More than 4,000 Los Angeles families who faced potential displacement when federal emergency housing funding expires will stay in their homes after two local housing agencies secured a workaround with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Development Authority announced Sunday, Aug. 16, that they will convert all eligible Emergency Housing Voucher households into permanent Housing Choice Vouchers. The move protects 2,700 HACLA families and 1,500 LACDA families, with the transition expected to wrap up by September.

Separately, HACLA has exited HUD's shortfall funding status, clearing the way for the agency to resume processing roughly 3,000 Section 8 applications that were paused last year.

A federal timeline that moved up fast

The EHV program launched under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to quickly rehouse people experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence. It was supposed to remain funded through 2030. Then HUD announced in March 2025 that rising costs nationally would force an early sunset, putting thousands of voucher holders at risk.

HACLA President and CEO Lourdes Castro Ramírez moved early. On Jan. 5, the agency notified 2,760 participants and 1,700 property owners that funding could run out between November and December 2026. Castro Ramírez said at the time that the agency was "exhausting every avenue" at the local, state and federal levels to bridge the funding gap, calling the notice a sign of respect for families who deserved time to prepare.

The fix worked.

Permanent vouchers, no displacement

After months of advocacy, both agencies confirmed they received updated HUD allocations sufficient to convert 100 percent of EHV households into the Housing Choice Voucher program with no displacement. LACDA mailed transition notices to its households at the beginning of July; HACLA began sending its notifications the week of Aug. 16.

"Thanks to the united advocacy of our federal, state, and local partners and HUD's flexibility, we are able to protect housing for thousands of families across Los Angeles," Castro Ramírez said in the joint announcement.

LACDA Executive Director Emilio Salas said his staff are committed to completing the administrative work before the September target deadline to keep participants housed.

Outreach teams from both agencies are working directly with families, service providers and property owners to walk participants through required steps. HACLA AmeriCorps members spent the past eight months alongside the Section 8 team keeping EHV clients informed and connecting them to supportive services.

Section 8 waitlist moves again

HACLA's exit from HUD shortfall status carries a second benefit: approximately 3,000 pending Section 8 applications, frozen by federal funding constraints, will now be processed. No specific timeline for completing those applications has been announced.

Families and property owners with questions about HACLA's Section 8 programs can call (833) 422-5248 or email [email protected].

LACDA, meanwhile, opened registration for 16 site-based Public Housing waiting lists on Monday, Aug. 17, with a deadline of Sept. 16 at 5 p.m., according to The Eastsider LA. That registration is separate from LACDA's Section 8 waiting list, which remains closed.