Affordable Housing in Los Angeles, CA

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Los Angeles City and County — not generic Section 8 advice. HACLA's voucher waitlist is closed (LACDA is too, except for CES referrals), so the realistic short-term path is one-time help through Stay Housed L.A., LAHSA's Coordinated Entry System, and the named Skid Row shelters and nonprofits below. LA also has the strongest layered tenant protections in the U.S.: California's AB 1482/SB 567 plus the LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance plus the JUST Act extension to non-RSO units.

Emergency Help Tonight in Los Angeles

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) — joint City/County agency, lead for the Continuum of Care. Operates Coordinated Entry System (CES) for adults, families, and youth. (213) 683-3333 · lahsa.org
• Union Rescue Mission (URM) — Skid Row, the largest private homeless shelter in the U.S. Men, women, and families. (213) 273-6000 · urm.org
• The Midnight Mission — Skid Row, recovery and emergency shelter since 1914. (213) 624-9258 · midnightmission.org
• Los Angeles Mission — Skid Row, men's and family programs
• People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) — interim and permanent supportive housing operator across LA County. (323) 644-2200 · epath.org
• Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA) — multiple shelters and Bridge Housing sites
• Downtown Women's Center — women's day center and supportive housing in Skid Row
• Salvation Army Bell Shelter — large interim housing site in Bell
• Covenant House California — youth shelter 18-24, Hollywood. (323) 461-3131
• The Center in Hollywood / Hollywood 4WRD — Hollywood-area outreach and day services
• Jenesse Center and YWCA Greater Los Angeles — domestic violence shelters with 24-hour lines
• LA County DMH (Mental Health) Help Line — (800) 854-7771 for mobile crisis response and shelter linkage
• 211 LA County — free 24/7 information line. Dial 211

For a full walkthrough, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Los Angeles: HACLA and LACDA Status

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in the Los Angeles region are administered by two separate authorities. Current status (May 2026):

• Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) — covers the City of LA. HCV waitlist is closed. The most recent opening was via a lottery system. Starting January 1, 2026, HACLA moved to Rent Café, a modernized online portal. Existing waitlist members must use the new portal. (213) 252-2500 · hacla.org
• 2026 HACLA Voucher Payment Standards (VPS): set at 110% of Fair Market Rent / Small Area Fair Market Rent (reduced from 120%). This affects the rent ceiling for new and renewing vouchers
• Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) — covers unincorporated LA County and many contracting cities. LACDA's HCV waitlist is closed to public registration but the program continually accepts referrals from the Coordinated Entry System (CES) and partner agencies for households experiencing homelessness. (626) 262-4510 · lacda.org
• Other LA-area authorities you can apply to: Long Beach Housing Authority, Pasadena Housing Department, Burbank Housing Authority, Glendale Housing Authority, Compton Housing Authority, Inglewood Housing Authority, Pomona Housing Authority. Each runs separate waitlists
• Specialty referrals still accepted: HUD-VASH (veterans), Family Unification Program (FUP), Emergency Housing Vouchers, Mainstream vouchers, Foster Youth to Independence vouchers
• Public Housing: separate waitlist managed by HACLA

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Los Angeles (Named Programs)

• LA County Homelessness Prevention Unit (HPU) — targeted prevention dollars for high-risk households. Access through 211
• Stay Housed L.A. (SHLA) — collaborative legal and case-management service for tenants facing eviction in LA City and County. Provides representation, legal advice, and direct rental assistance referrals. (888) 694-0040 · stayhousedla.org
• City of LA Housing Department (LAHD) — administers Just Cause for Eviction (JUST Act) and the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). Also runs targeted rental assistance through partner agencies. (866) 557-7368 · housing.lacity.org
• Inquilinos Unidos / Eviction Defense Network — eviction defense, tenant organizing, Spanish-language
• St. Joseph Center, JWCH Institute, The People Concern — supportive housing case management and short-term rental help routed through CES
• Catholic Charities of Los Angeles — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration. (213) 251-3400
• Salvation Army Los Angeles — eviction prevention, utility help
• St. Vincent de Paul Society Los Angeles — one-time rental and utility help through parish conferences
• SoCalGas LIHEAP / DWP EZ-SAVE — utility discount programs
• 211 LA County — screens and routes to whichever provider has funds open this month

LA County ERAP and the City of LA ERAP have ended

The pandemic-era LA County and City of LA Emergency Rental Assistance Programs, which distributed federal ERA1 and ERA2 dollars, have closed. All funds are gone. Current paths are HPU, Stay Housed L.A., LAHD partners, and the nonprofits listed above.

Tenant Rights in Los Angeles (Strongest Local Protections in the U.S.)

Los Angeles tenants are covered by an unusually rich layer of state and local protections:

• California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), amended by SB 567 (effective April 1, 2024) — statewide rent cap at the lower of 5% + local CPI or 10%; just-cause for evictions of any tenant from day one. Exempted: single-family homes owned by an individual, buildings less than 15 years old, owner-occupied duplexes
• City of LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), Municipal Code Chapter XV — covers rental units in buildings of 2+ units built on or before October 1, 1978. RSO units have stricter annual rent caps (currently 4% with a CPI adjustment, capped at 8% with utilities) and just-cause eviction limited to 14 specific reasons
• Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance (JUST Act) (effective 2023) — extends just-cause protections to non-RSO rental units in the City of LA, including newer buildings. Adds relocation assistance requirements for no-fault evictions
• LA County Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance — covers many older multifamily rentals in unincorporated LA County with similar rent caps and just-cause protections
• 3-day pay-or-quit notice for nonpayment (CCP § 1161) — excludes weekends and judicial holidays. Paying the full amount within those 3 court days defeats the eviction
• Unlawful Detainer process — California eviction trials are typically held 15-30 days after filing in LA County Superior Court
• Security deposit cap (Cal Civ Code § 1950.5) — capped at one month's rent for most landlords under AB 12 (effective July 1, 2024). Must be returned within 21 days of move-out with itemized statement
• Source-of-income protection (Cal Gov Code § 12955) — California prohibits landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers. Statewide protection applies in LA
• Right to organize (Civ Code § 1942.5)
• Self-help eviction is illegal (Civ Code § 789.3) — $100/day plus actual damages
• Anti-Price Gouging during emergencies (Penal Code § 396) — caps rent increases at 10% during declared states of emergency. LA County has been under repeated wildfire and disaster emergency orders
• Fair housing: the California Fair Employment and Housing Act protects source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, and more

For free legal help: Stay Housed L.A. at (888) 694-0040 — bundles legal aid + rental assistance · Inner City Law Center, Public Counsel, Bet Tzedek, Eviction Defense Network. For state-level details, see our California housing resources.

Other Housing Programs in Los Angeles

• Public housing: HACLA manages public-housing communities across LA
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): LA has substantial LIHTC inventory. Search the HUD LIHTC database
• HUD-VASH (veterans): Greater LA Healthcare System (West LA VA campus) — one of the largest HUD-VASH programs in the country
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through LAHSA CES
• Measure A / Measure H — LA County tax dollars dedicated to homelessness services and housing
• CalHFA programs — first-time homebuyer · calhfa.ca.gov
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions and routes you.

HACLA voucher waitlist is closed — call (213) 252-2500 only to verify your existing position or ask about HUD-VASH/FUP/EHV. LACDA accepts CES referrals only — start by calling 211 to be screened. If you got a 3-day notice, call Stay Housed L.A. at (888) 694-0040 the same day — they bundle legal defense with rental assistance, and California source-of-income protection plus LA RSO/JUST Act often defeat the eviction outright.