About Us

HSH provides an opportunity to consolidate and strengthen the County’s response to homelessness. The driving force behind the new department is increasing accountability and transparency, streamlining bureaucracy to stretch our dollars further, and improving care for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The department was formed following a motion passed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in April 2025.

Many of the functions of the Homeless Initiative and Housing for Health will continue under HSH. The Homeless Initiative, launched in 2015, focused on coordinating countywide homelessness strategies. Housing for Health, which was a division within the Department of Health Services, operated an integrated continuum of care, from street outreach to permanent housing, with case management, benefits advocacy, and clinical services. HSH unifies the strengths of each entity into one department with clearer authority, integrated strategy for services and greater accountability.

LAHSA continues as an integral partner in the region’s homeless services and re-housing efforts. As the County’s largest Continuum of Care (CoC), LAHSA will maintain important CoC functions like managing the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and leading the Point-in-Time Homeless Count.

The County has seen a decrease in homelessness for two years in a row because of investment in successful programs and strategies. However, there is room for improvement in how we do the work to build on this success, learn from others, and adapt to new conditions. We’re focused on accountability, delivering care more efficiently and effectively, and improving how we coordinate with service providers and countywide partners, such as cities and unincorporated communities.

HSH will continue several successful programs, including street-based engagement and outreach, interim and permanent housing, benefits assistance, the Homeless Prevention Unit (HPU), and encampment resolutions through Pathway Home.

HSH’s largest funding source is Measure A, the new sales tax dedicated to homelessness and housing. Other ongoing and one-time funding sources include:

• Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP)
• California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM)
• AB 109
• NCC
• Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF)
• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
• Various agreements with County departments, local jurisdictions, and other entities.

Additional information about HSH’s funding sources is outlined in the motion establishing the HSH FY 2025-26 budget. Measure A funding currently administered by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority that will be administered by HSH will be determined in the FY 2026-27 Spending Plan.

The department is facing a deficit because overall funding for homelessness services is shrinking across all major sources at the same time:

(1) Measure A is bringing in less revenue than projected, largely because consumer spending is down in a tight economy, which directly reduces sales-tax receipts.

(2) At the same time, the State of California has sharply reduced homelessness and housing funding due to its budget shortfall.

(3) Federal support, particularly through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has also decreased, with the Trump administration redirecting crucial federal funding away from housing programs with a proven track record that have enabled us to move people off the streets and into safe, permanent homes.

In addition to decreased funding, Measure A must absorb new or expanded cost obligations to maintain and grow existing Measure A-funded programs and services. These obligations include funding to maintain interim housing bed rates and operating costs associated with new housing sites coming online.

HSH is doing all it can to secure additional funding sources and identify programmatic efficiencies. We are prioritizing funding for interim and permanent housing programs – programs that literally keep people off the streets and safely inside. And we are preserving nearly all existing County housing resources, including all interim and permanent housing for families, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence.

For more on the FY26-27 draft spending plan, click here.

The structure of the new department makes it far easier to track which contracts are being funded, what services are being delivered and whether providers are being paid on time. By placing contract management, program oversight, and fiscal accountability under one roof, HSH can work directly with service providers, strengthen trust, and ensure resources reach the front lines where budgets are tight and delays can be destabilizing.

Most importantly, the public can now see quantifiable results, such as the number of people housed or connected to services, all in one place through online dashboards and reporting tools. Click here to view our Measure A Progress Tracker.

Yes, HSH will continue the successful Homelessness Prevention Unit (HPU) that was previously under Housing for Health. HPU is an innovative program that uses predictive analytics to identify people who might be on the verge of homelessness. Case managers step in to provide support as needed so program participants don’t lose their housing. People identified by this program are 71% less likely to enter a homeless shelter than people who don’t receive this intervention.

The Countywide Benefits Entitlement Services Team (CBEST) also serves as a prevention intervention by helping those at risk of homelessness get connected to income and other resources through disability income programs.

In addition, most of the Measure A funding for prevention is distributed by the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA). These dollars will fund rental assistance, flexible prevention funds, eviction prevention work, legal services, and other strategies to assist households at risk of losing their housing.

To request help for someone experiencing unsheltered homelessness, please submit a request for support through the LA Homeless Outreach Portal (la-hop.org). Click here for more information and resources.