Community Comes Together to Welcome Families Back to Tyrone House 

It takes a community working together to end homelessness, and earlier this month we saw that community spirit in action. 

Thanks to the generosity of volunteers, local businesses, and community partners, Tyrone House—an LA Family Housing (LAFH) interim housing site—is welcoming families back.  The site was closed for the last two years while the property owner completed extensive renovations and improvements, including an expansion from 9 to 12 family units, dedicated office space for staff, and a large outdoor green area where children can play. Between 2018 and 2024, LAFH operated the site for medically vulnerable families requiring frequent care and support, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS). 

To prepare Tyrone House for the return of families, nearly 30 associates from nine local Home Depot stores volunteered earlier this month to set up the rooms, demonstrating Home Depot’s longstanding commitment to give back to its communities. Volunteers assembled cleaning kits, stocked kitchens, made beds, organized supplies, and added the finishing touches that transform a housing unit into a welcoming home. 

A Community Effort 

What made the day even more special is the overwhelming support from local businesses, who donated furniture, linens, and cleaning supplies to help ensure families have everything they need to settle in comfortably.  

“When LA Family Housing sets up a new property for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, we always do our best to buy from local vendors,” says Jimmy Douglas, Director of Community Engagement at LAFH. “It was incredibly gratifying to see so many vendors step up and support our community. Their generosity helps us stretch critical resources so we can provide more services and support to the families we serve.” 

The collective generosity that helped turn an empty property into a place where families can feel at home included:  

A1 American, a national manufacturer and distributor of linens, textiles, and operational supplies with headquarters in Los Angeles, donated blankets and pillows for every bed.  

The Home Depot Foundation donated cleaning kits for each family unit, ensuring residents have essential supplies from the moment they move in. 

McCalla Company, a Van Nuys janitorial and cleaning supply company that has served the community for more than 80 years, donated cleaning supplies for the site’s common areas. 

Sit ‘n Sleep, a family-owned business that has operated in Southern California for more than 45 years, donated 15 beds and mattresses. 

Williams Furniture, which has served the community in Pacoima for more than 30 years, donated two futons, a dining table, couch and love seat combo, and a day bed frame.

Looking Ahead 

Just as it took a community to bring Tyrone House back online, it will take a community to help families successfully transition out of homelessness to permanent homes. 

Through funding from the Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing (HSH) and support from other county agencies—including Department of Mental Health, Department of Public Social Services, and Department of Public Health—and numerous other partners, families at Tyrone House will have access to critical services and resources designed to support long-term stability. 

For now, however, the focus is on helping families settle in. For many of the families moving into Tyrone House, this marks an important transition from motel-style interim housing to a more stable, family-centered environment. Residents will now have access to 24/7 onsite staff support, larger living spaces, access to fully equipped kitchens, and areas where children can safely play and families can gather. 

As Kim Cherney, Store Manager of Home Depot in Newhall, reflected on the volunteer day: "I hope the families feel comfortable. I hope they know that people volunteered their time to make them feel welcome, to show them love, and to show them that people care about them.” 

And thanks to an incredible community effort, 12 families are moving into a space that is ready for them—and filled with messages of hope and belonging.