A Los Angeles County program to help keep residents housed during the coronavirus pandemic distributed more than $81 million to landlords, officials reported Friday.
The LA County Rent Relief Program by the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs ran from Dec. 12, 2023, to June 4, 2024, and provided direct financial assistance to landlords countywide. DCBA officials said the program protected housing stability for thousands of tenants and helped mitigate COVID-19 pandemic’s the long-term impacts.
The program provided as much as $30,000 per rental unit for past due rent and eligible expenses dating back to April 1, 2022, according to the DCBA. Landlords who received grants totaled 1,824. Priority was given to properties with “vulnerable tenants” and landlords who own a maximum of four properties or manage units in areas that have the greatest need according to the county Equity Explorer Tool. The explorer technology uses county census tracts to identify highest-need communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic “based on COVID-19-related risk, severity and recovery need indicators,” according to county Chief Executive Office.
“The Rent Relief Program played a vital role in Los Angeles County’s pandemic recovery, helping small property owners while allowing tenants to remain housed,” DCBA Director Rafael Carbajal said in a statement. “This program is a testament to what we can achieve through targeted public investment and meaningful community partnerships.”
The Center by Lendistry administered the program on behalf of the county.
“We are proud of the outcomes this program achieved, especially for the landlords and tenants most at risk,” Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, president and CEO of The Center by Lendistry, said in a statement. “Behind every grant was a family trying to stay housed, a small property owner trying to keep their building afloat, and a community working to recover. As we close this chapter, we’re honored to uplift the stories of those impacted.”
A collection of video testimonials featuring landlords and tenants who benefited from the grants is available on the DCBA’s YouTube channel.
More information on housing and tenant protections programs is at dcba.lacounty.gov or available by calling 800-593-8222.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported significant increases in homelessness during the pandemic, which peaked in 2021, and ensuing years.
The 2018 point-in-time count found 52,765 people experiencing homelessness in LA County, with 31,285 in the city of Los Angeles. Those numbers dramatically increased through 2023 when 75,518 county residents were unhoused, including 46,260 in the city of LA.
In 2024, homelessness stabilized for the most part with LAHSA reporting 75,312 unhoused county residents, 45,252 of whom were in the city. This year’s count showed a second straight decline — 72,308 people experiencing homelessness in LA County for a 4% decline with 43,699 in the city, a 3.4% drop.
Officials noted a 9.5% in unsheltered homelessness, which refers to people living on the street or in parks, encampments in other public places or vehicles.
