About 1,500 foster youth age out of the Los Angeles County child welfare system each year. Most have nowhere to turn for jobs, housing, higher education, or support. The Emancipated Foster Youth Transitional Housing program promotes the individual achievement of former foster youth by providing housing and support services.

To help promote individual achievement for emancipated foster youth, the LACDA has joined with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Los Angeles Department of Probation, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH), Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), and community non-profit organizations, to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, and support services to emancipated foster youth.

What Is Transitional Housing for Former Foster Youth?
The goals of the transitional housing programs for former foster youth are to develop affordable apartments, transitional housing, and emergency shelters in Los Angeles County, in conjunction with support services to help youth become independent adults. In addition to housing, the programs offer job training, computer training, educational assistance, and other social services. Youth are allowed to stay in transitional housing up to two years. The housing units are located in LACDA developed properties as well as privately-owned houses and apartments.

Independent Living Program
The LACDA has partnered with LAHSA to work with community non-profit agencies to administer the housing portion of the Foster Care Independence Act (Independent Living Program). Through this program, over 166 new beds have been created. Additionally, through this program, youth are given assistance in locating and maintaining permanent housing. 

LACDA Transitional Housing Developments
The LACDA has also developed affordable housing units for former foster youth throughout Los Angeles County. Apartments for former foster youth are located in Westchester, East Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, Westwood, North Hills, San Gabriel Valley, and the unincorporated South Whittier communities.

Are you a youth interested in applying for transitional housing?
Detailed eligibility and information for former foster youth can be found at  www.ilponline.org.

For admissions information, contact Lynn Durham at DCFS, (213) 351-0190.

Are you an organization interested in developing transitional housing for former foster youth?
The LACDA does not currently have any funding opportunities for transitional housing for former foster youth. You may sign up to be a LACDA Vendor to be notified of future funding opportunities. Please click here to register as a LACDA Vendor.

We also suggest that you sign up with LAHSA to be notified of future funding opportunities at http://www.lahsa.org.

The Emergency Shelter Fund is a one-time only flexible $20 million fund for the expansion of emergency shelter or transitional housing beds throughout Los Angeles County. The funding is flexible and can be used for the following types of activities:

- Construction of new year-round homeless shelters
- Expansion of beds in homeless shelters currently in existence
- Services and ongoing operational costs for year-round homeless shelters

For information on the Homeless Initiatives and Housing Categories, please contact us.

There are a number of housing initiatives currently taking shape that will positively impact the ability to create more affordable housing linked to social services for those currently at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness.

Locally, Bring LA Home!, a group of 65 diverse stakeholders brought together by the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, began creating a 10-year strategic plan and campaign to end homelessness in November 2003. This plan and campaign intends to end homelessness in the County through local and State policy changes.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the Special Needs Housing Alliance Strategic Plan in October 2005, which will guide County efforts to provide housing, operational subsides, and supportive services for the County’s special needs populations. As part of this approved plan, the Chief Executive Office (CEO) and the LACDA have been instructed to develop a proposal to establish a Housing Trust Fund that provides a dedicated, ongoing revenue source to fund operating and supportive service costs associated with housing for special needs populations.

In October 2005, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health submitted its plan for the Community Services and Supports segment of funding for the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63). This plan contains a number of new and expanded services to persons with mental illness, including a significant emphasis on safe and stable housing and services linked to housing that promote stability. The Act permits funds to be used for housing, and specifically provides counties with funds to expand capital housing development projects.

Direct Access to Housing is an innovative permanent housing solution for chronically mentally ill and dually diagnosed homeless individuals. Recognized nationally, this concept originated in San Francisco where the Department of Health Services funded housing to offset emergency room costs. Locally, the LACDA and the Department of Health Services are in formal discussions to implement a pilot project to assist in providing permanent housing to individuals discharged from County operated hospitals.

In December 2004, the Board of Supervisors passed a motion to require all health and human service departments of the County to have discharge plan policies. The CEO has convened workgroups of those County Departments to create discharge policies for implementation.

Through the Affordable Housing Trust, the LACDA has assisted in the development of affordable housing units for people living with HIV/AIDS.
 
As part of the Special Needs Housing Alliance, the LACDA is part of a HIV Housing Collaborative to encourage coordination of housing-related resources and services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County. The mission of the HIV Housing Collaborative is to increase housing opportunities linked with services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County.

The LACDA has assisted in the development of over 500 affordable housing units for people with mental disabilities. The LACDA provides assistance to non-profit developers to build transitional and supportive housing for residents with mental illness. The housing developments range from shared living programs and assisted living to independent living with individual apartments. All of the projects offer a common space for other activities of daily living and/or supportive services. All residents receive supportive services from private mental health agencies or the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Domestic Violence is defined as abuse committed against a spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or a person with whom the suspect has had a child, or is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship.

For security reasons, the LACDA does not publish the addresses of Domestic Violence shelters. Persons seeking shelter should call:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE
Phone: (800) 978-3600

The LACDA has a strong commitment to helping people with special needs or disabilities by providing funding to developers and non-profit organizations to build special needs housing with supportive services. Funding is made available for the development of housing for the following special needs populations: persons with mental illness, persons living with HIV/AIDS, victims of domestic violence, transition age youth, persons with developmental disabilities, homeless households, and frequent users of County Department of Health Services or Department of Mental Health emergency services.

The LACDA operates the Los Angeles County Housing Resource Center, a web-based housing database that allows persons with physical disabilities find affordable rental housing with accessibility features. The database can be found at housing.lacounty.gov. 

Low-income homeowners with disabilities may be eligible for ADA-approved repairs or modifications to increase accessibility in their house. More information can be found under Home Improvement Programs.

The LACDA also works with other County Departments and agencies to share information, integrate resources, and coordinate efforts to assist lower-income persons with special needs. 

Additional information is available through these to partner agencies and organizations.

Developmentally Disabled
Department of Developmental Services
dds.ca.gov

Domestic Violence
Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services
dpss.lacounty.gov

Emancipated Foster Youth
Department of Children and Family Services
dcfs.lacounty.gov

HIV/AIDS 
The Los Angeles County Office of AIDS Programs and Policy (OAPP)
publichealth.lacounty.gov/dhsp

Homeless/Formerly Homeless 
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
lahsa.org  

Mentally Ill
Department of Mental Health
dmh.lacounty.gov/our-services

People with Disabilities 
Department of Public Social Services
dpss.lacounty.gov/en.html

Social Security
ssa.gov 

Seniors
Department of Public Social Services
dpss.lacounty.gov/en.html

Substance Use
Department of Health Services
dhs.lacounty.gov/

Department of Public Social Services
dpss.lacounty.gov/en.html

Transitional Age Youth
Department of Children and Family Services
dcfs.lacounty.gov

Veterans
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
lacounty.gov/residents/social-services/military-veterans