The Path to Help All Unhoused Women in L.A. County

From 2013 to 2020, the number of women experiencing homelessness increased by nearly 70%, according to the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. Persistent factors such as domestic violence and housing affordability mean that – without community support – the number of women facing housing insecurity will continue to rise.

At the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), they dream of a Los Angeles where every woman is housed and on a path to personal fulfillment. With over 22,300 unhoused women in Los Angeles County alone, it is a very ambitious goal. But it just so happens that the DWC dream has a 99% housing retention success rate. 

When asked about DWC’s impact, Chief Communications Officer Lorena Sanchez explains that the first step is acknowledging that unhoused women represent a group with unique needs.

“For over a decade, DWC has been advocating for unaccompanied women to be recognized at the federal level as a unique subpopulation experiencing homelessness,” says Sanchez. “Formal recognition of women by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, who have previously prioritized other groups such as veterans and families, will guarantee more and better data is collected that can inform strategies and ensure resources.”

What the data show in a stark and alarming revelation is that gender-based violence is not only a common driver of women’s homelessness but that it remains a threat if women remain unhoused. 

DWC empowers women experiencing homelessness through programs that focus on housing, wellness, employment, and advocacy. To date, the nonprofit has grown these services to reach 27% of all unhoused women in Los Angeles County.

But acknowledging the unique needs of unhoused women is only one part of the DWC strategy. According to Sanchez, the secret DWC ingredient is their supportive services, particularly a strong peer support network. 

“Our trauma-informed approach to supportive services is centered on safety, community, and respect,” says Sanchez. “Having someone to turn to, who understands your experiences, can be a transformational experience. It can be the difference between accepting help – moving toward a life of stability – or falling into chronic homelessness.”

In fact, peer support services are at the heart of DWC’s Every Woman Housed Initiative, a strategy that targets Los Angeles’ most vulnerable neighbors: unsheltered women of color living in the Skid Row Community. Senior Peer Support Specialist Adelene Bertha initially joined the team to help pioneer a new housing model for 100 women on Skid Row. Bertha’s experience of homelessness as a teenager shaped the program’s service delivery model, shifting it from a step-by-step process to an adaptive, culturally responsive, and client-led practice.

With team members like Bertha and compassionate community partners, DWC gets closer every day to providing support for all unhoused women in Los Angeles County.