LAHSA and consultants report increased TLS utilization; committee asks for cost-benefit and workforce analysis ahead of funding cliff

The Housing and Homelessness Committee received a LAHSA report and HR&A Advisors—presentation on April 9 describing changes to the Time-Limited Subsidy (TLS) program and recent performance improvements. The committee voted to receive and file the report and asked LAHSA, with assistance from the CAO, to deliver analyses and recommendations on staffing and funding options, program access and workforce training.

HR&A and LAHSA staff said the system has shifted over the last six months to ensure active TLS participants either have a move-in date or are already housed, a change designed to reduce underspending. Nathaniel Vergara, LAHSA deputy chief program officer, described system changes that separate housing navigation from TLS and create clearer pathways to lease-up and subsidy initiation. ‘‘The movement to, having TLS be focused on serving those who have housing located has been a transition that we—re working in our system for the last year and a half,’’ Vergara said.

LAHSA and HR&A presented capacity and funding figures: combined city, county, state and federal investments support roughly $170,000,000 in TLS funding across the county and a system capacity of about 7,568 TLS slots. LAHSA—s staff said the city—s direct funding accounts for about 1,000 TLS-equivalent slots within that mix. Presenters said LAHSA expects overall expenditure of TLS funds this fiscal year to reach roughly 85 to 90 percent, up from the underutilization rates cited previously.

The committee and LAHSA staff discussed outcomes tracking and service quality. HR&A and LAHSA said they have introduced new performance measures and data tools, including a housing acuity index to be completed every 90 days and a requirement (starting July 1) for in-person case management weekly during the first three months of tenancy for TLS participants. LAHSA said those changes aim to improve pathway decisions between permanent supportive housing and independent housing.

Committee members questioned the program—s exposure to funding changes. LAHSA and speakers warned that county Measure A funding could shift to a county department for fiscal year 2026-27, and that staffing and program administration at LAHSA could be affected by such transfers; LAHSA said current funding is contracted through fiscal year 2025-26.

Councilmember comments framed next steps: the committee voted to receive and file the report and asked LAHSA and the CAO to return with a set of analyses, including a cost-benefit study of expanding TLS, workforce retention and training needs, assessment of wait times from housing navigation to TLS slot, strategies to build participant income (including connections to city and county employment programs), and methods to measure housing navigation's effectiveness. The motion passed on a recorded committee vote of two ayes and one absence.