Long Beach is rolling out what city officials describe as “one of the largest prevention programs focused on preventing homelessness Long Beach has done to date” — $5.25 Million in new rental assistance across three programs expected to serve about 450 participants, with a fourth ongoing program pushing total reach to over 1,000 people.
Low-income renters facing eviction, seniors on fixed incomes, and young adults ages 18 to 25 can qualify for direct financial help. The first application window for the Long Beach Renter Aid program — which offers up to $9,000 per household — opened April 23 and closes May 8.
Who qualifies and what’s covered
To be eligible for Long Beach Renter Aid, renters must live in Long Beach, earn at or below 50% of the Area Median Income, and have experienced some kind of emergency in the past 12 months that puts their housing at risk.
That’s a broad definition. The city’s list includes eviction notices, job loss, delayed public benefits, medical emergencies, a death in the household, a sudden spike in expenses, or being impacted by loss of federal benefits, federal policy changes, or immigration enforcement actions.
Covered costs include overdue rent, past-due utilities, moving expenses, and security deposits. Payments are issued only to eligible third parties — landlords or utility providers — not handed to tenants as cash.
Approved applicants should expect payment within 30 days, though the city says expedited processing is available in urgent cases.
The program prioritizes applicants who are 55 or older, are at immediate risk of eviction (such as having received a three-day notice or pay-or-quit notice), or are impacted by federal policy changes or immigration enforcement actions. Knowing those priority categories can help you self-triage before applying.
Applications will be available in Khmer, Spanish, and Tagalog. They can be submitted online at longbeach.gov/RenterAid or in person at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center at 1301 W. 12th St. The city also has referral pathways through legal services and community partners. For more information, see the city memo outlining all three programs.
After the May 8 deadline, future applications will be accepted from the 5th through the 12th of each month starting in June.
More help coming for seniors and young adults
Two additional programs are launching in the months ahead, each targeting groups the city has identified as especially vulnerable.
The Older Adult Shallow Subsidy program launches in May and is aimed at Long Beach renters 55 and older on a fixed income who are spending 70% or more of their income on rent.
Eligible households can receive up to $12,000 spread over two years — enough to meaningfully close the gap while they get connected to affordable housing options.
The program is funded at $1.8 Million and expects to serve roughly 150 households. Anyone interested now can email ShallowSubsidy@longbeach.gov while the application portal is finalized.
A third program — the Youth Homelessness Prevention Unit — is expected to launch in June, pending City Council approval.
Funded at approximately $743,703, it targets Long Beach residents ages 18 to 25 who are at high risk of losing housing. Unlike the other programs, this one doesn’t take applications.
The memo describes it as “a proactive, data-driven program” — case managers use a predictive model developed by UCLA’s California Policy Lab, drawing on L.A. County health, mental health, and social services data, to identify at-risk young adults and reach out to them directly.
Legal help is also in the mix
Alongside the three new programs, the city is continuing to fund its Right to Counsel program; the memo lists the amount as approximately $1.4 million in one section and approximately $1.5 million in another, which provides tenant education and legal services, including limited- and full-scope representation, to low-income tenants facing eviction.
Operated through the nonprofit Stay Housed LA since 2021, the program has served 1,765 participants and logged a roughly 90% success rate — with the memo noting that success includes negotiated outcomes and “soft landings” that avoid eviction judgments on tenants’ records.
Funding for the three new programs comes from L.A. County Measure A — the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2024 — along with the State of California General Fund and the State Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program. The Youth HPU also draws on philanthropic partners. Long Beach received $10.9 Million in total Measure A allocations, with nearly $5 Million designated for renter protection and homelessness prevention.
Alison King, Director of Health and Human Services, framed the combined effort in a memo to City Manager Thomas B. Modica as a sign of the city’s commitment to early intervention — noting that staff will continue adjusting programs and pursuing additional funding as housing pressures persist.
Renters who miss the May 8 window can apply again starting June 5. For questions, email LBRenterAid@longbeach.gov.
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