Recreational vehicles are parked at a homeless encampment where trash and debris have been partially removed in front of the Home Depot near High Street in Oakland, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Oakland officials have recently cleared out about 250 tons of debris from the site but another 50 tons remain. (Photo By Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – As Los Angeles County continues to grapple with a homelessness crisis affecting more than 75,000 people, officials are intensifying efforts to remove RV encampments in the East Gardena–West Rancho Dominguez area. Over two days on April 30 and May 1, county agencies cleared 44 RVs, four vehicles, and 840 cubic yards of debris from streets long plagued by overcrowding, safety issues, and resident complaints.
The operation, part of LA County’s Pathway Home Program, aimed to relocate 57 people from RVs and encampments into interim housing where they now receive services designed to help them transition into permanent homes. Led by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) and supported by numerous other agencies, the effCalifornia Clears 44 RVs in Major Homeless Sweep — Critics Say It’s a $166 Million Band-Aidort underscores the growing urgency to reclaim public spaces while supporting vulnerable populations.
“This pilot program allows us to continue critical outreach while providing wrap-around services for mental health and substance abuse,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “It’s about restoring our communities and offering people a way out of homelessness.”
Launched in 2023, Pathway Home has moved 1,400 individuals into temporary housing, removed 819 RVs, and placed 265 people into permanent homes. Measure H, a voter-approved quarter-cent sales tax, intitially funded the project, which switched to Measure A, a half-cent sales tax approved in November 2024.
Yet, despite its achievements, questions linger about the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of LA County’s homelessness strategies. A recent audit revealed that less than 20% of people in interim housing move into permanent residences, while over half return to homelessness or unknown destinations. The Inside Safe program, for instance, has cost roughly $368 million to place 905 people in permanent housing—averaging $407,000 per person.
Still, advocates like Rigo Alejo, a former RV dweller who now helps others, believe in the power of these programs. “If I can do it, anyone can,” Alejo said.
As LA County continues its encampment resolution operations—like the recent one near Figueroa Street and Redondo Beach Boulevard—officials maintain that the path forward must balance compassion and accountability. “This is a humanitarian crisis,” said Lt. George Suarez. “But these initiatives are creating real momentum.”
The county hopes to create more sustainable pathways out of homelessness with increased funding and coordination. However, whether these investments yield long-term change remains a pressing question for policymakers and the public alike.
