County Supervisor Hilda Solis Friday awarded more than $1 million in grant funding to the Los Angeles Room & Board for renovations of the Echo Park Cottages, where health services are provided to young people.
Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Centers owns the cottages, which have been leased to the Los Angeles Board & Roam to expand their reach and house an additional 40 transition age youth in the county experiencing homelessness or at-risk of being unhoused. The cottages will provide housing, food and supportive services to help young people develop essential skills for independent living.
Transitional age youth is a term used to describe a demographic spanning ages 15-26, including college students, former foster youth, LGBTQ+ and immigrants.
“As supervisor for the First District, I know that many of our youth, including those experiencing homelessness or from vulnerable backgrounds, need support to achieve their academic, personal and transitional goals,” Solis said in a statement. “This project reaffirms my commitment to ensuring youth in our communities have a safe environment where they can build skills, connections and confidence to thrive independently.”
Sam Prater, founder of LA Room & Board, added that his organization is dedicated to ending youth hunger and homelessness for transition age youth in Los Angeles.
“With this funding, we are that much closer to ensuring our youth are not only housed during such a critical point in their life, but gain the skills necessary for them to thrive,” Prater added.
Phil Wong, CEO of Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Centers, said in a statement that they are excited for this partnership.
“At Gateways, we believe that ensuring basic needs like housing and food security is fundamental to mental health. When these needs go unmet, it becomes harder for individuals to achieve lasting wellness,” Wong added. “That’s why we take a whole-person approach, addressing both clinical and social conditions that shape lives.”
Renovations are scheduled for completion by early 2026.