How to Apply for Affordable Housing in Los Angeles Before September 16

If you’re looking for an affordable home in Los Angeles County, this opportunity is for you. The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) opened 16 waiting lists for public housing units. Registration is free and already available.

LACDA manages 3,229 public and affordable housing units across 68 properties, where more than 6,650 people live, according to agency data. The deadline to register is September 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Time is Running Out: Here’s How You Can Register

The process began on August 17 and remains open until the deadline. Some smaller complexes could close early if they receive 1,000 applications.

To register, go to LACDA’s HARP portal at harp.lacda.org/ex/NewApp.aspx. Create an account and complete the registration with income and family composition information.

The system will automatically tell you which of the 16 lists you qualify for. You can register for several, as long as you meet the requirements of each property. On its official X account, LACDA announced days earlier that the Public Housing Program would open registration for the 16 lists on August 17.

What Happens If You’re Offered a Unit and Reject It

Save your registration confirmation. Update your email or phone if they change, because LACDA will use them to contact you.

You can also call (626) 586-1522, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The agency offers in-person assistance at its office at 700 W. Main St., in Alhambra.

Be careful with an important detail. If you reject a unit offered on any of your lists, LACDA will remove you from all the others you registered for.

Who Can Qualify for These 16 Lists

This call corresponds to the public housing program, not the Section 8 voucher program, which remains closed. Registering does not guarantee a unit or an immediate response.

The main requirement is having low income, according to federal and county limits. As a reference, a single person can earn up to $58,300 per year within the 50% area median income threshold. A family of four can earn up to $83,300 per year.

LACDA also applies income categories at 30% of the area median income. Additionally, you must meet the family size criteria required by each specific complex.

Ten of the 16 properties are reserved for seniors. In those cases, the head of household, spouse, or sole member must be 62 years old or older. LACDA also accepts households with two or more people over 62, or seniors with caregivers living with them.

Selected residents pay a maximum of 30% of their adjusted monthly income in rent, as explained by LACDA. Smoking is prohibited inside units and on the grounds of all the agency’s complexes.

What Are the 16 Available Properties

Properties for seniors include Carmelitos Senior in Long Beach, with 155 units, and Rosas/Herbert Senior in East Los Angeles, with 150. Also included are Palm Senior and West Knoll Senior, both in West Hollywood.

Marina Manor Senior in Marina del Rey, Foothill Villa Senior in La Crescenta, and Orchard Arms Senior in Valencia are also available. Completing the list are Francisquito Villa Senior in La Puente, Whittier Manor Senior in Whittier, and South Bay Gardens Senior in South Los Angeles.

For general occupancy there are six properties: Carmelitos Family in Long Beach, Harbor Hills Family in Lomita, and East County Family in East Los Angeles. Also included are Santa Monica Family, Quartz Hill Family, and South Scattered Sites in South Los Angeles.

Complexes marked as «small sites»—including Foothill Villa, Francisquito Villa, Whittier Manor, South Bay Gardens, Santa Monica Family, and Quartz Hill Family—are those that could close before September 16 if they reach 1,000 applications.

Why It’s Worth Registering as Soon as Possible

LACDA will select applicants first based on each property’s admission preferences. After that, the registration date and time will be taken into account.

Wait times can last months, or even longer, depending on availability at each complex. That’s why, the earlier you register, the better your position in line.

Before you start, gather the information of all household members, your estimated income, and an email or phone number you check frequently. Remember that this registration is for a waiting list, not for an immediate move.

This is the first reopening of these lists in more than two years, according to reports based on the agency itself. For thousands of Hispanic families in the county, this window of time could be a concrete opportunity to access more stable rent.