Here’s how low-income fire survivors in LA can apply for priority housing vouchers

Low-income Angelenos still struggling to find housing after losing their homes in January’s wildfires can now apply for a limited number of fast-tracked housing vouchers.

The Los Angeles County Development Authority will start taking applications Friday from eligible fire survivors. The spots are opening up now because officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have given the county permission to put households affected by the fires at the front of the line for 50 of the county’s allotted Housing Choice Vouchers.

Commonly referred to as Section 8, these federally funded vouchers allow low-income tenants to find housing on the private market and put about 30% of their income toward rent. The voucher program then pays the remainder, keeping costs low for tenants who otherwise could not afford high L.A. County rent on their own.

These vouchers are normally extremely difficult to obtain. Local housing authorities typically go years without opening their waitlists to new applicants. If applicants are lucky enough to get chosen by lottery to be placed on the waitlist, they still often have to wait years before obtaining a voucher.

Here’s what you need to know to apply.

Who qualifies

Applicants must be able to prove they lived in an area affected by the Palisades or Eaton fires, and that their former home was left uninhabitable as a result.

Secondly, as with all Housing Choice Vouchers, applicants must meet the program’s income limits. Only those earning at or below the “very low income” category will be accepted. For an individual, that means an annual income of $48,550 or less. For a family of four, the limit is $69,350.

Where to apply

The county’s online application portal is at harp.lacda.org.

New applicants will have to register by creating a username and password. You should be ready to provide your email address, Social Security number and date of birth.

When to apply

Applications will be accepted starting Friday, April 4, at 8 a.m.

Local housing officials are urging residents to apply quickly, because once they receive 300 applications from eligible households, the application portal will close. Officials are anticipating a high volume of applications.

How to get help applying

If you have questions about applying online, or if you’re disabled, county officials say you should call (626) 586-1932 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

In-person assistance — including in Spanish — will be offered at two L.A. County Development Authority offices:

• Alhambra Office
  700 W. Main St.,
  Alhambra, CA 91801
  
• Palmdale Office
  2323 E. Palmdale Blvd., Suite B,
  Palmdale, CA 93550

Computers are free to use for library card-holders at L.A. public libraries. Help with interpretation and translation can be obtained by calling 211.