The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved nearly $30 million in emergency rent relief Tuesday, targeting residents displaced by January wildfires and immigrant families affected by federal immigration enforcement actions.
The Emergency Rent Relief Program will provide up to $15,000 in assistance covering six months of rent or mortgage payments for eligible households. The program represents a significant expansion of housing stability efforts as the county grapples with overlapping crises affecting thousands of residents.
"Los Angeles County will never look away when our neighbors are living in fear of losing both their homes and their livelihoods," said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, who co-authored the motion with Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. "Today, we invested nearly $30 million in rent relief and directed swift action to explore eviction protections so immigrant families and wildfire survivors can breathe easier."
The program targets four primary groups: wildfire survivors who lost homes, jobs or income; immigrant families experiencing sudden wage loss due to federal raids; low-income tenants at risk of eviction; and small landlords repairing fire-damaged affordable housing units.
Eligible recipients include tenants and homeowners displaced by wildfires who have exhausted FEMA or insurance benefits, small landlords repairing rent-stabilized units, and immigrant households impacted by federal enforcement actions. The relief caps were raised from an initial $5,000 to $15,000 following amendments by Board Chair Kathryn Barger.
"By raising the rent relief caps from $5,000 to $15,000 to cover up to six months of rent and adding $10 million to the overall program, we're giving families real breathing room," Barger said in a statement following the vote.
The $29.8 million program builds on $10 million already allocated for rent relief earlier this year. An additional $19.788 million will come from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund across fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
Chair Pro Tem Solis emphasized the program's role as a safety net during multiple ongoing crises. "We know our residents, especially wildfire victims and those impacted by immigration raids, are navigating an incredibly difficult year," she said. "As the safety net for our most vulnerable, the County of Los Angeles must do its due diligence to provide relief and meet the needs of our residents."
Supervisor Janice Hahn highlighted the dual nature of the current crisis, noting that federal immigration enforcement has targeted workplaces rather than focusing solely on criminals.
"There are fire survivors who are still struggling to get by. At the same time, ICE isn't targeting criminals – they are raiding workplaces," Hahn said. "That means thousands of families have lost, not only their loved ones, but their breadwinners."
The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs will oversee program implementation, with a mandate to launch within 90 days. DCBA must report back to the board within 150 days with updates on program utilization, funding allocation adjustments, and recommendations for building permanent rent relief infrastructure.
In a companion action, supervisors directed County Counsel to explore options for an eviction moratorium or other legal protections for households affected by federal immigration enforcement. A verbal update on these potential protections is scheduled for the Oct. 7 board meeting.
The January 2025 wildfires devastated communities across Los Angeles County, destroying thousands of homes and displacing residents countywide. Simultaneously, federal immigration enforcement actions have disrupted families and employment across the region, creating what officials describe as overlapping housing stability crises.
The emergency relief program represents one of the largest county-level housing assistance efforts in recent years, pairing direct financial aid with potential legal protections to prevent mass displacement.
County officials said the program's data collection requirements will inform future housing stability policies and help determine whether permanent rent relief infrastructure should be established beyond the current emergency response.
Applications for the Emergency Rent Relief Program are expected to open within three months, with detailed eligibility requirements and application processes to be announced by DCBA in coming weeks.