Homeless Services in the South Bay
Services for Our Unhoused Neighbors
The Homelessness team at the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) seeks to provide information and resources for our cities. We also work with state and county programs (Measure H, the Los Angeles County Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness) that benefit our cities. The team is constantly seeking and creating innovative solutions to fight homelessness in the South Bay.
The SBCCOG’s Current and Past Measure H Funded Programs
Regional Homeless Coordination
The SBCCOG plays a central role in coordinating services for our region’s homeless neighbors. Through our Homeless Taskforce meeting we are able to disseminate pertinent information about various new resources to house our unhoused. The SBCCOG also coordinates with county, state and federal partners to bring resources to our region, to identify shelter and housing opportunities, and to seek new legislation to improve the homeless crisis response.
Client Aid
The SBCCOG provides just-in-time funding to city and agency case managers in the South Bay for expenses that would place clients in housing, shelter, or an employment situation. Funds can be used for transportation expenses for job interviews or family reunification; assistance with first/last month’s rent; security deposit; application fees, and other forms of assistance as required and upon documentation.
Education and Training
The SBCCOG provides Homeless 101 training for South Bay city staff and elected officials, as well as constituent groups such as seniors and volunteer groups. Additionally, we can connect people to higher levels of client engagement training through our county partners.
Beach Cities Homeless Court and SRO Housing
The SBCCOG provides funding to support the Beach Cities Homeless Court program. This innovative, first-of-its-kind program provides a safe, outdoor space for those experiencing homelessness to address their restorative justice needs. Participants can clear their backgrounds to get housing and jobs. In exchange, participants are required to accept services. Additionally, this program can provide interim housing for participants.
Torrance Homelessness Plan
The SBCCOG assisted the City of Torrance with updating its 2016 homelessness plan to best assess the existing homeless population and its dynamic needs to identify opportunities to support these populations in finding shelter and/or housing and wrap-around services.
Home Sharing Pilot Program
The SBCCOG’s Home Share South Bay program, in partnership with Silvernest, is a homelessness prevention online platform designed to match homeowners with a room to rent to compatible tenants seeking more affordable rent in the South Bay.
Torrance Interim Shelter
The SBCCOG was instrumental in providing site work and funding support for the development of an interim shelter located at the Torrance Civic Center grounds. This included the placement of 40 no-congregate single units with supporting wrap-around services to assist those experiencing homelessness with job development, life skills, health care, and substance use care to be on a path to permanent housing.
Hawthorne LACADA Project
The SBCCOG funded the partnership program between the City of Hawthorne and LA CADA – (Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse) to provide behavioral healthcare services to people experiencing homelessness in Hawthorne. This comprehensive program addresses alcohol, drug, mental health, trauma disorders, and other exhibited symptoms and root causes of homelessness to help them get back on track.
Beach Cities Dedicated Case Management Services
The SBCCOG meets monthly with this beach cities alliance (El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach) to support a collaborative multi-jurisdictional program providing consistent case management, decreased burden of homeless calls to police, closer linkage between outreach activities and city stakeholders, and increased housing placements.
Inglewood Homeless Coordinator Project
The SBCCOG provided support to the City of Inglewood to hire a homeless services coordinator dedicated to integrating the city with homeless systems, to better align resources, and to increase housing placements through increased outreach. Reports detailing metrics and outcomes, progress on behavioral health plans, and progress on participants’ housing timeline will provide transparency in tracking results.
Gardena Homeless Plan and Outreach Coordinator
The SBCCOG provided assistance and funds to hire a consulting firm to assist Gardena in developing an effective homeless plan aimed at facilitating an increase in housing placements for those experiencing homelessness in Gardena. In addition, the city hired an outreach coordinator to provide the attention and resources that the large volume on homeless service requests requires.
Rancho Palos Verdes Homeless Plan Project
The SBCCOG provided assistance and funds to assist the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in developing an actionable plan to prevent and combat homelessness. This comprehensive plan will set goals and strategies, with input from city staff, sheriff and fire departments, community members, and neighboring peninsula cities to develop processes to get people into shelter and eventually to permanent and affordable housing with supporting, wrap-around services.