Overview
- City and county housing officials announced in July 2026 that the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Development Authority have the funds and authority to convert expiring Emergency Housing Vouchers into permanent Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers for about 4,300 households.
- HACLA said a 2026 congressional appropriation increased its Section 8 funding by $138 million, which covers the roughly $50 million annual cost of the emergency vouchers and lets it resume processing paused voucher applications.
- Officials expect the administrative work to be complete by September, and they have waived or simplified some eligibility steps so current participants can stay in their homes without heavy new paperwork.
- Gaps remain for roughly 1,200 EHVs administered by smaller local housing authorities, and the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach has reported it lacks sufficient funds to make the transition for its voucher holders.
- The emergency vouchers were created under the American Rescue Plan to house people during the pandemic, and while this action eases immediate risk for thousands in L.A., housing advocates note it is a local solution to a larger national shortfall that left about 46,000 EHV holders nationwide at risk earlier this year.