The People's Guide

36th Edition 2015

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The People's Guide 2015 58 The Section 8 Voucher waiting lists are currently closed for the city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and city of Long Beach. To find out if the waiting list is open in other cities, contact their local Housing Authority directly. You can also ask a case- worker at one of the Access Centers about any special program that can provide you a Section 8 Voucher when you complete the program. The following agencies receive a limited number of Section 8 vouchers from HACLA through the "homeless set aside" program. If you are homeless, please try to get con- nected to one of the following agencies: Alexandria House (Women and Children) (213) 381-2649 Beyond Shelter (Under PATH) (323) 644-2200 Coalition for Responsible Community De- velopment (Serving youth) (323) 521-1910 Department of Mental Health (Mental health) (213) 251-6560 Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children (women and children)(213) 235-1460 Harbor Interfaith Services (Families) (310)-831-0603 LA Family Housing (818)982-4091 Los Angeles House of Ruth (Domestic violence victims) (323) 266-4139 New Economics for Women (Affordable housing, women and children) (213) 483-2060 New Image Emergency Shelter (Emergency shelter, individuals and families) (562) 983-7478 Palms Residential Care Facility (Substance abuse treatment) (323) 293-2319 Para Los Ninos (Children and families) (213) 250-4800 PATH (323) 644-2216 Penny Lane Centers (Shelter for Emancipated Foster Youth) (818) 892-3423 Rainbow Services (Domestic violence, women and children) (310) 547-9343 San Fernando Valley Mental Health Center (Adults and children with mental illness) (818) 901-4830 4. Housing for Health If you or your whole family is homeless and you get medical care at one of these loca- tions, ask for a staff person at the Social Work department. Tell them you are homeless and ask about the Housing for Health program: • LAC USC Medical Center • Harbor UCLA Medical Center • Olive View Medical Center • DHS Multi-Ambulatory Care Center • MLK MACC High Desert Health System Can I Get Low Cost Housing? The federal government has a few subsidized housing programs. Each of these programs has various income and resource require- ments and require you to provide information regarding your family income and makeup. It is important to document all your attempts to comply with the program requirements because you can be terminated from the program if you do not comply. In general, there are two types of programs: project-based and voucher-based. Project- based programs are ones where the hous- ing benefit is connected to a specific unit. Voucher-based programs are ones where the housing benefit is connected to a specific household. 1. Project-Based Programs There are many types of project-based subsidized housing. Many of these projects advertise their availability and you can ap- ply directly at the building or at a leasing office. Most of the time, the best way to get into this kind of housing is to go through special programs offered by community agencies that will help you get into housing when you finish the program. There is not enough project based housing for everyone who needs it, so many of the complexes have wait lists. We have listed three of the most common programs below. For more information about what type(s) of programs you may qualify for, you can ask a caseworker at one of the Access Centers. Conventional Public Housing Conventional public housing is one of the most well-known federal housing programs. The buildings that are part of this program are owned and operated by local Public Housing Authorities. These are often very large build- ings or complexes and the people who work at them are government employees. Rent is usually between 30-40% of the household's income. To apply for conventional public housing, you should contact the housing complex directly. Project-Based Section 8 For project-based Section 8, private land- lords have agreed to reserve certain units for Section 8. Project-based Section 8 means that you must live in one of these assigned units to get the benefit. Unlike conventional public housing, your landlord is a private owner, not a Housing Authority. Shelter Plus Care Shelter Plus Care provides affordable hous- ing and supportive services. You are required to participate in the supportive services to be part of this program. You may be eligible for this program if you are: - Homeless, - Have a mental illness and/or AIDS, and - Have a substance abuse problem. 2. Voucher-Based Programs Section 8 Vouchers Section 8 vouchers are offered by the local government (the Housing Authority). They allow you to stay in any apartment or house where the landlord will accept them. You pay a limited portion of the rent (usually between 30-40% of your income). The Housing Authority pays the rest directly to your landlord. You have the same rights as other tenants renting from private landlords, including any local rent control laws. You also have additional special protections. Your landlord cannot evict you without a reason. Your landlord also has to give at least 90 days written notice if they want to stop accepting Section 8 Vouchers. When you receive a Section 8 Voucher you will have a limited time to find a landlord who will accept it, or you will have to return the voucher. Once you find a place, the Housing Authority must inspect the unit to make sure that it is up to their standards. The entire process may take up to several months. Housing

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