About Us – Housing & Supportive Services

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I am Nicole M. Thompson, President and Founder of HSS, Inc., dedicated to providing housing and supportive services while continuing the legacy of my father, Mr. Gerald E. Thompson. In May 1989, he achieved sobriety and established BOS, an alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse program for men, women, and families, including single male parents. In 2000, recognizing the needs of foster care youth aging out of the system, he founded Pathways To Your Future (PTYF) and the Frontline Soldiers housing program. In 2018, he further expanded his efforts by founding CERC, a housing management company focused on serving the unhoused.

My father is passing the torch to me after more than thirty-three years on the frontlines. HSS, Inc. was founded on the core values he established, and we will continue to provide comprehensive health, education, and supportive services to the most underserved subpopulations, including unhoused individuals, youth, and families. Our mission is to promote their development and enrich the communities where we were both born and raised—Los Angeles, California.

Helping others is part of my lineage, passed down from my grandmothers. My father’s mother served as a nurse in the Army during World War II. After an honorable discharge, she attended and graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1957. My mother’s mother was a member of the Los Angeles School Board and also served as a foster parent.

Looking ahead, we plan to expand our outreach efforts and strengthen our partnerships with local service providers to continue making a tangible difference in our communities. HSS, Inc. Transitional Housing Services has successfully facilitated temporary housing solutions for individuals and families experiencing life changes. Over the past quarter, we secured safe and stable housing for over 75 residents each month, providing critical support during their transition periods. Our program has also expanded its mental health and substance abuse counseling services, leading to a 30% increase in resident self-sufficiency rates. In the future, we aim to develop further partnerships with local employers and educational institutions to better assist residents in achieving long-term stability and independence.

Bringing the “NEIGHBOR” back to the
“NEIGHBORHOODS”

A little over 50 years ago, our communities were known as “Neighborhoods”. There was a sense of community and a fostering of well-being among the neighbors. It was the men who stood up to protect their families and neighborhoods from external violence, confronting any negative forces that threatened their safety. However, without the women, their efforts would have faltered. The women, the very soul of the neighborhood, ensured that the children were educated and involved with the community and church. The neighborhoods were diverse before “diverse” meant anything: consisting of families of all races, creeds, and colors. In the neighborhood there were traditional households consisting of a father, mother, children, and often there was the extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins under one roof. There was an instinctual relationship amongst the parents and children in the neighborhood, born from the concept and culture; “It Takes A Village to Raise A Family” and that “Together We Stand Divided We Fall:

Even though today’s family structure and dynamics have changed greatly from the past, there is still a need and desire to nurture and protect our children and neighbors. Today, our communities that were once called “Neighborhood” are now being called “Hoods”. The “Hood” is turf and trespassing without commitment, without the elders influence. The “Hood” is transient and disposable.

In order to bring about some form of rejuvenation or rebirth to our communities, we must address the “personalization” of those living in what have been called the “Hood” … it’s about “bringing the neighbor back to the neighborhood”.

Housing and Supportive Services Inc. (HSS, INC.) is here today to bring the “Neighbor” back to the “Neighborhood”