In 1975, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) implemented the Section 8 Program providing rent subsidies in the form of housing assistance payments (HAPs) to private landlords on behalf of eligible families. The Section 8 program, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides housing assistance to extremely low and very low-income individuals, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. Its objective is to provide affordable, decent and safe housing for eligible families, while increasing a family’s residential mobility and choice. HACLA, a state chartered public housing agency since 1938, now administers the second largest Section 8 Program in the country with an allocation of 45,432 Housing Choice Vouchers.
The Housing Authority has two different types of rental subsidies—tenant-based and project-based programs. Both programs have similar income-based admission requirements set by HUD. Households with a tenant-based subsidy are issued a Housing Choice Voucher that allows them to move from one place to another. Those in the project-based programs live in a building in which the units are subsidized. If a tenant moves from the building, they lose their rental subsidy. Generally, those in the project-based programs, and some tenant-based programs for special populations, are referred by various agencies and building owners to the Housing Authority, which confirms that they meet all the Section 8 eligibility requirements. Households on the Housing Voucher tenant-based program come from the Housing Authority’s waiting list of applicants.
HACLA offers a variety of Section 8 special programs to eligible households. They each have different eligibility requirements and each target various segments of low income households such as persons with AIDS and homeless individuals. HACLA is committed to housing homeless individuals and families through the Homeless Program, HUD-VASH, Permanent Supportive Housing Program, Skid Families Demonstration Project, Shelter Plus Care, and Project 50 programs. The Housing Authority has 132 contracts with 69 non-profit agencies, and works with other government agencies to deliver supportive services to Section 8 clients.
What is Section 8?
The Section 8 program is financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide rental assistance to very low income families. An eligible Section 8 applicant receives assistance by means of a Voucher which is used to rent a dwelling. The dwelling the applicant chooses must meet the Section 8 Housing Quality Standards and the rent must be reasonable. The owner of the dwelling must agree to abide by HUD/Section 8 Regulations. Section 8 tenants pay about 30% of their income towards their rent and HUD pays the rest of the rent to the owner.
The Housing Authority of City of Los Angeles waiting list is closed.
What is Project Based Section 8?
In some cases the assistancei s attached to the building itself. This means that the eligible tenant receives rental assistance as long as he/she remains a tenant in the subsidized building, but the assistance ends if the tenant moves. To obtain a list of HUD Assisted Rental Housing which includes some Section 8 project-based units, you may call HUD at (213) 894-8000. If a building on the list has a Section 8 subsidy, the tenants do not need a Voucher from the Housing Authority in order to qualify for assistance in the building.
Last Updated: October 25, 2012
