As part of a bid to alleviate the Los Angeles housing crisis, Mayor Karen Bass has launched the Measure United to House LA (ULA) Emergency Renters Assistance Program. The strategy aims to provide assistance to small landlords and housing providers, in efforts to prevent homelessness and create affordable housing options for tenants.
The mayor is encouraging eligible landlords, owning less than 12 units, to apply for the program. It covers up to 6 months of unpaid rent for low-income tenants at risk of homelessness, as stated in the Mayor's Office announcement.
The Emergency Renters Assistance Program aims to deal with different areas of the housing crisis, by supporting both tenants and landlords. To combat homelessness and housing instability, this initiative takes a multifaceted approach.
Approved by the City Council, the Measure ULA Expenditure Plan action lets funds be directed to renters and housing providers to curb the increasing number of evictions. The plan dedicates substantial resources to numerous programs targeted at eliminating evictions and homelessness.
For instance, the Short-Term Emergency Assistance Program allocates $18.4 million for eligible low-income households for the payment to up six months of owed back rent, resulting from an economic setback. This initiative prioritizes those with lower-income households, according to the Mayor's Office.
The Measure ULA Expenditure Plan further invests $23 million into the Eviction Defense/Prevention Program, or the Stay Housed LA program. This program joins forces with county officials, legal service providers, and community organizations to provide tenants at risk of eviction with legal aid, education, and, in some cases, rental assistance, as reported by the Mayor's Office.
Furthering these efforts, the Measure ULA Expenditure Plan assigns funds for various programs to address the housing crisis. Included are tenant outreach and education program, Protections from Tenant Harassment Program, rental assistance for low-income seniors and disabled individuals, and an initiative to expedite the development of multifamily affordable housing units in the city, as outlined by the Mayor's Office.
