In an effort to increase the number of property owners participating in the County’s rental assistance programs, the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) has launched a new business model which provides an enhanced customer service experience for property owners.

Open Doors, a collaborative effort between the LACDA and Los Angeles County, is designed to provide property owners with an increased level of customer service. The business model is a win-win-win solution, intended to benefit property owners financially and provide enhanced customer services, in an effort to increase the number of rental units available to subsidized families.

Property owners are an essential partner in the County’s fight to end homelessness. According to the University of Southern California’s Center for Real Estate, Los Angeles County currently maintains a vacancy rate below 4%. As homelessness in Los Angeles County increases and property owner participation in rental assistance programs decreases, thousands of families and individuals, including many military veterans, struggle to find opportunities to use their vouchers in the County’s competitive rental market, contributing to the broader homelessness crisis. Open Doors is meant to encourage more owners to participate in its rental assistance programs in order to increase the number of families who are able to utilize their vouchers.

Open Doors provides monetary and non-monetary assurances to property owners who rent their available units to subsidized families, including:
– A Sign-On Bonus for property owners upon execution of their contract;
Vacancy Loss Payment, totaling one month’s rent, if the family vacates the unit without proper notice, or is evicted for good cause;
– Damage Mitigation for unit repairs. Up to $2,000 not covered by the security deposit to repair the rental unit following the departure of a subsidized family;
– A team of dedicated specialists, trained to assist property owners with all aspects of the LACDA’s rental assistance programs; and
– Reliable Rental Payments deposited directly to the property owner’s bank account.

The agency has also reconfigured its lobby to offer a more inviting setting for property owners to conduct business with the agency. Open Doors provides a one-stop shop where property owners can address their questions or concerns with the LACDA, without the need to speak with several different employees. The program also provides property owners with the latest news regarding the agency’s rental assistance programs, answer all rental assistance related questions, address any payment disputes, and check on the status of any pending actions related to a specific property owner and their rental unit(s).

Property owners can receive Open Doors assistance by visiting the LACDA’s Alhambra or Palmdale offices, over the phone at (626) 586-1999, or by email at opendoors@lacda.org, during regular business hours.