LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles County has reopened registration for 16 public housing waiting lists, giving eligible residents a limited window to apply for senior and family properties across the county.
The Los Angeles County Development Authority, or LACDA, began accepting registrations for the 16 site-based waiting lists at 8 a.m. Aug. 17.
Applications will remain open through 5 p.m. Sept. 16, 2026, although several smaller properties will stop accepting registrations earlier if they receive 1,000 applications, according to the agency.
The openings cover 10 developments designated for elderly households and six general-occupancy properties intended for families.
LACDA emphasized that the reopening applies specifically to its Public Housing Program and does not reopen the county’s general Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list, which remains closed.
Eligible applicants can register for one or more properties rather than being placed on a single countywide list.
The 10 elderly-designated developments are Carmelitos Senior in Long Beach, Rosas/Herbert Senior in East Los Angeles, Palm Senior and West Knoll Senior in West Hollywood, Marina Manor Senior in Marina del Rey, Foothill Villa Senior in La Crescenta, Orchard Arms Senior in Valencia, Francisquito Villa Senior in La Puente, Whittier Manor Senior in Whittier and South Bay Gardens Senior in South Los Angeles.
The six general-occupancy waiting lists are Carmelitos Family in Long Beach, Harbor Hills Family in Lomita, East County Family in East Los Angeles, Santa Monica Family in Santa Monica, Quartz Hill Family in Quartz Hill and South Scattered Sites in South Los Angeles.
Together, the 16 properties represented in the reopening contain more than 3,100 housing units, although the agency has not said how many individual units are currently vacant or expected to become available during the registration period.
Among the largest are Carmelitos Family, with 558 units; East County Family, with 433; Harbor Hills Family, with 301; and South Scattered Sites, with 309.
The smallest include Quartz Hill Family with 40 units and Santa Monica Family with 41. Those two developments are among the smaller sites that will close their waiting lists once 1,000 registrations are received, even if that occurs before Sept. 16.
Foothill Villa Senior, Francisquito Villa Senior, Whittier Manor Senior and South Bay Gardens Senior are also subject to the 1,000-application cutoff.
For elderly-designated properties, LACDA says applicants generally must have a head of household, spouse, co-head or sole member who is at least 62 years old.
The agency’s public housing eligibility guidance also requires applicants to fall within income limits established annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
LACDA gives preference to applicants who live or work within its jurisdiction, though those preferences are verified later in the full application process.
The agency says selections from each waiting list are made according to applicable admission preferences and then by the date and time of registration.
Registering therefore does not guarantee immediate placement or even that a housing unit is currently available.
The agency has not published estimated waiting times for the 16 properties.
When a unit eventually becomes available, LACDA reviews eligibility, household composition, income and other required documentation before admission.
Adult household members may also be required to authorize criminal-background checks as part of the eligibility process.
Public housing rents are generally tied to household income.
Under LACDA’s Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy, income-based rent is calculated using federal public housing rules and generally does not exceed the greatest of 30% of adjusted monthly income, 10% of gross monthly income or the agency’s minimum tenant payment.
That is separate from Section 8, where rental assistance is provided through vouchers used in privately owned housing.
The 16 lists now open are tied to specific public housing developments operated by LACDA.
Applicants who register for multiple sites should also consider location carefully.
According to the agency’s waiting-list rules, a household that is offered an appropriate unit and rejects it can be removed from the site-based waiting lists it selected.
LACDA directs applicants to review each property’s location, bedroom configurations and amenities before choosing where to register.
The agency currently owns and operates 3,229 public and affordable housing units across 68 properties, serving more than 6,650 residents throughout Los Angeles County.
The public housing portfolio includes developments for families, seniors and other low-income households in communities across the county.
Smoking restrictions also apply at LACDA housing developments.
The agency’s current non-smoking lease policy prohibits smoking inside units, common spaces and grounds at its housing sites, with a limited designated smoking-area exception at South Bay Gardens Senior.
Residents interested in the reopened lists can apply through LACDA’s Housing Applicant Registration Portal.
The agency says there is no fee to register.
New applicants generally need a valid email address, Social Security number and date of birth to create an account. People without a Social Security number are instructed to contact LACDA for assistance.
Applicants who need help can call 626-586-1522 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The registration period is scheduled to end at 5 p.m. Sept. 16, unless an individual smaller waiting list reaches its application limit earlier.
The county’s general Section 8 waiting list remains closed.
