Venice Boardwalk to Justice Leader: Derrick Rutledge Builds a New Life
After experiencing homelessness on the Venice Boardwalk, Derrick Rutledge found housing and support through St. Joseph Center. Today, he draws on his experiences to help people navigating the justice system, bringing compassion and a commitment to opportunity to his work with Los Angeles County.
In the summer of 2021, Derrick Rutledge found solace on the sand at Venice Beach, dwelling in an outdoor living space framed by two lawn chairs across from Good See Optical. Battling severe stress, depression, and substance abuse, he had lost his home, his business, and his daughter. Facing the despair of having lost everything, Derrick found himself crying on the pavement in MacArthur Park because he couldn’t see a way out.
Yet, every single day while experiencing homelessness on the Venice Ocean Front Walk boardwalk, Derrick kept going to school in MacArthur Park to pay for food and refused to give up on finding a place to call home. Recognizing the strength it took to keep moving forward, he found an unexpected community among the people on the street who rooted for him. When St. Joseph Center’s outreach team invited him to move indoors during the Venice Ocean Front Walk encampment project, it was an answered prayer.
Finding a Way Forward
Surrounded by food assistance, mental health support, and positive affirmations, Derrick began turning his life around. Moving into interim housing, the first simple grace he remembered enjoying again was taking a hot shower. He found deep gratitude for his case managers, giving a special shoutout to Edward Babb, Ivy Glover (who confronted his mental health diagnostic terms head-on to ask, “So what are we gonna do?”), and LaShanae, who sat hand in hand with him through the overwhelming fear, insecurities, and the weight of walking in reverse through everything he had lost. Looking back toward the rainbow-colored lifeguard tower where he used to watch the sunrise, Derrick reflected:
“I wasn’t someone who was homeless, I was someone who needed help.”
He added with deep gratitude for the team that stood by him:
“Without St. Joseph Center, I would not be where I am today. You guys are the best organization I’ve ever seen in my life, and I owe a big part of it to you guys. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“I wasn’t someone who was homeless, I was someone who needed help.”
From Recovery to Leadership
Derrick went on to earn a certification in Business and Office Administration, a field he had managed years earlier. He also gained employment at the very vocational school he attended while unhoused.
Now in 2026, Derrick’s long-held dream of stepping into leadership and becoming a voice for marginalized communities has come full circle. Having bridged the gap through Careers for a Cause and progressive leadership roles in case management, program management, and as an associate director, Derrick was headhunted during a 15-minute tour that turned into an hour-long meeting. Today, he serves as a Justice Program Senior Analyst with the Los Angeles County Justice Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD) at DOORs Los Angeles.
Building a Warm Landing Place
In his role, Derrick oversees a landmark legacy project: building a Warm Landing Place directly outside the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. Designed as a full-service access center for individuals with justice experience, this first-of-its-kind initiative brings every county department together under one roof to eliminate administrative delays. The program provides immediate legal support, family reunification, job placement, transportation, and emergency shelter—including a newly acquired building featuring 20 beds on the third floor, a 29-bed facility, and a dedicated funding pool backed by a BHCIP grant.
Reflecting on his journey, Derrick remains grounded in his purpose. Now the proud father of a 7-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old college student in Arizona, he carries the hard-won wisdom of his past into his service every day:
“Keeping faith, there is no end to what I’m capable of. I see that now. I needed to experience what I experienced in order to do that… Being unhoused was some of the best learning experiences of my life to see who I am.”
“Keeping faith, there is no end to what I’m capable of. I see that now.”
Derrick is still that same person who believes he can help heal the world. From the Venice boardwalk to shaping countywide justice and housing policy across Los Angeles, his mission remains unchanged: to see people as human beings, offer radical care, and ensure no one has to navigate the road to recovery alone.
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