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Collage of palm trees on a light green and orange gradient background with palm trees in the foreground. At the top of the banner is the Los Angeles Housing Department Newsletter centered in the image.
Welcome to the Summer Wrap Up Edition!

Headshot of Ann Sewill

A Message from our General Manager


For many of us, the end of summer marks the changing of seasons – it signals a transition from hot, sunny days spent enjoying the outdoors, to shorter ones, with cooling temperatures, back-to-school schedules, and homework assignments.

The changing of seasons can also stir feelings of nostalgia, excitement, or hope for a fresh start. I am especially aware of that as I close one chapter and look toward another.

When I stepped into the role as LAHD General Manager in July 2020, the world was gripped by a pandemic and uncertainty was constant on all fronts. Many of our friends and neighbors appreciated the nightly televised updates from the Mayor, ending with “strength and love, Los Angeles.” Within that first month, LAHD's Regulatory Code & Compliance Bureau - led by Anna Ortega, Marcella DeShurley, and their team - began the process of getting $100 million in emergency rental assistance funds out the door; and they did not stop until Angelenos had received more than $1.5 billion in aid during that four-year period.

Although homelessness and housing insecurity remain a crisis that we must continue to confront, we persevere, and can collectively take pride in the work being accomplished. Among the things I am most proud of is that Proposition HHH - the largest municipal bond measure ever approved for affordable housing in the City of Los Angeles – will have produced a larger number of permanent supportive housing units, at a lower cost per unit, and on a faster schedule than we anticipated. The final 10 Prop HHH projects will be under construction by 2025, and once all are complete, Prop HHH will have helped to fund 130 projects, and leveraged other funding to deliver more than 12,000 units for people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.

Another high note has been the passage of the ballot measure United to House LA (ULA), approved by Los Angeles voters in November 2022. ULA established a source of permanent funding for affordable housing production and preservation, and for homelessness prevention. The funding available from ULA provides Los Angeles a real opportunity to address the significant and ongoing challenges around housing affordability and instability. ULA funding on its own will not be enough to solve these problems, but the programs established under the Measure can be a catalyst for necessary change and progress.

Recently I attended the opening of the new South LA Development Services Center (DSC), where LAHD, the Department of City Planning, and the Department of Building and Safety will all provide services to local residents. I enjoyed meeting our public counter staff who help landlords and tenants with rent and housing code issues. They told me that they often are asked “how do I find housing?” by people who walk in, and I was so pleased that the Affordable and Accessible Housing Registry (https://lahousing.lacity.org) we launched through our Accessible Housing Program has been helpful in answering that question.

With this newsletter, we want to share information like the completion of Prop HHH projects or the opening of the DSC, so all Angelenos know what we are working on, and so we can celebrate the hard work it takes to produce and preserve housing. Among the news you will find in this edition, we will introduce one of the housing projects that benefited from Prop HHH funding, observe a one-year anniversary, and offer information and guidelines for Landlord Cost Recovery programs.

It has been my privilege to serve as General Manager, and to be part of the many ways LAHD serves the residents of our city. I am grateful for the LAHD staff, for the support of colleagues in other departments, and the leadership of the Mayor and City Council, and I wish you all the best in the coming years.

Strength and Love, LAHD,

Ann
UPDATES

Banner of United to House Los Angeles logo at the top, with icons in the middle and the words Program Guidelines at the bottom. UNITED TO HOUSE LA:
Program Guidelines Approved
by Citizen Committee

Photo of United to House Los Angeles Council members at a meeting in a board room.

In November 2022, Los Angeles voters approved a groundbreaking ballot measure called United to House LA (ULA) (https://housing2.lacity.org/ula) . ULA increases the transfer tax on large property sales of over $5 million – with all of the revenue dedicated to addressing the dual crises of housing insecurity and homelessness. In the two years since its adoption, ULA has been challenged in state and federal court, with disposition of those cases still pending; however the Mayor and City Council moved to allocate $150 million of ULA's first year revenue intake, to fund several much needed support programs. The City could be required to pay back collected revenue if the outcome from the state legal case is unfavorable.

This summer, the United to House LA (ULA) Citizen Oversight Committee (https://housing2.lacity.org/united-to-house-la-citizens-oversight-committee-ula-coc) (COC) unanimously approved Program Guidelines (https://housing2.lacity.org/ula-program-guidelines) for 11 new ULA-funded affordable housing and homelessness prevention programs. The Guidelines are now under review by the City Council and Mayor for adoption.

Currently, ULA is the largest sustainable funding stream dedicated to affordable housing production and homelessness prevention in the City of Los Angeles. Its eleven programs will address the lack of affordable housing in Los Angeles, and will provide protections and support to tenants.

The ULA COC is tasked with advising LAHD, the City Council, and Mayor on priorities and recommended Guidelines for ULA-funded programs. Program Guidelines provide additional details and parameters on the implementation of those programs.

ULA Program Guidelines recommended by the COC represent hundreds of hours of collaboration, discussion, and consensus-building among a wide range of stakeholders and City partners. This year, these programs will support the critical production and preservation of nearly 500 homes, and will provide services to more than 20,000 lower-income households. ULA's impact is expected to grow in the coming years, as available funding continues to increase.

Learn more about ULA on the LAHD website (https://housing2.lacity.org/ula) ; and to stay up-to-date on the Council adoption process, subscribe to Council File 23-0038 (https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=23-0038) for updates.


Banner of three photos of the Watts Works Project. The top image is an aerial view of the housing development. The other two photos show mock-up of the residential units showing the living room space and the kitchen. SPOTLIGHT: Watts Works
An Innovative HHH Success

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), has become common in conversations about solutions for homelessness. At its core, PSH is housing that is partnered with “wraparound” supportive services such as counseling, job training, social services navigation, and assistance with health appointments.

One of our recent PSH grand openings is Watts Works, located in City Council District 15. The masterminds of the unconventional project are Daylight Community Development (https://www.daylight.la/) , The People Concern, and the Decro Corporation. These companies partnered to build the innovative modular 25-unit construction using storage containers. The four-story structure is dedicated to housing chronically homeless individuals, and providing wraparound social services that are critically needed by those who are acclimating to living indoors. Among many funding sources instrumental to this project, Watts Works received a highly coveted HHH funding award in 2019, and construction began in August 2020.

The innovative project used fifty-six 20’ x 8’ shipping containers to create the housing units and its amenities spaces - including a community room and office spaces for the on-site property and case managers. The containers used are called “one timers”, because they were once used to ship goods between Asia and the Port of Long Beach. The containers were then repurposed, customized, and attached to one another to create living spaces. By repurposing these containers, the Watts Works project effectively reduced the demand for new construction materials and helped minimize waste. A major benefit of this project type is that it contributes to environmental sustainability by promoting resource efficiency and recycling. Specifically, the Project netted 12.4 tons fewer CO2 emissions than a traditionally built project of comparable size.

Celebrated for its innovative design, and recognized during a recent UN Climate Change Conference for its sustainable building methodology, Watts Works is a milestone project that has opened the path for more to come.

Banner of two images, the top image is a collage of multi-generational war vets facing the United States flag. The bottom image shows a woman in a wheelchair shaking hands with a healthcare provider. A WIN FOR HOMELESS VETERANS:
Housing Assistance and Supportive Services

On August 7th, 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced changes to its affordability- eligibility standards which give guidance about housing assistance for homeless veterans with service-connected disabilities. Notably, HUD increased income eligibility for the HUD-VASH program, raising it from 50% of area median income to 80% of area median income. Also, it excluded veterans’ disability benefits from being considered as income; which for some, created a barrier in determining eligibility. As a result, worthy veterans will no longer have their disability benefits counted against them when seeking eligibility for the HUD-VASH program: the most successful existing program for ending veteran homelessness.

The HUD-VASH program teams HUD rental assistance with Veterans Administration (VA) case management and other supportive services to end veteran homelessness. Since the inception of VASH in 2010, more than 200,000 homeless veterans obtained permanent affordable housing nationally
, reducing the number of veterans experiencing homelessness by more than 50%. However, the program limited eligibility to veterans with incomes below 50% of the area median income ($44,150 for a one-person household in Los Angeles County). This low eligibility level meant that many homeless veterans with service-connected disability benefits were ineligible for HUD-VASH, the very benefit they need to end their homelessness.

With these changes, veterans’ disability benefits will no longer be considered as income, and the income limits will be higher, helping more homeless veterans with service connected disability benefits gain access to housing and supportive services. Learn more about HUD-VASH rental assistance, clinical services, and requirements here: https://www.va.gov/homeless/hud-vash.asp
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7W5btDpEBm/

MILESTONE: LAHD and Disability Rights Advocates Celebrate 1000th Accessible Unit Generated in Landmark Program


LAHD celebrated completion of the 1000th accessible unit in its Accessible Housing Program with disability rights advocates and partners, Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF), Independent Living Center of Southern California (ILCSC), Disability Rights California, and Relman Colfax PLLC. This marks a significant milestone in the journey towards citywide disability rights and providing independent living units for Angelenos with disabilities - and is the result of years of collaboration, hard work, and advocacy.

“LAHD is happy to celebrate this milestone of the 1000th accessible unit in the City of Los Angeles," said Ann Sewill, General Manager of LAHD. "Providing affordable, accessible housing creates opportunities far beyond the housing itself; ensuring people can live, work, and build communities together."

Group photo of Tricia Keane and Ann Sewill from LAHD along with CALIF members and other city and Disability Rights Advocates Communities. "Accessible and safe housing is essential to the well-being of all individuals,” said Keith Miller, Executive Director of CALIF. “Because of the work done by Lillibeth (the late founder of CALIF) and CALIF, we have witnessed many individuals with disabilities go from living on the streets or in institutions to living independently in a healthier and safer community of their choosing. They no longer have to feel dependent on others to help them meet their personal daily needs.”
Read the Full Article (https://housing2.lacity.org/articles/persistence-and-advocacy-for-disability-rights-culminate-in-unveiling-of-1000th-accessible-unit)

ULA Provides Emergency Rental Assistance to
Thousands of Angelenos

Banner of United to House Los Angeles Emergency Assitance program.
In the past year, as part of United to House LA (ULA), the Short Term Emergency Assistance program has provided more than $30 million in emergency financial relief to thousands of tenants in the City of Los Angeles; delivering up to 6 months of back rent owed to property owners. In light of the enormous amount of debt in back rent owed by tenants across the City, the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), Mayor Bass, and the City Council agreed to allocate a sizable sum of funding - more even than was prescribed in the ballot measure - to the program.

The allocated funding was made available thanks to ULA's Expenditure Plan, created in its inaugural Fiscal Year 2023/24 (https://housing2.lacity.org/ula-dashboard) .

Each year moving forward, LAHD is required by the ballot measure to submit to the City Council, Mayor and the ULA Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) an Expenditure Plan for outlining how the previous year’s collected ULA revenue will be allocated, consistent with the requirements of the measure and ordinance that codifies the mandates of the new law.

Last fall, in a comprehensive effort to capture incoming requests, LAHD created online application portals that were made available for tenants and small landlords (applying in coordination with their tenants), and these portals allowed them to submit applications for rental assistance. The volume of incoming applications, and the assistance requests totals, far exceeded the original funding that had been earmarked. Therefore, while unfortunately falling short of meeting the scale of need, the COC, LA City Council, Mayor Bass, and LAHD successfully coordinated to increase program funding from the $18 million that was initially earmarked.

LAHD and our partners worked tirelessly to verify qualifications, process claim approvals, and disburse the much needed relief funding. While the need and demand still far outpaced the available resources, by May 2024, with all of the funds distributed, the ULA Short-Term Emergency Assistance program had paid out more than $30 million dollars in rent payments on behalf of 4,303 Los Angeles City households.
PROGRAMS

A collage features three individuals, each presented with cut-out shapes that come together to form a cohesive scene with houses in the background. On the right, a person is seated in a wheelchair. In the center, a second person, appearing visually impaired, holds a cane. To the left, the third person, also in a wheelchair, has a dog sitting on their lap.

The LAHD Accessible Housing Program

LAHD is firmly committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have physical and programmatic access to affordable housing developed with assistance from the City and/or the former Community Redevelopment Agency/Los Angeles. Through LAHD's Accessible Housing Program (AcHP), the City promotes, monitors and enforces equal opportunities for people with disabilities to rent, use, and enjoy this housing.

The AcHP covers existing and all newly constructed affordable housing. These developments are referred to as Covered Housing Developments. In addition to physical accessibility, the City requires these developments to adopt standardized rental housing policies consistent with federal and state fair housing laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Physical accessibility includes having the required number of units with specific features for persons with mobility disabilities and persons with hearing/vision disabilities, and having common areas with accessible pathways.

To find out more about the Accessible Housing Program, check out the AcHP (https://lahousing.lacity.org/AAHR/ComCon/Tab/RenderTab?tabName=Overview) webpage.
Image of a person holding a key standing in front of a house.

Housing Opportunities for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS

LAHD facilitates housing support and resources for low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) program.

The following services are offered for Housing Subsidy Assistance:

Short-Term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility (STRMU): This support service provides eligible clients with short term financial assistance to maintain their permanent housing through financial crisis, medical condition, or loss of income. STRMU eligible households must live in non-subsidized housing and have a source of income. Assistance is available for up to 21 weeks over a 52-week period.

Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA): Provides up to 12 months of rental assistance for very-low income and homeless households with HIV/AIDS. TBRA operates similarly to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program (Section 8), and is offered by four public housing authorities: the City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, City of Pasadena, and the City of Long Beach. After 12 months, eligible clients can transition to the regular (non-HOPWA funded) HCV program if they are still eligible. Participants are also connected to housing specialists and supportive services.

Crisis Housing: Emergency and Transitional housing for clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. Supportive services are also provided.

Permanent Housing Placement (PHP) grant: Program provides move-in grants for security deposit, first month’s rent and utility turn-on, and other related moving costs. Available once every 3 years; must be moving into permanent housing.

Please visit the LAHD HOPWA webpage (https://housing2.lacity.org/housing/services-for-persons-living-with-hiv-aids) for more information.
NEWS YOU CAN USE

Repair Programs: Proactive Building Improvements

In order to ensure rental property units are not only livable, but enjoyable, landlords may want or need to invest in their properties; and this can be challenging without adequate funding or resources. The following programs are available as options to consider when making proactive improvements:

Banner of three images showing various types of home repair including mold remediation, plumbing, and home upgrades. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM

This program is a resource when making improvements to rental units or common areas for items that primarily benefit the tenants, and have a useful life of at least five years - such as installation or replacement of washers and dryers, security gates, carpet, roofing, etc. Improvement costs of up to 50% may be recovered. Landlords are encouraged to obtain the Capital Improvement Cost Recovery Application Packet (https://housing2.lacity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Capital-Improvement-Packet.pdf) before beginning a capital improvement project.

PRIMARY RENOVATION PROGRAM

In accordance with Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 151.07 A.1.(d), if a housing provider performs renovations on a rental unit or rental building’s major systems, or reduces exposure to hazardous materials within their building, this program, may allow for cost recovery. To qualify, the work requires a Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) (https://housing2.lacity.org/rental-property-owners/tenant-habitability-program) , and a Primary Renovation (PR) Cost Recovery Program (https://housingapp.lacity.org/Rent/CaseAnalysis/PrimaryRenovation/QuestionnairePrimaryRenovationApplicationForm) application. If approved, guidelines for implementing cost recovery will be provided.

SEISMIC RETROFIT WORK COST RECOVERY PROGRAM

Strengthening the structural integrity of a building to better withstand seismic activity is critical in California. In 2015, the City of Los Angeles adopted mandatory seismic retrofit requirements for wood-frame buildings with soft, weak, or open-front walls that are vulnerable to earthquakes. In accordance with the Los Angeles soft-story building Ordinance #184081 (https://www.seismicordinances.com/assets/media/pdfs/los-angeles-ordinance-184081-2-19-16.pdf) , approved and completed seismic retrofit work may qualify for cost recovery. This work may also result in reduction of the provider’s insurance premiums.

There are a variety of programs and services available for property owners who invest in the habitability of their properties. Visit our Landlord Cost Recovery Programs webpage (https://housing.lacity.org/rental-property-owners/cost-recovery-programs) to learn more about applications and guidelines.
Flyer representing earthquake safety. There are icons representing drop, cover, and hold-on! Actions. If a person is in a wheelchair they should lock their wheelchair, cover, and hold on in place. Doorways are not recommended as. Part of earthquake safety practices. Banner of three images showing various types of home repair including mold remediation, plumbing, and home upgrades.

Los Angeles is Earthquake Country - Be Prepared


Minor earthquake shake-ups remind us that we live in earthquake country, but when a major seismic event hits, will you and your loved ones be prepared for it? Here are some things you can do to prepare:

1. Earthquake shaking can cause items to tip over or fall off shelves, potentially causing injury. Identify such items in your residential unit as well as your work area. Move bookcases and tall items away from beds and sitting areas as much as possible. Secure TVs and other large objects to their stands. In addition, discuss with your housing provider what you can do to improve your earthquake safety within your unit by taking some simple actions like securing large furniture and display cases to the wall.

2. A large earthquake can cause panic. Will you and your loved ones know what to do in the middle of the chaos? Take the time now to sit with your family and make a plan that works for you. Decide where you will meet if you need to evacuate during an earthquake. Determine how you will communicate with family and loved ones. Plan for everyone in your household, including persons with disabilities, elderly, children, and pets. Sign up for emergency alerts by visitinghttps://emergency.lacity.gov/alerts/notifyla for the City of LA’s emergency alert system.

3. Consider what emergency supplies you may need in the aftermath by placing items into a backpack and keeping one under the bed, in your car, and throughout your housing unit. (Examples of items to include: a change of clothes, non-perishable canned and dry food, water, juice, flashlights, battery operated radio, first aid kit, and cash in small bills.)
Read the Full Article (https://housing2.lacity.org/articles/emergency-preparedness-corner-earthquake-safety)
https://www.youtube.com/@lahd_housing

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

The banner of two images, the image to the left shows the Development Services Center (DSC) in South LA. The image to the right shows a group of people including Ann Sewill, general manager of the Los Angeles Housing Department.

Development Services Center in South Los Angeles Offers Community Resources All in One Location

LAHD, along with the Department of City Planning, and the Department of Building and Safety, celebrated the newly established Development Services Center (DSC) in South LA. The Development Services Center brings together multiple City departments in one convenient location, under one roof, to better serve the community.

The Mark Ridley-Thomas Constituent Service Center offers convenient access to key City services.
For more information on the South LA DSC, please visit: Planning4LA.org/SouthLA-DSC (https://planning.lacity.gov/project-review/south-los-angeles-development-services-center) . Visit the Mark Ridley-Thomas Constituent Service Center at 8475 Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90044
Council District 9 Affordable Housing Workshop

Photo of City Councilmember Curren D. Price speaking to a group of people with a presentation in the background.
City Councilmember Curren D. Price, and the Council District 9 team, recently hosted an informational workshop at William Jefferson Clinton Middle School, dedicated to demystifying the complexities of accessing affordable housing.

The District 9 community listened to special presentations delivered by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), and the South Central Neighborhood Council.

To find out more about upcoming affordable housing projects coming to South Los Angeles, or learn how to apply for affordable housing, visit lahousing.lacity.org/AAHR for more information.

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