LA County Board of Supervisors Approves Homelessness Prevention Plan for Wildfire Survivors and At-Risk Residents
New countywide prevention hub and referral system comes as latest survivor survey finds two-thirds of fire-impacted residents still displaced
Eaton Fire survivors hold keys to their home in West Altadena. (Photo credit: Diandra Jay /LA County)
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today voted unanimously to approve a motion authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath directing the County to build a single, coordinated front door for homelessness prevention services, with fire survivors from the Eaton and Palisades disasters among the first populations the new system is designed to protect.
The motion comes as new data highlights the urgency of the moment. The nonprofit Department of Angels’ latest Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report found that two out of three survivors remain displaced, and nearly half have already exhausted–or will soon exhaust–their insurance funded temporary housing benefits. Forty percent of survivors said they could afford no more than six months of housing on their own, while fewer than one in three believe they can afford housing for more than a year without that assistance.
“Fire survivors are doing everything right, including paying their mortgage, finding temporary housing, and waiting for support to catch up to their needs,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “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.”
“As families continue rebuilding after the fires and residents across our County face extraordinary housing pressures, we need a prevention system that responds to the realities people are facing today,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. 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 directs the County’s Chief Executive Office, working in coordination with the Department of Homeless Services and Housing, the Los Angeles County Development Authority, the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, and other County departments, to establish a comprehensive homelessness prevention framework. Within 45 days, the County will launch a public Homelessness Prevention Resource webpage that identifies available County, regional, and partner services, including rental assistance, mortgage relief, legal aid, and utility assistance.
The motion also calls for the designation of a single point of contact to coordinate homelessness prevention efforts across government agencies and directs the development of an outreach plan, due to the Board on July 21, 2026, to connect fire-impacted community organizations with available prevention resources. Organizations identified for engagement include the Eaton Fire Collaborative Long-Term Recovery Group, the Altadena Town Council, the Malibu and Palisades Long-Term Recovery Groups, the Topanga Town Council, and the Sunset Mesa Homeowners’ Association.
In addition, County departments will develop a Coordinated Homelessness Prevention Referral System that includes a triage tool to connect residents with appropriate services and identifies gaps in support for populations at heightened risk of housing instability, including fire survivors, seniors on fixed incomes, transition-age youth, and justice-impacted individuals. The motion also establishes a dedicated Prevention Navigator position within the Department of Homeless Services and Housing using existing resources.
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