LOS ANGELES — Today, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, alongside representatives from The Laundry Truck LA and community members, celebrated the official launch of a free, full-service mobile laundry program in Chinatown, bringing a long-missing essential service directly into the neighborhood.
For years, Chinatown has had no operating laundromats. Residents, especially seniors and low-income families, have been forced to wash clothes by hand or travel outside the neighborhood to access basic services. This lack of access has placed a disproportionate burden on a community already facing economic and housing pressures.
To address this gap, Councilmember Hernandez invested $250,000 to fund a year of free mobile laundry service in Chinatown, meeting everyday needs for longtime residents. Operated in partnership with The Laundry Truck LA, the drop-off service runs every Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. It is stationed outside the Alpine Recreation Center, across from Castelar Elementary, and near several senior housing complexes. Dedicated staff and volunteers handle all washing, drying, and folding. Since its soft launch in February, the truck has cleaned nearly 400 loads of laundry, washing about 40 loads a week and saving residents countless hours and money.
“Every neighborhood deserves access to the basic services that allow people to live with dignity, and for too long, Chinatown residents have gone without something as essential as a place to do their laundry,” said Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. “This program is about meeting people where they are and making sure our public resources are working for the communities that need them most. We will continue working to ensure Chinatown residents can stay, thrive, and access the everyday necessities that make a neighborhood whole.”
The full-service model serves as a lifeline for the neighborhood’s dense population of elderly residents, many of whom lack the hand dexterity or physical strength to wash heavy garments themselves. It also gives time and money back to low-income immigrant families and working-class caretakers, helping them stretch their budgets for rent, groceries, and other essentials. One Laundry Truck LA participant, Shaundra Major, described it simply: “Clean clothes are the foundation of dignity.”
“At Laundry Truck LA, we believe clean clothes are not a luxury, they are a basic need,” said Jodie Dolan, Founder of The Laundry Truck LA. “Bringing this service to Chinatown means removing a real barrier that families and seniors have been navigating for years. We’re proud to partner with Councilmember Hernandez to deliver a service that restores time, dignity, and peace of mind to the people we serve.”
“For many of the seniors and families we serve, accessing laundry has been a persistent and often overlooked challenge, said Peter Ng, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chinatown Service Center. “Without a laundromat in the neighborhood, residents have had to travel long distances or rely on physically demanding alternatives. This program meets a critical need in Chinatown, and we’re grateful to see resources directed toward services that make a real difference in people’s daily lives.”
"Since there are no laundromats in the neighborhood, the Laundry Truck has been a valuable resource for our community,” said Jessica, a Chinatown Community Member. “A lot of buildings in Chinatown don’t have functional laundry rooms. Before the truck, I had to do my laundry in another neighborhood, which was very time-consuming. I have saved time and money that I can spend on my kids instead."
The mobile laundry service is part of a broader, ongoing commitment by Councilmember Hernandez to direct vital resources, safety measures, and housing protections into the Chinatown neighborhood. Earlier this year, Councilmember Hernandez launched a Chinatown Business Unarmed Security Patrol to address public safety concerns along the corridor. She has directed $390,000 in a district-wide rental assistance program created to support CD1 constituents facing severe financial hardship or the impacts of federal immigration raids, and expanded support for small businesses through a $400,000 grant program. In the wake of a devastating Chinatown fire that displaced dozens of residents, she also introduced legislation to secure emergency support for tenants and hold negligent property owners accountable. Alongside these investments, Councilmember Hernandez has advanced tenant protections, helping pass legislation to strengthen anti-harassment laws, require eviction data transparency, and limit unjust evictions. Together, these efforts reflect a commitment to ensuring Chinatown residents have the resources, protections, and support they need to remain in their homes and thrive.
Media assets, including photos and b-roll, are available here.