Who We Are
Who We Are
- Since 1989, the Trust has worked to improve the health and safety of all in Los Angeles by providing permanent supportive housing and services in the County’s most impoverished neighborhood, Skid Row.
Our Story
- Skid Row is an area of approximately 50 square blocks located just east of downtown Los Angeles. Also known as Central City East, the area has a longstanding history as a residential neighborhood for those with the least.
Mission
- Skid Row Housing Trust provides permanent supportive housing so that people who have experienced homelessness, prolonged extreme poverty, poor health, disabilities, mental illness and/or addiction can lead safe, stable lives in wellness.
Early History
- The term “Skid Row” originated during the construction of the railroads in the mid-19th century. The first railroad construction began in the Pacific Northwest, where tracks made from harvested logs were sent to construction sites along “skid roads.” These “roads” also were built from logs and their purpose was to make it much easier to keep the logs rolling along the heavily muddied streets around sites.
Vision
Skid Row Housing Trust has an aggressive 5-year plan to both house more of the most vulnerable and expand our partnerships into affordable housing to prevent homelessness before it starts. In the next five years, Skid Row Housing Trust will:
- Double our housing units and provide guidance and support for others who will be constructing permanent supportive housing
- Expand our Health and Social Services to meet this increased occupancy while also strengthening our relationships with research partners to continually improve our services
- Grow our Property Management team to meet the increased needs of Skid Row Housing Trust and to serve builders entering the permanent supportive housing space for the first time
- Renovate ten of our original properties to better serve our residents
- Expand our portfolio to include affordable housing
Awards
Our Team
Board
-
Steinberg Hart
Simon Ha, AIA
Chair -
Blue Shield of California
Jennifer Christian-Herman, Ph.D.
Secretary -
Forbix Capital Corp
Max Kolomeyer
Treasurer -
Burnham Benefits
Diane Ballen
-
JWCH Institute, Inc.
Paul Gregerson, MD.
-
Wells Fargo
Rex Jones
-
Forbix Capital Corp.
Emil Khodorkovsky
-
Pacific Empire Builders
Dan Mahoney
-
Crain & Associates
Diana Skidmore
-
IDS Real Estate Group
Patrick Spillane
-
Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP
David Waite
-
Arup
Katherine Perez