On February 4, 2026, Mayor Emma Sharif and District 4 Councilwoman Lillie P. Darden recently toured the HOPICS Compton Access Center and adjacent housing programs located at 1730 E. Compton Blvd, Compton, CA 90221.

The Mayor and Councilwoman were able to get an up-close look at the critical services now available to residents experiencing being unhoused. It's important to note that many organizations use the word unhoused instead of homeless because it puts the focus on the situation, not the person, and uses more respectful, people first language that recognizes housing status can change.

Funded through a HUD grant and open for several months, the center has already become a vital hub for care, connection, and pathways to housing in the City of Compton.

(The entrance to HOPICS located at 1730 E. Compton Blvd., Compton)

During the visit, the Mayor and Councilwoman were welcomed by the HOPICS team, including the Director Kelvin Driscoll, Associate Director Benjamin Kay, Program Manager, Deetra Briggs, SPA 6 Regional Liaison D’Andrea Davis, Daniel Vilegas and Nicole Freeman, CSR, Program Directors John Williams III and Kourtney Rayford, and Client Supportive Services and Wellness Specialist Clarke Curry. The entire team shared how the Compton Access Center serves as the front door to the regional housing response system supporting both single adults and families facing a housing crisis.

Since opening on September 15, 2025, the center has already served 156 individuals, with 61 people choosing to begin the process toward shelter and interim housing. Of those served, many have been connected into the Coordinated Entry Systems (CES) through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) to be matched with temporary and, ultimately, permanent housing. The center also reported serving 74 families, with seven families already placed into shelter or interim housing an especially critical effort to ensure children and parents are not left unhoused.

The tour also highlighted nearby programs, including Lemon House, Cherry House, and Hub City Heights, (interim housing) which together create a network of support designed to keep families as close to their schools and communities as possible. In addition to housing navigation, the Access Center provides connections to mental health and substance use services, safe parking options, job placement support through the America Job Center, and resources for affordable rentals and rooms for rent meeting people where they are and offering multiple pathways forward.

(Councilwoman Lillie P. Darden, Mayor Emma Sharif and the HOPICS team)

Mayor Sharif praised the outreach teams for their responsiveness and compassion, sharing a personal story about a recent case where HOPICS staff helped an unhoused resident and even ensured care for her dogs. “This is the kind of partnership our city needs,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of regional collaboration and community-based solutions.

HOPICS serves as the lead unhoused services provider for Compton and surrounding areas in South Los Angeles, working closely with city outreach teams and regional partners to ensure services are coordinated with the shared goal of moving people from crisis to stability and permanent housing.

(A look inside one of the temporary housing units) 

HOPICS is scheduled to present a full overview of its programs and impact to the Compton City Council soon, where the community will learn more about how these services are strengthening the city’s response to the housing crisis.

The visit concluded with a tour of the facilities and a shared commitment from city leadership and HOPICS to continue building strong partnerships because addressing the unhoused crisis isn’t something any one organization or city can do alone, but something Compton is tackling together, with compassion and purpose. 

(HOPICS offers a playground for children staying with their unhoused parents)