Los Angeles County Homelessness Emergency Response
On January 10, 2023, the Board of Supervisors voted to proclaim a local emergency for homelessness in the County of Los Angeles.
The Board noted that the County’s efforts to address homelessness have resulted in more than 20,000 unhoused invididuals being placed into housing every year, 90% of whom remain in housing. However, even more people became unhoused over the same period.
The motion to declare a state of emergency, which won unanimous approval from the Board, said: “While we have many solutions that are working, the scale and speed at which these solutions are being implemented needs to be expanded and expedited, respectively.”
“Proclaiming a local emergency to address this critical crisis will provide the County with additional tools to accelerate and expand its response through the Homeless Initiative and in collaboration with our city partners,” the Board added.
Mission Driven
Mission 1: Encampment Resolution in Partnership with Local Jurisdictions
LACounty will collaborate with Cities and Councils of Government (COGs) develop plans and funding for encampment resolution, including :
- Outreach to those residing in an encampment.
- Identifying and offering them interim housing
- Matching them to resources and providing housing navigation services to move them into permanent housing.
- Providing supportive services in both interim and permanent housing.
Mission 2: Housing
The County must be able to more quickly transition people from interim housing, such as a shelter, into permanent housing, such as an apartment where the rent is subsidized and supportive services may be available for those with acute needs. The County will:
- Accelerate interim housing turnover and maximize capacity of existing beds.
- Make strategic investments in new interim housing linked to encampment resolution.
- Accelerate timelines to produce permanent housing.
- Increase permanent housing resources in partnership with local jurisdictions.
Mission 3: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services
LA County seeks to provide mental health and substance use disorder services to unsheltered and sheltered people experiencing homelessness at the level needed to meet their needs, including by:
- Coordinating field-based mental health and substance use disorder assessments and services with outreach workers and interim housing providers.
- Reducing wait times for services by prioritizing delivery of services to people experiencing homelessness unless otherwise prohibited.
Mission 4: Eviction Protection
LA County seeks to stop the inflow of people into homelessness by investing in interventions that help to ensure that individuals are able to stay in their homes, including:
- Coordinating and providing services related to eviction prevention, tenant protections, legal support and representation, and rental assistance.
Under the State of Emergency
We're Cutting Red Tape to Build More Housing More Quickly
Los Angeles County is easing rules and regulations that slow or prevent the construction of interim or permanent housing. We’re also expediting the process for acquiring properties and executing and amending leases.
We’re Accelerating Funding for Services
By making it easier to reallocate existing funding and to secure additional funding—including tapping funding from the Mental Health Services Act—we’re working to fund more homeless services quickly. Los Angeles County is also expediting the contracting and procurement of equipment, supplies, and services essential to helping people move out of encampments and into housing.
We’re Hiring More Service Providers
Under the state of emergency, Los Angeles County is creating more job opportunities and making the application process easier than ever. To hire more service providers, we’re offering hiring and retention incentives, such as signing, retention, and longevity bonuses, as well as housing stipends and bonuses for field-based work.