance-funded temporary housing benefits. The survey found that 40% of survivors said they could afford no more than six months of housing on their own.
“Fire survivors are doing everything right, including paying their mortgage, finding temporary housing, and waiting for support to catch up to their needs,” Barger said in a statement.
“We can’t let families lose their housing on top of everything else they’ve already lost. This motion means the County will be proactive. Instead of survivors and seniors on fixed incomes having to chase down a dozen different agencies, we’re building one clear path to help.”
The motion directs county agencies to develop a publicly accessible website identifying available homelessness prevention services, including rental assistance, mortgage relief, legal aid, utility assistance and housing navigation programs.
County officials said the resource webpage is expected to be launched within 45 days and will identify available county, regional and partner services.
“Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Horvath said. “We have to make it easier to access support, connect people to the right resources sooner, and coordinate across agencies so temporary setbacks don’t become permanent losses.”
The motion also calls for outreach to fire-affected communities in Altadena, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Topanga and Sunset Mesa to ensure residents are aware of available assistance programs.
The board directed county departments to develop an outreach plan by July 21 to connect fire-impacted community organizations with available prevention resources.
In addition, county departments were directed to develop recommendations for a coordinated homelessness prevention referral system intended to help residents access services before a housing crisis escalates. The referral system will include a triage tool designed to connect residents with appropriate services and identify gaps in support for populations considered at heightened risk of housing instability, including fire survivors, seniors on fixed incomes, transition-age youth and justice-impacted individuals, officials said.
The motion also establishes a homelessness prevention navigator position within the Department of Homeless Services and Housing using existing resources.
The motion states that homelessness prevention programs are generally less costly than providing shelter, interim housing or permanent supportive housing after a person becomes homeless.
Combined, the fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena that erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, killed at least 31 people, destroyed some 16,000 structures and displaced thousands of residents.
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