Norwalk, Downey and Baldwin Park are granted an award for making a difference in their communities

Last week, the League of California Cities announced the 11 Southern California communities selected as recipients of this year’s Helen Putnam Award for Excellence. The 2025 winners were chosen from 202 submissions across 12 award categories. The annual award honors cities for exceptional programs and initiatives that enhance the quality of life and improve services for their residents. The winning cities include Baldwin Park, Downey and Norwalk.

Baldwin Park

In the city of Baldwin Park, they received the award in the category of Housing Programs and Innovations. Since launching Esperanza Villa in November 2021 and Serenity Homes in September 2022, Baldwin Park has experienced an 80% reduction in homelessness over five years, from 556 individuals in 2020 to 108 in 2025. The city’s “interim housing” model provides residents with private units, full-size beds and furnishings.

“This award is a powerful affirmation of what Baldwin Park stands for: compassion, innovation and community,” said Baldwin Park mayor Alejandra Avila. “Our city chose to believe that homelessness could be addressed with dignity and humanity, and that belief has changed lives. The Helen Putnam Award recognizes the tireless efforts of our staff, our partners and our residents who refused to accept that homelessness was unsolvable. Together, we’ve built a model of hope for cities across California.”

Downey

In the category of Community Services and Economic Development, the city of Downey was granted the award for their science festival, which unites more than 200 organizations for a month-long celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The city’s effort in engaging diverse communities together with learning resources has also created an ecosystem of stakeholders to support underrepresented youth in STEM.

Norwalk

The City of Norwalk earned the award in the Public Safety category for its Teen Alliance Program (TAP), which empowers youth ages 13–18 through community service, leadership development, and skill-building. The program offers volunteer opportunities, monthly meetings, and community projects that help participants strengthen valuable skills while making a positive impact on their community. The city recognized the urgent need to support local teens facing academic stress, mental health challenges, and limited after-school opportunities. The city created the TAP program as part of its larger youth leadership initiative. Now, thousands of teens have gained mentorship and career readiness through the program while also teaching them to lead with purpose.

The award winners were honored during the Cal Cities Annual Conference and are now featured in Western City magazine. For a complete list of this year's categories, visit the program brochure.