The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is ramping up its master leasing program with its largest building yet in Downtown Los Angeles.

LAHSA and developer Housing Diversity Corporation recently announced the opening of Vida DTLA, located at 1317 S. Grand Avenue. LAHSA, which will operate the building through master leasing, effectively becomes Vida's landlord, and will use its 147 apartments as permanent supportive housing.

Residential unit at Vida DTLALAHSA

Inclusive of Vida, LAHSA's master leasing portfolio now consists of 393 residential units. The agency bills master leasing as an important part of its strategy for bringing unhoused persons indoors.

“The opportunity to cut through red tape and biases is what makes master leasing appealing,” said LAHSA chief executive officer Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum in a news release. “This building represents a significant expansion of LAHSA’s master leasing efforts and permanent housing opportunities. We’re deeply committed to the rehousing system and exploring all resources to bring our unhoused neighbors indoors.”

Prior to the master leasing with LAHSA, Vida had been slated to provide 17 apartments for extremely low-income residents, 42 units for holders of Section 8 vouchers, and 88 market-rate units which will have rents targeted toward households earning no more than 120 percent of the area median income level.

As permanent supportive housing, the project will have on-site services provided by PATH.

Roof deck at Vida DTLALAHSA

LAHSA's master leasing is being funded by Los Angeles County, L.A. Care Health Plan, and Health Net. The agency says that by leasing entire buildings, it has been able to fill properties within three-to-five days rather than a more common period of 120 days.

Tenants at Vida include those found via outreach, at interim housing sites, or encampment resolution programs. Applicants who were not able to lease an apartment at Vida are to be matched into the next available building.

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