Officials of St. Joseph Center and other local dignitaries attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 30 for La Ramona Family Interim Housing Community on Jefferson Boulevard. The St. Joseph Center and the Coalition for Responsible Community Development converted a former nuisance motel into 20 units of homeless housing plus supportive services.
Courtesy photo
Wave Staff Report
LOS ANGELES — St. Joseph Center and the Coalition for Responsible Community Development announced the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 30 for La Ramona Family Interim Housing Community, a project hailed as a leading example of how to tackle the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles.
The La Ramona Family Interim Housing Community, supported by the state of Project Homekey initiative and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, transformed a former nuisance motel at 3211 W. Jefferson Blvd. into a safe, welcoming community for families with children experiencing homelessness.
The property now offers 20 fully furnished units with comprehensive support services, marking a major milestone for St. Joseph Center as its first fully owned and operated housing community in its 50-year history.
“Ramona is more than just a place to sleep, its a blueprint for effective housing solutions.” said Ryan J. Smith, CEO of St. Joseph Center.“It is an example of doing housing the right way. We took a property that was a burden on the community and transformed it into a place of hope and stability, complete with the wraparound services that families need to get back on their feet and into permanent housing.”
The facility provides comprehensive services, including case management, employment training, and mental health support, all designed to empower families to achieve long-term stability.
City Councilwoman Heather Hutt praised the collaborative effort, stating, “the opening of La Ramona is a testament to what we can achieve when public and private sectors work together with a singular focus: getting people housed. This project provides not only shelter but a genuine path to self-sufficiency. This interim housing community serves as a shining example for other communities looking to provide high-quality, supportive interim housing.”
As St. Joseph Center celebrates its 50th anniversary, the La Ramona Interim Housing Community stands as a symbol of progress and purpose, showing how compassion, innovation, and collaboration can drive real change. With La Ramona, St. Joseph Center takes a historic step forward in its mission to serve vulnerable Angelenos, offering families not just a roof over their heads but a foundation for a brighter, more stable future.
St. Joseph Center started in July 1976, when two Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet together with a few volunteers, began providing advocacy and referrals and assisting families with basic needs as food, clothing, and job readiness in a small storefront on Rose Avenue in Venice.
Services were offered without regard for religious affiliation and with no religious instruction provided or required. From the very beginning, the sisters saw their task as renewing hope in all people and empowering them to take steps to heal their lives.
The original focus of St. Joseph Center was working with low-income families and individuals.
But soon the sisters recognized the growing number of homeless individuals who came into the area in the early 1980s. The decision was made to expand their service, and they leased a nearby facility specifically to serve homeless men and women.
In 1986 the Sisters stepped down from the leadership and St. Joseph Center became a separately incorporated nonprofit organization. Since then, it has continued to expand its programs and footprint in response to the needs of the communities we serve.
