AKIDO LABS + HOPICS
Product Designer
Web, mobile
~6 months
BACKGROUND
Housing Journey, created in collaboration with HOPICS, is a digital solution designed to improve access to permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness in LA County
As part of the LA County Technology Innovation Challenge, our team at Akido Labs collaborated with HOPICS, one of the largest providers of homelessness services in Los Angeles. Our goal was to identify ways to improve housing outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness. We aimed to understand the daily challenges faced by both clients and staff in order to co-create a solution that empowers individuals, reduces staff workload, and addresses systemic inequities.
THE CHALLENGE
People experiencing homelessness navigate a housing system that relies heavily on in-person communication, long wait times, and complex paperwork, with limited support
Clients looking for housing often reach out to over 100 listings before finding one that will accept their application. Many don’t know what programs they’re enrolled in or how to explain their financial support to landlords. Information is hard to access, and those who aren’t highly proactive tend to fall through the cracks. Institutional racism created additional barriers to housing access.
On the provider side, case managers handle up to 60 clients each—more than double the recommended sustainable caseload. Outreach staff log the same encounter notes in up to three separate systems: ArcGIS, CHAMP, and HMIS. Accessing historical data in the field is slow and unreliable, making real-time support difficult. These inefficiencies reduce the time available for direct client support and delay housing placements.
sOLUTION
My Housing Journey: a self-service hub for clients that provides tools, guidance and visibility to confidently navigate housing journey and connect with landlords
DISCOVERY
Case managers wanted clients to be more proactive, while clients lacked access to the right information
We conducted over 25 hours of interviews and job shadowing with stakeholders including clients, case managers, access center staff, housing navigators, and outreach teams. Our research focused on understanding daily workflows, challenges, motivations, and gaps in the service experience.
While staff hoped clients would take a more active role, the system didn’t provide clients with the clarity or tools to follow through. Both sides needed a simpler way to stay aligned and move forward.
PERSONAS
Yvette Johnson
Client
LeSean Jacobson
Case Manager
Monica Gutierrez
Access Center / Intake Team Member.
Antonia Mendez
Client
A mother of four struggling with language barriers and landlord discrimination.
"At times, I had difficulty finding landlords that will work with me and do not discriminate against me because I do not speak English."
Key challenge: Convincing landlords to consider her application.
Jose Lopez
Outreach Team
Working directly with people on the streets, documenting encounters in multiple systems.
"We end up having to enter encounter data into ArcGIS and then re-enter the data into HMIS when we get back to the office."
Key challenge: Duplicative data entry across disconnected systems
Derrick Jones
Housing Team
Builds and maintains landlord relationships, matches units to clients, and coordinates move-ins.
"Some landlords and most large management companies find it hard to trust our clients and our process."
Key challenge: Limited client involvement makes sourcing units harder.
GOALS
Make the housing process more accessible for clients and more manageable for staff
We focused on:
Helping clients understand their housing program status and support resources
Guiding clients through the housing preparation process
Reduce bias by enabling clients to introduce themselves to landlords with clarity and credibility
Decreasing routine information requests sent to already overextended staff
This work was part of a broader effort to improve housing outcomes for LA County by addressing gaps in both client experience and provider workflows.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
System architecture that addresses the twin challenges through two interconnected modules
WIREFRAMES
Low-fidelity wireframes for review with various stakeholders to ensure alignment on system integrations
DESIGN
My Housing Journey Hub for Clients
The portal is accessible as a web application on both desktop and mobile devices, with three core components: Educational Content, Profile Management, and Enrolled Programs.
Style Guide
Combination of the Hopics legacy brand style with a warm touch. Cozy and calm colors, bubble smooth shapes, almost invisible gradients.
Educational Content
The Educational Content feature gives users clear, practical guidance to help them navigate the rental process and increase their chances of finding stable housing.
It includes step-by-step instructions, expert tips, and curated resources—delivered through accessible formats like videos, infographics, and downloadable guides—to support users throughout their housing journey.
Profile management
The Profile Management feature gives users a chance to share the parts of their story that are often overlooked in traditional housing applications.
With optional disclosures like name and photo to preserve privacy and reduce bias, users can add a personal touch through a short bio and a quote that highlights their strengths.
The profile also showcases key achievements and rent history to foster trust and transparency with potential landlords
Enrolled programs
The Enrolled Programs feature helps users stay informed about the services they’re receiving, offering a clear overview that reduces confusion and minimizes the need for follow-up questions to case managers or access center staff.
Connect with Landlord
This feature simplify communication by providing users with an auto-generated email template they can send to landlords. It's designed to make outreach quick and easy—especially for users who may not be confident writing formal messages in English. They can personalize the email if they choose, but the core message is ready to go.
DESIGN
"Akido Connect" for Outreach Team
Mobile app designed to support staff in managing client interactions. It includes tools to manage user profiles, view a complete history of interactions, add notes and records, and access a map view to track the client's last encounter locations. This enables outreach teams to stay informed, coordinate services effectively, and provide timely support.
