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Chinatown Fire Aid Enters Next Phase as City Weighs Center Extension
After the September 13 blaze on New Depot Street, Los Angeles officials must decide how long to keep the Local Assistance Center open and how to route residents to existing clinics.
How we reported this
The Los Angeles Local Assistance Center in Chinatown will remain open beyond its initial setup for residents displaced by the September 13 fire at 712 New Depot Street, where five structures burned and 51 people lost their housing.
The decision arrives as the city tracks outcomes for an 80-year-old resident transported in critical condition and five others evaluated at the scene. Officials now face choices on whether to maintain the center through the summer or shift displaced households directly into permanent case management.
Linking Fire Recovery to Health Services
Chinatown Service Center Family Health Clinic at 767 N Hill St already lists primary care, dental and prenatal services on site. Staff there have begun receiving referrals from the assistance center for trauma follow-up, yet only 5 percent of Chinatown residents have used mental health services in recent counts. The low rate persists even though the universal 988 lifeline is promoted in every city campaign.
Similar clinics operate at 1490 Mason Street in San Francisco and 2335 S Wentworth Ave in Chicago, each offering integrated behavioral health in multiple languages. Los Angeles coordinators are reviewing whether to expand the same model at the New Depot Street site or keep services centralized at the Hill Street address.
Decisions on Duration and Referrals
City records show the center has already assisted more than 50 households plus pets. The next step requires setting a firm end date for on-site staffing or converting the space into a lighter referral hub. Planners must also choose how aggressively to connect residents to the Chinatown Service Center versus routing them through 988 or the Crisis Text Line.
Those choices will determine whether the extended assistance center closes by late July or continues into August while case workers complete placements. No further timeline has been released.