Post to East Los Angeles with photo Norwalk Groundbreaking
Wave Staff Report
NORWALK — County and state leaders broke ground March 6 on a landmark project that will transform long-vacant buildings on the campus of Metropolitan State Hospital into a first-of-its-kind mental health treatment and housing village. The Los Angeles County Care Community will deliver multiple levels of care in one secure, professionally operated setting for people experiencing serious mental illness and homelessness.
“Voters want us to take vacant buildings and put them to good use,” said county Supervisor Janice Hahn, who proposed and championed the community. “These buildings are doing no one any good sitting empty. At the same time, we have residents — many of them young people — who are struggling with serious mental illness and have no where to go.
“By locking arms with the state, L.A. County is transforming these vacant buildings into a mental health care village where people can get the safe, professional and compassionate treatment and housing they desperately need.”
In 2024, state Sen. Bob Archuleta, D-Norwalk, authored Senate Bill 1336, which allowed the state to lease the approximately 13-acre site within the Metropolitan State Hospital’s campus to Los Angeles County.
“Today’s groundbreaking represents an important step forward in addressing California’s growing mental health and homelessness crisis,” Archuleta said. “When the governor signed my bill, SB 1336 into law in 2024, it created the pathway to repurpose vacant buildings on the Metropolitan State Hospital campus into a mental health care community that will provide housing, treatment, and critical services for individuals in need.
“I am grateful to Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health for their partnership and leadership in bringing this vision to life and ensuring our region has the resources to support those most in need.”
The L.A. County Care Community will repurpose six vacant buildings on the Metropolitan State Hospital campus. The campus will offer three levels of care, totaling 162 beds, all in one coordinated setting. The community will include:
• Two locked mental health rehabilitation centers for young adults ages 18 to 25, providing 32 beds in a secure, therapeutic setting for those with the most acute mental health needs who require structured and intensive clinical care.
• One interim housing facility serving young adults will provide 70 beds for people whose conditions are more stable but require short-term housing with wraparound mental health services.
• And two permanent supportive housing facilities will offer a total of 60 apartments for adults living with mental illness who previously experienced homelessness and need stable, long-term housing with access to ongoing care.
The sixth building will provide a communal space for the residents of the two permanent supportive housing facilities, including a kitchen, case management and property management offices, wellness and flex spaces, and a computer lounge. Each facility will be designed with its own dedicated courtyard, tailored to the population it serves. The outdoor spaces will provide therapeutic and recreational environments that support healing and overall well-being.
The $106 million project is made possible with $65 million in state Proposition 1 funding, which voters approved in 2024 to finance behavioral health treatment infrastructure, in addition to other state and county funds. To date, it is the most significant Proposition 1 financed project to break ground.
“Today marks a critical milestone in our commitment to transforming California’s behavioral health system,” said California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson. “Through these investments, we are creating bold, community-driven solutions that expand access to care, promote equity, and meet people where they are. These projects reflect our values and vision for a healthier, more compassionate California.”
“The L.A. County Care Community represents something deeply important — our commitment to showing up for people not only in moments of crisis, but every single day,” said Dr. Lisa H. Wong, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. “This campus brings together permanent supportive housing, interim housing, subacute care, and psychiatric health services together in one location where we are creating a true continuum of care — meeting people where they are and walking alongside them on their path to stability and recovery.
“We are deeply grateful for the support of our Board of Supervisors, and specifically Supervisor Janice Hahn, for championing this special project and helping bring this vision to life.”
Recognizing the importance of being a good neighbor and supporting the surrounding community, the county Department of Mental Health will reserve dedicated beds within the interim housing facilities specifically for people experiencing homelessness in Norwalk.
“This campus will bring care closer to home for Los Angeles County residents,” said California Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Baass. “This facility, and soon, many more like it, will provide thousands of new opportunities for treatment, stability, and a coordinated place for people to get the support they need.”
The six buildings that will make up the L.A. County Care Community were built in the 1920s and have been vacant since the early 2000s.
Remodeling of the interim housing site and the two mental health rehabilitation centers will be done by Swinerton. Construction will focus heavily on adaptive reuse, preserving the historic character of the campus and structures, while modernizing the existing buildings to meet current standards for care, safety, and accessibility.
“This project represents our shared commitment to ensuring that the communities we serve have access to world-class healthcare in a modern, welcoming facility,” said county Public Works Director Mark Pestrella. “We’re not just repurposing historic buildings; we’re revitalizing their purpose and providing access to care and wellness that will empower this community for generations.”
