The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Los Angeles County Development Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles have launched a new universal housing application that will modernize the process for people experiencing homelessness. The goal is to remove barriers in obtaining permanent housing.

The universal housing application consolidates 15 paper housing applications from different departments and agencies into one digital application. The new system will help LAHSA reduce the housing application process for people experiencing homelessness by up to 30 days.

“Despite housing 65,000 people over the last three years, we aren’t resting on our laurels when it comes to supporting those we serve to get into housing. Right now, it takes too long for people to move from street to home and we must act with urgency to cut red tape and bust systemic barriers,” LAHSA Executive Director Heidi Marston said. “The UHA is a groundbreaking step forward. Through innovation, technology, and partnership, it speeds up the housing application process and eliminates redundancies, making it easier for our unhoused neighbors to find a place to call home.”

Prior to having a universal housing application, it took an average of 150 days for a person experiencing homelessness to apply for and move into permanent housing. Case managers often spent up to an hour on each application, filling them out by hand. Approximately 60% of the applications were sent back for corrections in a process that sometimes took more than a month.

The universal housing application is integrated with existing databases, allowing for up to 60% of the application to be automatically filled in with information about an individual.

For information, visit lahsa.org.