Guadalupe Homeless Project: A Sanctuary Built on Dignity

Affordable housing and homelessness

Homelessness in Los Angeles County has reached a crisis point, and the Latinx immigrant community is among the most adversely impacted. Between 2018 and 2024, the Latinx homeless population increased by 76%; they now represent 45% of unhoused residents, yet remain far less likely to access County services. Systemic barriers drive this gap, including fear of immigration enforcement and a system that requires a Social Security number for housing programs. Asylum seekers, older women of color, and undocumented workers often fall through these gaps. When Celia (alias for safety), a senior without legal status, injured her back at work, she lost her job, and then her housing. Her employer threatened to call immigration when she asked for the unpaid wages she was owed. Celia’s story is just one of the many stories of individuals who eventually found shelter and stability at Proyecto Pastoral's Guadalupe Homeless Program, but too many individuals like her have very few options for sanctuary.

The Guadalupe Homeless Project (GHP) was founded in 1988 by parishioners of Dolores Mission Church to support refugees arriving in Boyle Heights seeking sanctuary. Over time, we have expanded to include a men's shelter that provides overnight accommodation for 41 men. In 2014, GHP expanded our services by opening a 15-bed women's shelter, the only shelter in Los Angeles focused on serving women aged 55 and older. Our shelters provide comprehensive wraparound support and essential services, including food, shelter, showers, and laundry facilities. Through individualized case management, staff connect residents to medical, mental health, and housing resources. In addition to meeting basic needs, we prioritize residents' personal growth and empowerment. GHP also provides socio-emotional and wellness supports for residents, including weekly guided art activities, daily group social activities, holiday celebrations, and monthly community meals. These meaningful, community-building experiences are essential to the healing, resilience, and long-term stability of the community members Guadalupe Homeless Project serves. Our commitment to resident well-being extends to staff training on mental health and trauma-informed care. By fostering a community-based care model, we focus on rebuilding connections and restoring a sense of wholeness and dignity for our participants.

Support from the LA2050 grants challenge will preserve a proven, trusted, and culturally responsive homeless support program that has served vulnerable residents for nearly 40 years. At a moment when asylum seekers face active targeting by federal immigration policy, GHP stands as one of the only programs prioritizing their safety and well-being without condition. Funding will also enable us to expand our rental assistance programming to support families, regardless of immigration status, who would otherwise be unable to access public programs. This vital support also comes at a time when publicly-funded resources are rapidly dwindling. Our goal at GHP during the grant period is to: Provide basic shelter services to 15 women over age 55 and 41 men nightly, maintaining a 90-95% nightly bed occupancy rate. Transition the residents into permanent housing, within 3-6 months for men and 12 months for women. Provide emergency rental assistance to 17 families at risk of homelessness.

East LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)