Our region can’t make meaningful progress toward ending homelessness without preventing people from falling into homelessness in the first place. HSH works closely with our partners to provide access to a social safety net, supporting workforce development, and connecting individuals to health and mental health care before people reach the homeless response system.
Prevention Services Include:
- Problem Solving to assist with move-in costs, rental arrears, grocery cards, employment, and other items that can rapidly resolve someone’s housing crisis;
- Short-term rental subsidies;
- Housing conflict resolution and mediation with landlords and/or property managers; and
- Legal defense against eviction.
The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Agency (LACAHSA) and Homelessness Prevention
LACAHSA was created to make housing more affordable, help people stay in their homes, and increase housing options for people experiencing homelessness. The majority of Measure A funding for prevention is distributed by the 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. HSH is proud to partner with LACAHSA on this crucial work to maximize impact across our homelessness prevention programs Countywide.
Homelessness Prevention Programs
- Problem Solving support helps people identify viable temporary or permanent housing and other resources within their own network of relatives and friends. In select cases and as a last resort, limited and one-time financial assistance can enhance an individual or family’s success in rapidly connecting to alternative temporary or permanent housing.
- The Los Angeles County Departments of Health Services (DHS) and Mental Health (DMH) partnered with UCLA’s California Policy Lab on the Homelessness Prevention Unit pilot program, which uses predictive analytics to identify people who are heavy users of public health care and other social safety net services, and who are considered to be at the highest risk of becoming homeless. Learn more about the Homelessness Prevention Unit.
- The Youth Homelessness and Prevention Program provides direct housing assistance to support long-term housing stability for Transition-Age Youth (TAY) who receive General Relief benefits and are at higher risk of long-term homelessness. This initiative will also strengthen connections to the County’s social safety net and is estimated to serve approximately 500 TAY annually.
- The Permanent Housing for Older Adults Program provides direct housing assistance for older adults who are homeless or at high risk of homelessness.
Additional Homeless Prevention Programs Administered by Los Angeles County
- Stay Housed LA County is a partnership among Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, and local community and legal service providers. It helps tenants in Los Angeles County protect their rights and remain in their homes. The program offers legal services, community education, and information about tenant rights.