Board approves emergency rent relief program with nearly $20 million in funding and amendments to extend aid limits

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an emergency rent relief program on Tuesday, expanding eligibility to wildfire survivors and immigrant households affected by recent immigration enforcement actions. Supervisor Lindsay Horvath introduced the motion and Supervisor Hilda Solis co‑authored it. The final motion, adopted as part of consent actions, directs the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) to stand up the program and use an initial funding package of nearly $19.8 million, combining the sponsor’s request with an additional $9.8 million identified by the chief executive office. DCBA Director Rafael Carvajal told the board the department will use community partners for outreach in impacted neighborhoods and expects to stand up the program within 90 days. The board approved a set of amendments that changed per-household limits and added funding: the board replaced an earlier $5,000 per‑household cap in some categories with a limit of up to six months of rent not to exceed $15,000 in specified categories, and directed the executive director of the Los Angeles County Development Authority to allocate $5 million from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to boost categories 1 and 2 to a combined $10 million for fiscal year 2026–27. Supervisors debated caps on grants and whether removing caps would reduce the number of households helped. Supervisor Horvath argued that unlimited awards could leave many households without assistance; Supervisor Horvath and others agreed to a compromise design to prioritize awards and require a report back. DCBA said previous rent‑relief programs showed an average grant of roughly $17,000 when a $30,000 cap was used during earlier COVID-era programs. In debate, supervisors and advocates stressed urgency: the board received testimony from dozens of tenants’ advocates and community groups calling for more immediate protections, including some who urged a countywide eviction moratorium while the rent‑relief program is established. The board also directed DCBA to provide a report back 150 days after program launch (60 days after launch) with utilization data and recommendations on increasing caps or reallocating funds. The item passed as amended and program details will be finalized by DCBA in consultation with community partners.