Permanent Housing

Permanent Housing strategies lift people out of homelessness by providing either short- or long-term rental subsidies in combination with varied levels of supportive services.

According to LAHSA’s 2021 Housing Inventory Count and Shelter Count, permanent housing slots throughout the LA region increased 16% to 33,592 slots over the last three years. Meanwhile, placement of clients into permanent housing increased 74% on an annual basis between 2015 and 2020.

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The Los Angeles County Departments of Health Services (DHS), Mental Health (DMH), Public Health (DPH), Children and Family Services (DCFS), and Public Social Services (DPSS), along with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and the Los Angeles Homeless Community Development Corporation (LACDA), all receive Measure H funding to provide permanent housing.

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a type of permanent housing that provides long-term rental subsidies and Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS) to individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and have disabilities, chronic medical conditions, and/or behavioral health conditions. These may include licensed board and care placements adult residential facilities or residential care facilities for the elderly.

The County’s Permanent Supportive Housing slots are projected to increase nearly 60% between the current and next fiscal years — from about 13,000 in FY 2021-22 to about 21,000 in FY 2022-23.

TIME LIMITED RENTAL SUBSIDIES

The vast majority of people experiencing homelessness need a lower level of care than is provided through PSH.

Rapid Rehousing programs provide time-limited rental subsidies to quickly house people who have recently become homeless and offer them services until they can gradually take on the rent themselves.

Shallow Subsidy programs provide a long-term rental subsidy to help people avoid homelessness or reentry into homelessness. This is a lower level of assistance, often based on a set monthly amount, unlike traditional “deep subsidies” such as those provided through Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) or the federally-funded Housing Choice Vouchers, also called Section 8 Vouchers.

LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT

The Homeless Incentive Program provides incentives to landlords who rent out their units to people experiencing homelessness. The funds can be used to hold units, pay the security deposit, create a damage mitigation fund, and purchase furnishings.

With LeaseUp, property owners and managers are given access to a free online portal where they can share their vacancy listings with service providers and case managers, who can then match the unit with a rent-stable client in need of housing.

HOUSING INNOVATION

To spur the creation of more housing, the Homeless Initiative’s Housing Innovation Challenge awarded millions in funding for creative and scalable permanent housing solutions. The winning designs have included prefab modular kits, converted shipping containers, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).