Evaluation of Encampment Resolution Efforts in Los Angeles County

In 2022, as homeless encampment resolution efforts were scaling across Los Angeles and the state of California, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation engaged Abt Associates to study three encampment resolutions being implemented in Los Angeles County.

The purpose of the research was to understand the unique approaches service providers used in responding to encampments and moving people inside. As the Los Angeles’ region’s elected officials, funders, homeless service system leaders and providers, and other community organizations continue to invest in efforts to bring people living in encampments indoors using non-punitive methods, this study offers several key findings to consider.

Three Place-Based Encampment Resolutions in the Los Angeles Area

Abt researchers studied three place-based encampment resolutions between 2022 and 2024, using a mixed methods research design collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data:

• City of Long Beach
• San Fernando Valley
• Los Angeles River Basin

Core Strategies and Approaches

All three studies highlight a coordinated model featuring:

• Sustained, Intensive Outreach: Small teams of outreach workers regularly engaged residents with food, water, hygiene supplies, and individual support. This high-touch, relational approach built trust and encouraged residents to accept interim housing offers faster than conventional outreach models.
• Pathways to Interim Housing: The first and most immediate outcome was quickly moving people from unsheltered streets into hotel or motel-based interim housing. These placements provided safety, privacy, and stability while clients worked toward more permanent solutions.
• Case Management and Service Navigation: Once indoors, residents received comprehensive services—case management, help with benefits applications, and referrals to healthcare or mental health resources—to remove barriers to permanent housing.
• Collaborative, Non-Punitive Focus: Unlike traditional encampment “sweeps,” these efforts prioritized voluntary participation and avoided punitive enforcement.

Key Findings Across Sites

• Quick and High Engagement: Contrary to some public perceptions, most residents of persistent encampments were willing to move indoors rapidly when approached with consistent, supportive outreach.
• Trust-Building Essential: Frequent, familiar contacts from a dedicated outreach team were vital to overcome distrust and encourage acceptance of services and interim housing.
• Persistent Housing Shortages: A critical barrier remains—the shortage of permanent supportive housing and housing subsidies. Many participants transitioned from encampments to interim placements, but a significant portion returned to unsheltered homelessness or to other temporary settings after their interim housing ended.
• Subpopulation Considerations: In SPA 2, many unhoused individuals lived in RVs or vehicles, requiring tailored solutions such as assistance with vehicle storage or disposal, in addition to housing navigation.
• Site-Specific Barriers: Geography had a measurable impact. In the Los Angeles River Basin, physical hazards (flooding, pollutants) posed daily safety challenges. In Long Beach, proximity to public transit lines and city hiring bottlenecks influenced program operations.

Outcomes and Community Perceptions

While these initiatives had notable successes—facilitating rapid placement in safe interim housing and providing critical services—they were limited by the broader structural shortage of permanent affordable housing. Rates of transition to permanent housing ranged from 20-34% across the studied sites, with many clients cycling back due to a lack of permanent options. Community surveys found widespread resident support for expanding permanent housing as the ultimate solution to encampments.

Lessons and Future Directions

The evaluations underscore that encampment resolutions can create a safer, more humane entry point into the housing system for people with complex needs. However, without a sufficient supply of permanent housing and supportive services, these interventions provide only a partial and temporary solution.

Learn More

These findings are explored in depth in the full reports, which include detailed data, context-specific case studies, cost breakdowns, client perspectives, and recommendations for future programming and policy. The comprehensive reports are available below.