$106M 'mental health village' in Norwalk breaks ground: What to know

$106M 'mental health village' in Norwalk breaks ground

The "LA County Care Community" is a $65 million Proposition 1 project that will feature six buildings providing a continuum of care, from locked psychiatric treatment to long-term supportive housing.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Los Angeles County officials and state leaders on Friday broke ground on a transformative mental health village in Norwalk, which will repurpose long-dormant structures on the Metropolitan State Hospital campus to address the region's urgent needs for individuals struggling with serious mental illness and homelessness.

What we know:

The LA County Care Community will utilize 13 acres of state land to house six renovated buildings centered around a shared courtyard. The long-dormant buildings date back to the 1920s.

The facility is designed to be a "holistic healthcare village" that will offer a "continuum of care" featuring 162 total beds.

This includes 32 beds in locked rehabilitation centers for young adults, 70 interim housing beds for those requiring short-term stability, and 60 permanent supportive housing apartments. 

The project is fueled by $65 million in state Proposition 1 funding—a 2024 ballot measure specifically designed to finance behavioral health treatment and infrastructure. 

What they're saying:

"Voters want us to take vacant buildings and put them to good use," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. "By locking arms with the state, LA County is transforming these vacant buildings into a mental healthcare village where people can get the safe, professional, and compassionate treatment and housing they desperately need."

Senator Bob Archuleta added, "Today’s groundbreaking represents an important step forward in addressing California’s growing mental health and homelessness crisis."

Timeline:

The renovation of the interim housing site and the two mental health rehabilitation centers is being handled by Swinerton. 

These specific facilities are scheduled for completion in December 2027 and January 2028, respectively. 

However, a firm construction timeline for the two permanent supportive housing facilities has not yet been established.

What's next:

Once operational, the LA County Department of Mental Health will manage the site. 

To ensure the project benefits the local area, the department has committed to reserving dedicated beds within the interim housing facilities specifically for people experiencing homelessness within the city of Norwalk.