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Reader Question: When Will I Receive My Section 8 Voucher?
Last October, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles received 223,375 applications for the Section 8 waitlist.
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A reader from Van Nuys who was selected for L.A.’s Section 8 waitlist in 2022 recently wrote in and asked:
They said in the email they would start contacting people for vouchers mid-2023, but I haven’t heard anything else. Do you know if people have started getting vouchers?
The answer
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) has not yet distributed any vouchers to people who made it onto the waitlist last year. In an email, spokesperson Courtney Gladney said the agency will begin contacting lottery winners “as early as June 2023.”
Don’t expect to get your voucher as early as June. Lottery winners first have to complete an eligibility interview, then wait to receive their voucher.
Some background: What is Section 8?
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Recent rulings have struck down requirements in L.A. and Pasadena for landlords to pay thousands of dollars to tenants who couldn’t afford large rent hikes. -
This is not the first time Orange County leaders have earned the reproval of state housing regulators. -
The reforms are expected to reduce the cost of affordable housing construction in California by an estimated $60,000 to $70,000 per-unit.
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The Section 8 program provides federal subsidies that help cover housing costs so that tenants pay no more than a third of their income on rent.
Across the country, the demand for this assistance is far greater than the amount of funding that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has available.
L.A’.s recent Section 8 lottery drew massive demand when it opened in October 2022 for the first time since 2017. HACLA received 223,375 applications just to get on the waitlist, and only 30,000 were selected.
In 2022, the agency told the lottery winners via email that it would begin calling in applicants for eligibility interviews “around mid-2023.” But HACLA also warned them that “the wait could be up to 10 years.”
What to do while you wait
Applicants are encouraged to keep their contact information — including their phone number and address — up to date, according to Gladney.
If you need help or have other questions, you can contact HACLA at (833) 422‐5248. You can also send an email to info@hacla.org.
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Where to get help with other housing questions
LAist recently hosted a live AMA with tips for renters in L.A. County. We’ve also put together a list of resources for renters who are struggling to find affordable housing or have questions about Section 8. You can also check out our renters hub for more help.
Still have questions? Tell us below.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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