Los Angeles County has launched a pilot program aimed at taking mobile homes off streets while offering help for unhoused people.
One of the first places implementing the “Pathway Home” program is the unincorporated community of West Rancho Dominguez, located in District 2, where hundreds of RVs are parked.
After removing the first mobile homes on Main, Spring and Lennon streets, authorities found bikes, grocery carts and generators, among other items.
They also removed 15 homes that were deemed unfit for driving on streets. Some didn’t have tires or a motor.
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“I’ve seen dead animals, seen drugs,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. George Suárez.
The mobile homes take up space in a 6-mile area, and they’re not limited to Compton and Redondo Beach boulevards.
“Los Angeles County has 7,500 mobile homes throughout the county,” Suarez said. “In this area, we have 2,500.”
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Residents and business owners have been complaining about the issue for years.
“Wherever one wants to go, there’s a lot of trash, and people don’t want to walk by because of the trash,” resident Mario Linares said.
Linares also said that clean-up efforts don’t seem to last long.
“Three days ago, they left it nice, and three or four days later, it was full of trash again,” he said.
Authorities didn’t disclose the exact number of unhoused people who accepted the help. People are supposed to receive shelter, mental health assistance and services to return to work.
“They promised us that they would come and help us, and they haven’t offered any help,” said Eddie López, who lives in one of the mobile homes.
“We tried to pack, but they didn’t tell us where to move to,” he said.
Authorities recovered two stolen vehicles during the operation, and they destroyed most of the RVs to ensure they won’t end up back on county streets.
The clean-up efforts will continue in the coming days, and authorities hope to clear up more streets while simultaneously offering help to people who need homes.
