40 Years of Building Better Lives and Better Neighborhoods

County's Development Authority Celebrates a Milestone, Remains Committed to Serving Residents, Partners, and Clients

October 18, 2022 – The Los Angeles County Development Authority is commemorating its 40th anniversary of serving as an established, trusted community leader within the County family, in its core areas of housing, community development, and economic development.

In 1982, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors consolidated three entities – the Housing Authority, the Community Development Department, and the Redevelopment Agency – to form the Community Development Commission (CDC). On May 16, 2019, the agency was rebranded as the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA). The LACDA is part of the County family, but an independent agency and not considered a County Department.

Currently headquartered in Alhambra, the agency’s wide-ranging programs benefit residents and business owners in the unincorporated Los Angeles County areas and in various incorporated cities that participate in different programs. According to the 2020 Census, over one million of the County’s nearly 10 million residents live in the unincorporated areas, many of whom are the recipients of services.

Through the years, the agency has made a difference in the lives of residents by preserving single-family homes, creating affordable rental housing opportunities for veterans, families, and persons experiencing homelessness; administering over 26,000 Housing Choice Vouchers and other special purpose housing vouchers; managing and maintaining 3,229 public and affordable units; funding and constructing parks, libraries, and other public facilities; and providing support to help businesses – small and large – start up or continue their success.

“The anniversary provides an opportunity for the LACDA to reconnect with partners and clients and celebrate the personnel who are committed to providing quality services and programming to meet the needs of County’s residents,” said Emilio Salas, LACDA Executive Director. “I am proud to lead this agency and remain dedicated to meeting our core mission, to Build Better Lives and Better Neighborhoods, which serves as our driving force for future endeavors.”

Almost 70% of the LACDA’s funding comes from the Federal government, 63% of which comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide subsidized housing, housing development and preservation, community development, and economic development within Los Angeles County. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, the agency has a budget of $982.3 million and a total staff size of 687.