New L.A. County Agency Funds Hundreds of Affordable Housing Units

The L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency aims to streamline funding and speed up affordable housing development.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 8:57pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A photorealistic studio still-life featuring a stack of architectural blueprints, a ruler, and a pen on a clean, monochromatic background, symbolizing the planning and design process behind affordable housing development.Streamlining the complex funding process could help accelerate affordable housing construction in Los Angeles County.Stevenson Ranch Today

The newly established L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) is providing over $100 million in funding for 10 affordable housing projects, including 200-plus units planned by Bold Communities in Harbor Gateway and Stevenson Ranch. LACAHSA bills itself as a one-stop shop for affordable housing financing, offering construction loans, permanent loans, rental subsidies, and other funding products to help developers build low-income homes quicker and cheaper.

Why it matters

Los Angeles County is facing a severe affordability and homelessness crisis, and this new agency is an effort to simplify the complex funding process that has historically delayed and increased the costs of affordable housing projects. By providing a centralized source of funding, LACAHSA hopes to spur more affordable housing construction to address these pressing issues.

The details

LACAHSA, founded through state legislation in 2022, receives funding from the recent voter-approved Measure A half-cent sales tax. The agency's first batch of funding for affordable housing will pay for 554 below-market-rate units, the majority of which will be brand new construction. LACAHSA says projects that rely primarily on its funding have seen nearly 12% in cost savings compared to the typical affordable housing project in the county. The agency also requires developers to be able to break ground within 12 months to receive funding.

  • LACAHSA was founded through state legislation in 2022.
  • LACAHSA approved over $100 million in funding for 10 affordable housing projects on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
  • LACAHSA plans to approve another round of affordable housing funds in May 2026.

The players

LACAHSA

The L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency, a newly established agency that provides one-stop financing for affordable housing projects in Los Angeles County.

Bold Communities

A nonprofit developer planning over 200 affordable housing units in Harbor Gateway and Stevenson Ranch, California.

Ryan Johnson

The interim chief executive of LACAHSA.

Ben Metcalf

The managing director of the Terner Center at UC Berkeley, who previously served as director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Rex Richardson

The mayor of Long Beach, California, who serves as the chair of the LACAHSA board.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We want to build housing cheaper and quicker, because that means more units.”

— Ryan Johnson, Interim Chief Executive, LACAHSA

“LACAHSA was built to meet this moment.”

— Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach, Chair of LACAHSA Board

“The rising cost of affordable housing has really only become an issue of visible concern over the last few years.”

— Ben Metcalf, Managing Director, Terner Center at UC Berkeley

What’s next

LACAHSA plans to approve another round of affordable housing funds in May 2026.

The takeaway

This new agency represents a concerted effort to streamline the complex and costly funding process that has historically hindered affordable housing development in Los Angeles County. By providing a centralized source of financing, LACAHSA aims to spur more affordable housing construction and help address the region's severe affordability and homelessness crisis.