Abraham Kohen spoke about his passion for housing veteran families in his properties at the second annual HouseLA landlord outreach event. “When I gave the keys and I saw that family tear up in front of me, I said to myself, ‘I’m making a commitment to house more Veterans,” said Kohen. He also made a point that participating in the program helps him save money as a landlord. HouseLA is an initiative to enhance outreach to landlords in Los Angeles to provide information about the benefits of providing housing to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness.
The event took place at Emerson College in West Hollywood with over 200 landlords participating. The Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) was joined by Third District County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office, and partner organizations to provide detailed information about the financial protections and other safeguards to landlords who agree to accept subsidized tenants holding County or City issued vouchers such as Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers or Section 8 vouchers.
Amiyoko Shabazz shared her personal story about how she overcame homelessness. She was first housed at the Downtown Womens’ Center which allowed her to get off the streets after 5 years. “My life took off. All I needed was a home. I learned that I wanted to be a part of the solution but I needed to learn how, so the Downtown Women’s Center helped me with that. There I learned that it’s bigger than me,” said Shabazz. “I truly want [landlords] to have an open mind and an open heart because as you can see, I have made a transformation in my life.”
The incentive programs have three major components:
One month payment to hold the rental unit while a tenant is referred.
Move-in assistance to homeless individuals such as money for the security deposit and utility connection fees.
Financial assistance to landlords to mitigate damage caused by tenants during their occupancy.
If you are interested in learning more about the Homeless Incentive Program, go to http://www.hacla.org/landlordbenefits.
To learn more about HACLA’s Homeless Incentive Program, click here.