Housing  

Housing First

At DWC, we operate under a Housing First model, which means that we do not require women to be employed, enrolled in substance use counseling, or to be receiving any kind of supportive services before they are considered eligible for housing. At DWC, we believe housing is a human right, and our first priority is to provide women with safe, permanent housing above all else.

Once housed, women continue to enjoy access to the individualized support they need to work toward their goals and reach personal stability, including case management, physical and mental health care, job readiness, and community-building activities. 

Women experiencing homelessness have not only unique healthcare and job-training needs, but many unique vulnerabilities, too. By prioritizing housing and empowering women to choose and engage actively in services — two central components of the Housing First model — we can ensure that they are equipped with the tools they need to remain housed in an effective, trauma-informed way.

Our Programs

  • Our Permanent Supportive Housing Program maintains 119 units in downtown Los Angeles, and is still growing to include new units in North Hollywood, Van Nuys, and Skid Row. Click here for more information.

  • Our Community-Based Housing Program places single unaccompanied women and women with children in housing throughout Los Angeles County. Click here for more information.

  • Utilizing the Domestic Violence Housing First model, our Rapid Re-Housing Program helps women in vulnerable situations quickly exit homelessness and connect to a wide range of supportive services to stay housed. Click here for more information.

  • Our Housing Justice Program (piloted as Project 100) is DWC’s newest housing initiative, and aims to provide culturally responsive services to 100 unhoused women living in Skid Row who have experienced long-term homelessness and have been historically underserved by traditional housing programs. Click here for more information.