Los Angeles to Reopen Section 8 Housing Lottery

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles is preparing to reopen a Section 8 waiting list lottery for the first time in more than a decade and expects more than 600,000 to apply for the rental subsidy program, it was announced Monday.

"Angelenos deserve housing they can afford, no matter their income,'' Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "People who are eligible should apply for the Section 8 rental subsidy program -- and we'll keep fighting to build more affordable housing that gives every family the opportunity to find safe, stable places to live.''

The Housing Authority will use a computer-randomized system to select up to 20,000 applicants for placement on the Section 8 waiting list. The federal Section 8 program provides rental assistance to recipients by paying a portion of their rent directly to their landlords. More than 56,000 households in the city of Los Angeles are currently enrolled, according to Garcetti's office.

Anyone interested in the program will be able to apply online starting at 6 a.m. on Oct. 16, continuing through 5 p.m. Oct. 29.

"We are very pleased to be opening our Section 8 waiting list after 13 years. Rental subsidy programs reduce poverty, housing instability and homelessness,'' said Douglas Guthrie, HACLA's president and CEO. "We've ensured that the online application is easy to access and complete, and we've also provided information on the website to assist applicants, such as how-to- apply videos and answers to questions that applicants may have about the program and their eligibility.''

Garcetti called on federal leaders in Washington, D.C., to make new investments in the program, which he said is underfunded. The mayor pointed out that a funding bill recently passed by the House of Representatives would result in the elimination of 140,000 vouchers across the country, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

"L.A. is making unprecedented investments in housing and services, because the homelessness crisis demands that we put every possible dollar to work. Washington should meet the urgency of this crisis and increase the number of people who can get help through Section 8,'' Garcetti said.