Funding for Homeless Services
The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) is responsible for the administrative duties associated with the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) received by Los Angeles County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The agency prepares and files the necessary applications and reports with HUD to receive ESG funds. These funds then pass through the LACDA to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). LAHSA plans the continuum of care for homeless services in the County and City, part of which includes distributing the County’s ESG funding to non-profit agencies operating shelter programs. LAHSA works to coordinate homeless service funds throughout the County and link such funds to development activities. For more information about LAHSA, please visit www.lahsa.org.
In response to the growing issue of homelessness among men, women, and children in the United States, Congress enacted and incorporated the Emergency Shelter Grant Program in 1986 into the subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371-11378). The Program improved existing emergency shelters, made available additional shelters, helped meet the cost of operating emergency shelters, and provided essential social services to homeless individuals.
The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH ACT), revised the Emergency Shelter Grant Program and renamed it to the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program. The ESG Program builds upon the existing Emergency Shelter Grant Program, but includes new activities in order to emphasize assisting people to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. To reflect this new emphasis, the ESG Program is expanding its homelessness prevention component and including a new rapid re-housing assistance component.
The ESG Program ensures that homeless individuals have access not only to safe and sanitary shelters, but also to supportive services and other assistance needed to improve their situations.