Safe Passage Transitional Living Program

Affordable housing and homelessness

South LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Justice-involved men and women in South Los Angeles face deeply entrenched barriers upon release due to decades of systemic racism, economic disinvestment, and over-policing. Housing insecurity is acute, with many released directly into homelessness amid a shortage of affordable housing and widespread landlord discrimination. Employment remains elusive due to stigma, criminal background checks, and limited job opportunities in underserved neighborhoods. Continuity of healthcare is disrupted, especially for individuals managing chronic conditions, mental illness, or substance use disorders. Meanwhile, community stigma and a lack of supportive networks undermine successful reintegration. These compounding factors create a cycle of marginalization that is difficult to escape without intentional intervention. Programs like the You Are Maymuna Transitional Living Program are urgently needed to provide safe housing, stabilization services, and tailored support for navigating reentry.

The You Are Maymuna Transitional Living Program offers a critical lifeline to justice-involved single men and women returning to South Los Angeles. This grant will support a trauma-informed, gender-responsive residential program that provides safe, stable housing and wraparound support services designed to break the cycle of recidivism and homelessness. The program directly addresses barriers to reintegration—housing insecurity, unemployment, untreated health and mental health conditions, substance use, and social stigma—by offering structured case management, employment readiness training, healthcare navigation, and peer support. Participants receive personalized reentry plans, life skills coaching, and linkages to community resources that promote long-term stability. Grounded in dignity and restorative justice principles, You Are Maymuna equips individuals with the tools to heal, rebuild, and thrive. This grant will ensure that formerly incarcerated individuals are met with opportunity—not rejection—upon release, transforming outcomes for individuals and the broader community.

If the You Are Maymuna Transitional Living Program is successful, Los Angeles County will become a model for equitable reentry, where justice-involved individuals are not punished beyond their sentence but supported in rebuilding their lives. Our vision is a community where formerly incarcerated men and women live with dignity, access stable housing, achieve economic independence, and contribute positively to society. Success means fewer people returning to jail, reduced homelessness among reentrants, and stronger community health and safety. The stigma surrounding incarceration will give way to a culture of second chances. We intend to reduce recidivism by at least 40% among program participants, increase employment rates, and ensure all clients are connected to physical and behavioral healthcare. Ultimately, this initiative aims to shift public perception and public policy—proving that reentry, when supported with care and opportunity, can transform lives and communities.