Solis Issues Statement on Compassionate Housing and Outreach Efforts in Whittier Narrows

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, Calif. – Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement regarding ongoing encampment resolution efforts and public safety initiatives in the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area:

“Earlier this week, my office, in partnership with several County agencies, including the Los Angeles County-Homeless Initiative (HI), the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), and Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST), hosted a community meeting at the Potrero Heights Community & Senior Center. The goal was to inform residents about our encampment resolution efforts in Whittier Narrows, including last Wednesday’s Pathway Home operation. 

Since launching encampment resolution efforts at Whittier Narrows earlier this year, we have successfully moved over 80 individuals into shelter, treating each person with dignity and connecting them to the services they need to rebuild their lives.

The Whittier Narrows Recreation Area falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Despite repeated fires, public safety risks, and the area becoming a refuge for many unhoused individuals, the USACE was unable to address concerns raised by residents and County departments.

That is why, in February 2025, I stepped in to initiate coordination between the USACE and our County Departments. Working closely with HI, HOST, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), and other partners, we launched an encampment resolution effort to offer services and help people transition indoors.

The encampment resolutions in Whittier Narrows have cleared the way for USACE to remove debris in the area. In June, they removed more than 100 tons of debris and will continue those efforts in the coming weeks. USACE will also begin a two-to-three-year rehabilitation project for the Rio Hondo River and will work with our County Departments to keep the area clear of encampments for this important work.

While this cleanup is necessary to restore the land and protect public safety, I remain focused on ensuring our unhoused neighbors are supported with real pathways toward housing and stability. That is why I have supported programs like the Shower of Hope, which meet people where they are with dignity and care. Although shower services at Whittier Narrows must end due to County budget cuts, the program will continue at the LA General Medical Center campus, where it can serve more people in need. Our commitment to supporting pathways to housing and stability remains unwavering.

In parallel, we are also addressing broader safety concerns. I authored a motion this summer to identify and resolve encampments located in newly classified Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, known as VHFHSZ, which now includes parts of Whittier Narrows. This initiative brings together LACoFD, HOST, LAHSA, and other County departments to better manage risks in high-fire areas while ensuring outreach and housing remain central to our approach. This includes keeping the Whittier Narrows area clear of encampments for the safety of both housed and unhoused residents.

Our unhoused neighbors deserve the chance to move into housing with the support they need. To that end, my office will continue to lead with compassion and coordination, working in partnership with County departments and the USACE to address these challenges.”