The City of Baldwin Park received the 2025 Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability Award from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for its transformative efforts in addressing homelessness. This award is SCAG’s highest honor in sustainability and highlights the success of the City’s transitional housing communities, which have helped reduce local homelessness by 80% over five years.
Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and led by the city’s Recreation and Community Services Department, Esperanza Villa and Serenity Homes represent a major evolution in the city’s response to homelessness.
“I am immensely proud of our entire city team for their dedication and heart in moving this initiative forward,” said Baldwin Park Chief Executive Officer Manuel Carrillo Jr. “Tripepi Smith played a pivotal role in amplifying our message and helping us showcase these innovative solutions.”
Esperanza Villa opened in 2021 as the San Gabriel Valley’s first tiny home village, providing 25 units for unhoused individuals. Using a 90-day transition model, it serves up to 100 people annually. A year later, Serenity Homes opened and features 16 units designed for unhoused families, offering temporary shelter for three to six months. Together, both communities offer safe, private housing paired with shared amenities and comprehensive support services.
Between both communities, sustainability is a prominent aspect, with spaces featuring eco-friendly elements such as LED lighting, energy-efficient HVAC systems, water-saving fixtures, high-efficiency appliances and groundwater infiltration traps.
“Baldwin Park’s recognition by SCAG is well-deserved,” said Senior Business Analyst Peter Johnson. “By turning a critical challenge into a regional success story, they’ve set an inspiring example for local governments everywhere. We are honored to work with a forward-thinking city like Baldwin Park.”
The SCAG Sustainability Awards recognize exceptional regional leadership in environmental stewardship, economic resilience and social equity. Receiving this award shows how Esperanza Villa and Serenity Homes have seamlessly combined sustainability with life-changing impact for those who need it most.
To learn more about Tripepi Smith’s award-winning partnerships, visit TripepiSmith.com/Awards.
About the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
Founded in 1965, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is an association of local governments and agencies that assemble to discuss regional issues. The SCAG region encompasses Imperial, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties covering 191 cities and over 38,000 square miles. The agency aims to foster sustainable solutions that improve the quality of life for Southern California residents through collaboration, planning and advocacy.
About Tripepi Smith
Tripepi Smith is a California-based marketing, technology and public affairs firm that serves for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage to agencies seeking to leverage the internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, aerial imagery, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith’s diverse clients include: City of American Canyon, City of Calabasas, City of Culver City, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of Grover Beach, City of Indian Wells, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lake Forest, City of Livermore, City of Malibu, City of Napa, City of Palmdale, City of Paramount, City of Tracy, CalChoice Energy Authority, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Rowland Water District, California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, West Coast Arborists, Scripps College, Blind Children’s Center and Climatec.
