The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has master leased its largest property yet to provide apartments to people transitioning out of homelessness in Los Angeles County. Located in downtown LA, Vida DTLA provides 147 permanent homes to people experiencing homelessness.
LAHSA’s master leasing strategy is funded by a partnership of Los Angeles County and L.A. Care Health Plan and Health Net through the Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program. To improve the efficiency of the rehousing system, LAHSA’s effort aims to secure apartments on the private rental market and lease them directly to people experiencing homelessness. Through master leasing, LAHSA becomes a building’s landlord, removing many of the barriers that keep our unhoused neighbors from finding a permanent home.
“The opportunity to cut through red tape and biases is what makes master leasing appealing,” said LAHSA CEO Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum. “This building represents a significant expansion of LAHSA’s master leasing efforts and permanent housing opportunities. We’re deeply committed to the rehousing system and exploring all resources to bring our unhoused neighbors indoors.”
The Housing Diversity Corporation (HDC) completed the building within 24 months of breaking ground. People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) is providing supportive services to Vida DTLA participants.
“Bringing unhoused individuals indoors through interim housing and initiatives like Inside Safe is a vital first step to ending homelessness, but connecting people to stable housing is key. Master Leasing allows us to swiftly move people into their own units and the onsite supportive services provided by PATH help ensure that residents have the resources and support they need to not only find stability, but to thrive,” said Sasha Morozov, Los Angeles Regional Director at PATH.
“At L.A. Care, we recognize that health care is more than just a plastic card in your wallet,” said John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan. “We know that housing, food, and other social needs significantly impact the overall health and wellbeing of our members and their communities, and we are committed to supporting permanent housing initiatives like this one.”
“Working together with our partners to find new, innovative ways to provide housing for many vulnerable Angelenos has been a true honor,” said Martha Santana-Chin, Plan Chief Product President at Health Net. “No one should be without a safe place to call home. By combining master leasing with Activities of Daily Living assistance in one program, we can offer meaningful support to help individuals start their journey toward stability and self-sufficiency.”
LAHSA teamed up with providers in the communities around Vida DTLA to identify eligible tenants. Prospective tenants were chosen from a pool of participants through outreach, interim housing, or encampment resolution programs like Inside Safe and Pathway Home. Tenants were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone who did not secure a home at Vida DTLA will automatically be matched to the next available building.