Los Angeles is two housing systems running in parallel: the City of LA (served by HACLA) and unincorporated LA County plus the 88 other cities in the county (served by LACDA). Knowing which one covers your address is the difference between applying to the right list and waiting on the wrong one. This page lists the named LA programs, agencies, and shelters that are actually operating in 2026 — and what's already closed.
Emergency Help Tonight in LA
LA's shelter system is centralized through LAHSA and accessed through Coordinated Entry. There is no single intake address — your assigned shelter depends on your zip code, household, and needs.
- Call 211 LA first. They route you to the Coordinated Entry System (CES) access point nearest you. CES is the only path into the LAHSA-funded shelter system
- LAHSA Emergency Response Program (ERP) activates during severe weather and other emergencies — most recently February 13–18, 2026 — distributing hotel/motel vouchers. Call 211 or talk to a street outreach worker during ERP activations to request a voucher
- Winter Shelter Program: the 2025–2026 winter shelter sites have closed for the season. Watch LAHSA's site for the next opening (typically December)
- Coordinated Entry network partners — these named agencies can also be approached directly: PATH (Skid Row, citywide), St. Joseph Center (Westside/Venice), LA Family Housing (San Fernando Valley), Union Station Homeless Services (San Gabriel Valley), The People Concern (citywide), LA LGBT Center (LGBTQ+ youth and adults), Safe Place for Youth (youth), Jovenes Inc. (East LA youth), Harbor Interfaith (South Bay), SSG HOPICS (South LA), Hathaway-Sycamores (San Gabriel Valley)
- Domestic violence shelters have a separate access path that bypasses CES. Call the LA County DV hotline at 1-800-978-3600
See our emergency housing tonight guide for the broader walkthrough.
Section 8 in LA: HACLA vs. LACDA
The first decision is which housing authority covers your address. Both run separate Section 8 lists with separate application windows. If you live in LA County but not the City of LA, or if you work in the city but live elsewhere, apply to both when their windows open.
HACLA — City of Los Angeles
- Most recent lottery just closed. HACLA received 223,375 applications representing 505,946 household members — an 18.94% increase over the prior opening five years ago. HACLA will now use a computer-randomized lottery to place up to 30,000 applicants on the active waitlist. Remaining applications are not held — if you weren't selected, you'll need to reapply in the next opening
- Selection preferences: applicants who live or work in the City of Los Angeles, and veterans (or households with a veteran member) released under conditions other than dishonorable
- New portal: Starting January 1, 2026, HACLA manages Section 8 through Rent Café, a modern online portal — paperless and faster than the prior system. If you have an existing HACLA account, your access transitioned to Rent Café
- Stay informed: sign up for HACLA email alerts at hacla.org — there is no other reliable way to know when the next lottery opens
LACDA — LA County (everywhere outside the City of LA)
- Administers Section 8 for the 88 incorporated cities of LA County plus unincorporated areas
- Runs its own waitlist openings on a separate schedule from HACLA. Check lacda.org/section-8 for the current status
- Some LA County cities (Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, Santa Monica, Compton, Inglewood, Burbank, Torrance) have their own city housing authorities running independent Section 8 lists. Apply to those separately if you live there
For the national application process and what to expect once you have a voucher, see how to apply for Section 8 and how to find your PHA.
Emergency Rental Assistance in LA
California's statewide pandemic-era rental assistance has wound down, and federal ERA funds in LA County have been drawn down. Current paths for help with this month's rent:
- Stay Housed LA — eviction defense and rental assistance program for LA County tenants facing eviction. Operated by a coalition of legal aid and housing nonprofits. Apply through stayhousedla.org
- 211 LA — connects you to whichever community-based organization currently has rental assistance funds available. Funds shift week to week; always call to confirm
- Catholic Charities of LA — one-time emergency rental and utility assistance through multiple regional offices
- St. Vincent de Paul Society of Los Angeles — emergency financial assistance through parish-based conferences across LA County
- Salvation Army Southern California Division — eviction prevention and one-time assistance through local corps community centers
- Jewish Family Service of LA — emergency assistance for LA County residents, with no religion requirement
- LIHEAP (utilities) — California's energy assistance program is administered locally in LA County by Maravilla Foundation and Long Beach Community Action Partnership. Apply via 211
California Tenant Protections (LA Specifics)
- Statewide rent cap (AB 1482): annual increases limited to 5% + local CPI, max 10%, on most units 15+ years old. Single-family homes owned by non-corporate landlords are exempt
- Statewide just cause for eviction (AB 1482): after 12 months of tenancy, landlords need a state-defined "just cause" to evict. No-fault evictions require relocation assistance equal to one month's rent
- LA City Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO): covers most buildings built before October 1, 1978. Annual allowable increase is set yearly by HCIDLA (typically 3–8%, depending on inflation). Stricter just-cause rules than statewide law. Confirm RSO coverage at housing.lacity.gov
- LA County Rent Stabilization Ordinance: separate ordinance covering unincorporated LA County. Caps and rules differ from the city RSO
- Source-of-income protection: California Government Code §12955 prohibits landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers anywhere in the state. Report violations to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) at 1-800-884-1684. See source-of-income protections
- Security deposit cap (AB 12, effective 2024): maximum 1 month's rent (down from 2 months for unfurnished, 3 for furnished). Refund deadline 21 days after move-out
- Right to legal counsel: California does not guarantee counsel in eviction cases, but LA has free legal aid: LAFLA (Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles), Bet Tzedek, Inner City Law Center, and the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice all represent low-income tenants
Other Affordable Housing Options in LA
- HACLA Public Housing: ~6,500 public housing units across LA City. Separate waitlist from Section 8
- LACDA Public Housing: developments across LA County
- LIHTC (Tax Credit) properties: thousands of income-restricted units throughout LA County. Search HUD's LIHTC database or LAHD's Affordable Housing portal
- Project-Based Vouchers (PBV): tied to specific buildings rather than tenants. HACLA, LACDA, and individual buildings maintain their own PBV waitlists — often shorter than tenant-based Section 8 lists
- HUD-VASH for veterans: referrals through the West LA VA, Long Beach VA, or Sepulveda Ambulatory Care. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
- Rapid Rehousing — through LAHSA's CES for households exiting homelessness
Next Steps
First step: figure out whether your address is in the City of LA or in LA County. The 'Find Your Council District' tool at lacity.gov tells you instantly. That answer tells you whether HACLA or LACDA is your PHA — and which Section 8 list to watch. If you need help tonight, call 211 LA. Our Where to Start tool routes you through this and the rest in about two minutes.