LA County Launch Pad
Embedding Local Entrepreneurs in New Mixed-Use Development Space
LA County DEO and Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell established LA County Launch Pad to support local entrepreneurs in accessing their first brick-and-mortar locations and becoming community anchors through subsidized commercial space paired with technical assistance and capital access.
Created through a 2022 Board of Supervisors motion, the program is designed to embed community serving businesses within County-supported development projects, strengthening local economies and advancing equitable growth.
The first LA County Launch Pad location officially opened in January 2026 at Evermont.
About the LA County Launch Pad at Evermont
Located at 8500 S. Vermont Avenue in South Los Angeles, the Launch Pad’s inaugural location is in the soon-to-be-completed Evermont mixed-use development, which has been vacant since the 1992 LA civil uprising and decades of disinvestment. It is now being transformed into affordable housing, a park, and commercial spaces, and will serve as a community landmark. The Evermont site was acquired by the County in 2017. Since 2018, the County, the Second Supervisorial District, and community partners, including Bridge Housing, the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD), and Primestor Development, have worked closely with local stakeholders and residents to shape a shared vision for the site. The name Evermont was selected by the community to honor South Los Angeles’ history, resilience, and future.
The LA County Launch Pad at Evermont, home to 180 affordable housing units—including 118 family units and 62 senior units—along with five ground-floor retail spaces intended to serve and uplift the surrounding neighborhood, provides nearly 1,500 square foot storefront with up to 24 months of subsidized or rent-free occupancy, allowing the selected small business to grow without early rent burdens and prepare for a successful transition into a permanent brick-and-mortar location upon the lease’s conclusion.
The space includes an adaptable open storefront, a compact kitchenette suitable for limited food preparation, and direct access to DEO’s Office of Small Business and partner organizations. Businesses receive no-cost 1:1 technical assistance and workshops through DEO’s Small Business Concierge and Certification and Contracting teams, as well as workshops and referrals, such as business planning, financial planning, and capital access, legal aid and representation, and digital marketing. The Launch Pad also offers community meeting space for tenant businesses, Evermont residents, and community-based organizations.
Nuna Behavioral Healthcare – Featured Inaugural Launchpad Business
In the News
Press Release:
LA County DEO Announces Inaugural Tenant of the LA County Launch Pad at Evermont in South LA
Following an open application process that attracted more than 300 submissions, DEO selected Nuna Behavioral Healthcare as the first Launch Pad tenant. Nuna Behavioral Healthcare, led by owner and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Laura Hernandez, officially joined the space in August 2025 as the inaugural tenant, bringing trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health services to a community historically underserved by traditional healthcare systems. Nuna Behavioral Healthcare provides culturally responsive, trauma-informed services that center the lived experiences of BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and neurodivergent individuals — ensuring mental-health support that reflects the diversity of Los Angeles. Services include:
Services include:
• Individual therapy (in-person & virtual)
• Free group therapy opportunities
• Support for FMLA/ESA documentation
• Referrals to higher-level behavioral-health care when needed
• A secure portal for communication and care coordination
To learn more, access services, or access community space, visit here.
Future LA County Pad Opportunities
