Arcadia’s new case management team is serving individuals and families experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, city officials announced last week.
HERO Community Services will continue the city’s mission of reducing homelessness by providing street outreach and case management services. The Los Angeles-based nonprofit’s acronym stands for Housing, Empowerment, Recovery and Outreach.
“By focusing on meeting people where they are and building trust, the city is confident they will be successful in connecting individuals to available resources and helping people work toward long-term housing stability,” according to a statement by Arcadia officials.
HERO will provide existing services and assistance programs including case management, emergency services and prevention services.
The team will do street outreach, provide individualized case management, housing navigation, mental health support, substance abuse services, benefit services and referrals to supportive resources, officials said.
Emergency assistance for city residents experiencing homelessness include the distribution of essential items and financial assistance such as housing application fees, security deposits, reunification expenses and other short-term monetary help.
Prevention services offer resources for at-risk individuals, including discussions about personal finances and connections to regional programs offering legal assistance and renter education, emergency rental aid and short-term income support.
Officials advised the public to contact the team if they know of someone in Arcadia experiencing homelessness or is at risk of losing housing, 626-627-5384 or arcadia@herocommunityservices.org. In-person assistance is available at the Arcadia Public Library, 20 W. Duarte Road, on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
HERO’s three full-time case managers will be available to assist seven days a week and will respond to requests and questions as soon as possible, according to the city. Officials encouraged community members to share the contact information with anyone in Arcadia who may need assistance.
