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Homeless Solutions for West Covina
Providing a Hand Up & Not a Hand Out
The City of West Covina seeks to effectively address homelessness with a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, collaborative response. This effort is led primarily by three key Departments - the Community Services Department; the West Covina Police Department; and the Public Works Department.
West Covina participated in the development of the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative's 47 Strategies to Combat Homelessness and signed on as one of the first Cities to support the Rapid Rehousing program.
If you are concerned about a community member who is homeless and could use supportive services, please contact Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Homeless Outreach Portal (LAHOP).
If this is an emergency, please dial 911 and they can assist in a timely manner.
If your concern requires time-sensitive assistance during nights or weekends, please contact the West Covina Police Department at 626-939-8500 and they will dispatch the H.O.P.E., LACADA (Homeless Incentive Program) and LAHSA teams to assist and provide services.
As always, if there is an emergency, call 911.
- To request for a homeless person(s) in need of assistance, visit Los Angeles County Homeless Outreach Portal.
- To report the homeless encampment(s), report is through the City's Report an Issue App.
- Learn more about City's outreach team, H.O.P.E..
The following are resources and other information on homelessness:
211 LA County
The free 211 phone line provides information on various LA County Services including food and shelter assistance. The line is operated 24 hours/7 days a week and is multilingual. Information can also be found on the 211 LA County Website. Home for Good L.A. Business leaders throughout the county committed to ending homelessness in the region and promoting permanent solutions. A joint initiative of United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Website
A City-County Joint Powers Authority that serves as the lead agency in the Los Angeles Continuum of Care, coordinating and managing over $70 million dollars annually in Federal, State, County, and City funds for programs that provide shelter, housing, and services to homeless persons.
View Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Website.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness
A nonprofit, non-partisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States.
View the National Alliance to End Homelessness Website.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
A nonprofit organization that seeks to end homelessness among veterans by shaping public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers.
View the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Website.
United States Department of Housing & Urban Development
HUD works in partnership with states and local governments to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes.
View the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Website
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Released a five year plan in 2009 to end homelessness among the nation's veterans.
View the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
Coordinates the federal response to homelessness by creating a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness nationwide. Read the national plan to end homelessness, Opening Doors.
View the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Website.
Winter Shelter Program
The East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless coordinates an Annual Winter Shelter Program during the winter months. The shelter locations rotate around the East San Gabriel Valley and bus service is provided to assist with transportation. For more information, call 626-333-7204 or email East San Gabriel Valley.
City of West Covina Homeless Resource Documents
- City of West Covina Homeless Plan (PDF)
- Homeless Toolkit for Residents (PDF)
- Homeless Toolkit for Businesses (PDF)
Additional resources for members of the West Covina community that are low income, seniors, or those in danger of becoming homeless, may be found in our Community Services Resource Guide (PDF).
In 2017, there were 553,752 people (see note 1) experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States. In 2018, Closer to home, over 52,000 individuals (see note 2) were estimated to be homeless on a typical night in Los Angeles County and in West Covina, 277 individuals (see note 2) experiencing homelessness were counted.
People may become homeless due to lack of affordable housing, decreased employment opportunities, lack of affordable health care, mental illness, substance abuse or domestic violence. Other factors may come into play because no two stories are alike. While some West Covina residents lose their housing and become homeless, homeless individuals also migrate to the City for a variety of reasons: it is perceived as safer than Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, generous residents allow and encourage panhandling, and a community with parks means access to public restrooms and/or showers. The impact of homelessness is significant and the San Gabriel Valley and Southern California as a whole has seen an increase in homeless over the past few years.
The City of West Covina continues to work with its local and regional partners to combat homelessness. While this issue is complex and multi-faceted, the City is committed to balancing public safety, overall health and well-being for our residents and businesses, as well as mitigating nuisance concerns.
Note 1: According to a National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) Report
Note 2: As 2018 Results (PDF) by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority in 2018
Request Services for a Homeless Person(s) in Need of Assistance. If a homeless person is experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911.
The City of West Covina has various resources to assist with the homeless population within our city.
In the following you will find more information on how we as citizens can assist the City with our growing population of homelessness and items that might arise within our community:
Have you seen a Homeless Encampment? You can now report them to Homeless Encampments - CalTrans and Los Angeles County's Response Programs as follows:
Reports of homeless encampments on the Interstate 10 or on-ramps / offramps may be reported to CalTrans by going online to the Division of Maintenance and clicking on "Customer Service Request" and from the drop down menu clicking on "Illegal Encampment" and then typing in the address/location or by calling 213-897-3656.
Reports of encampments in Los Angeles County areas may be reported to the nearby Sheriff's Field Station. They will coordinate with their Homeless Response Team to remove the encampments:
- Encampments to the east side of the City, reports may be filed with the Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at 909-595-2264 or 626-913-1715.
- Encampments to the south side of the City, reports may be filed with the Industry Sheriff's Station at 626-330-3322.
We thank you for helping us make the City of West Covina a better community.
You Have Rights
If you are an owner or operator of a business or commercial property and have concerns regarding issues of unwanted persons or criminal activity on your property, there are resources available to help you in addressing your issues successfully.
Protecting Your Property: Taking the Proactive Approach
Many nuisance or criminal activities can be prevented by businesses and property owners taking a proactive approach to protecting private properties. Here are a few things businesses and property owners can do:
- Post signs on your property such as "No Trespassing"
- Secure trash enclosures
- Do not leave empty cardboard boxes where they are publicly accessible
- Reduce foliage that may be used as hiding spots for people/property
- Ensure adequate lighting
- Increase presence or implement private security measures
- Do not feed or give money to panhandlers
Enforcement and Contacting the City of West Covina: For life-threatening emergencies, please immediately call 911
When to Call the Code Enforcement Hotline at 626-939-8426:
- Inhabiting of your or your neighbor's commercial property
- Abandoned shopping carts or other unclaimed property
- Excessive trash, debris, and outdoor storage
When to Call the Police Department at 626-939-8500:
- Drug activity or the presence of drugs or paraphernalia
- Loitering outside of establishments that sell alcohol
- Trespassing
- Impeding access to businesses
- Aggressive panhandling
Homeless Have Rights
Residents and businesses need to be mindful that while they have rights, so do homeless individuals. The City of West Covina cannot legally remove a homeless person simply for being in a City park or public space. Homeless individuals have a legal right to enjoy a park or public space during posted hours of operation, absent of illegal activity.