More than Four Thousand Families Assisted by the Emergency Housing Voucher Program to Remain Housed Through Coordinated City and County Efforts

Los Angeles, CA - Today, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) announced a major regional victory in the effort to prevent homelessness: the successful transition of all eligible Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) households into the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. This proactive, coordinated strategy will ensure that more than 4,000 households-including 2,700 HACLA families and 1,500 LACDA families-remain safely housed as federal EHV funding sunsets later this year.

This decisive action means that the progress Los Angeles has made in reducing homelessness will not be undermined by the federal phase-out of the EHV program. Thanks to HACLA's and LACDA's planning and advocacy, families across the region will remain stably housed without interruption.

A Program with a Powerful but Shortened Lifespan

Established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the EHV program was designed as a once-in-a-generation intervention to quickly rehouse people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The program was originally expected to remain funded through 2030. However, HUD moved to end the program early due to rising costs nationally, placing thousands of participants at risk of losing their housing.

Recognizing the threat this posed to the stability of vulnerable families and to broader homelessness reduction efforts, HACLA and LACDA launched an aggressive advocacy and transition strategy in partnership with federal, state, and local leaders.

A Proactive Strategy That Protects EHV Households

After receiving updated funding allocations from HUD, both agencies confirmed that they have sufficient resources to transition 100% of EHV households into the Housing Choice Voucher Program. This seamless conversion prevents any displacement and preserves the housing stability that EHV families have achieved.

"Thanks to the united advocacy of our federal, state, and local partners-and HUD's flexibility-we are able to protect housing for thousands of families across Los Angeles," said Lourdes Castro Ramírez, President & CEO of HACLA. "Our top priority since receiving notice of the program sunset has been to safeguard every household and ensure we do not lose the hard-won progress we have made to reduce homelessness."

"This is wonderful news and while there is a lot of administrative work to be done by our LACDA staff to transition all EHV Program participants between now and our target deadline, we are committed to helping our participants stay housed," said Emilio Salas, LACDA Executive Director. "Our staff are focused on our mission to Building Better Lives and Better Neighborhoods and toward contributing to housing stability for the County's most vulnerable residents."

Ensuring Every Family Remains Informed and Supported

Both agencies have begun direct outreach to all participating households. The LACDA mailed notices at the beginning of July; HACLA initiated notifications this week. Outreach teams will continue working closely with families, service providers, and property owners to ensure that participants understand the transition, respond to required steps, and maintain compliance with all program requirements. The transition period is expected to be completed by September 2026.

HACLA Exits Shortfall Status, Progress on Section 8 Applications

In a separate but significant development, HACLA has successfully exited HUD shortfall funding status under the voucher program. This milestone now enables HACLA to resume processing approximately 3,000 pending Section 8 applications that were paused last year due to federal funding constraints. This advancement marks a major step forward for thousands of families awaiting assistance.

Preserving Housing Stability Across Los Angeles

HACLA and LACDA's coordinated approach ensures that EHV participants will continue receiving rental assistance through the HCV Program as long as they remain eligible. By preventing the loss of nearly 4,000 housing placements, Los Angeles avoids a devastating setback that could have reversed local gains in reducing homelessness-maintaining momentum at a time when stability is critical.

The agencies will continue to collaborate closely with partners across the region to ensure that families remain housed and supported through this transition, and that the region's progress toward reducing homelessness continues uninterrupted. To learn more about programs offered through the LACDA, visit www.lacda.org. For more information about HACLA programs visit, www.hacla.org.

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About HACLA

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), established in 1938, provides affordable housing, rental assistance, and supportive services to more than 200,000 Angelenos. Its administrative portfolio includes 164 properties - 13 of which are public housing developments - totaling over 12,000 units, along with more than 60,000 Housing Vouchers and Certificates through the Section 8 program. For more information, visit www.hacla.org.

About LACDA

The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) is a dynamic, innovative agency created in 1982 by the Board of Supervisors. The LACDA's core pillars include housing and community development programs, including Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Public Housing, that benefit the unincorporated Los Angeles County residents and communities as well as incorporated cities that participate in LACDA programs. Funded primarily with Federal grants, the LACDA is an industry leader in sponsoring new solutions to housing and forming partnerships with private and public agencies. To find out more about the LACDA, please visit www.lacda.org.

Media Contact:

HACLA: [email protected]

LACDA: Elisa Vásquez, Public Information Officer, (626) 586-1762