• Landlords or property owners in Los Angeles County with unpaid rent or eligible expenses tied to emergency financial hardship.
• Displaced homeowners from the January 7, 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfire events who are now renting, have unpaid rent or mortgage costs and have exhausted FEMA or insurance rental support.

• Units located in the County’s “highest / high need” geographic designations via the Equity Explorer tool
• Small landlords owning four (4) or fewer rental units
• Property owners (or if unavailable, tenant households) whose household income is 80% or less of the Los Angeles County Area Median Income (AMI).

• Unpaid rent (rental arrears)
• Unpaid mortgage (for eligible homeowners/landlords)
• Other unpaid expenses separate from rent, that are directly related to the financial hardship caused by the emergency events

Applications for the Emergency Rent Relief Program opened on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM PST. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, January 23, 2026 at 4:59 PM PST.

Assistance may cover up to six (6) months of rent debt. With limited exceptions, the maximum award is $15,000 per rental unit.

No. While the program specifically references the January 7, 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfire events, it also allows for other types of emergency financial hardships, as long as eligibility requirements are met.

The Los Angeles County Emergency Rent Relief Program is a program targeted toward landlords. A landlord must submit a complete application to be considered for a grant. If the landlord refuses to participate, the unit(s) will not be eligible for a relief grant through this program.

Tenants may not apply. However, tenant participation is required. Tenants must complete a Tenant Profile to support the landlord’s application. Tenant will be invited to complete the profile once their landlord submits an application.

After their landlord has applied, the tenant will be invited to complete a Tenant Profile. Tenant participation is required to verify information. If a tenant refuses to complete the Tenant Profile, the Program may be unable to confirm eligibility, and the landlord’s application may not be approved.

Immigration status is not required for eligibility.

The County recognizes that some households are experiencing serious financial hardship because an income earner was detained due to recent federal immigration enforcement activities. Because of the impact these situations can have on families, the Program aims to make sure these households are not excluded from assistance.

If a household states that its financial hardship is related to an immigration detention or deportation, the Program may ask for documentation to confirm this. If this documentation is not available, or if the household chooses not to provide it, the household may still be eligible for rent relief based on other forms of economic hardship.

Payment will be issued by direct deposit (ACH) to the bank account provided during the application process.

Yes. The Primary Applicant must be 18 years of age or older.

Yes. The program’s Local Partner Network will help applicants who need assistance completing their applications by phone or in person.

You do not need your own computer to apply. The Local Partner Network will provide help by phone or in person for people who cannot apply online. Details will be posted on the Program website when the application opens.

No. The Program is not first come, first served. Applications are reviewed based on eligibility and priority factors.

Once an application enters “active review” and all required follow-up steps are completed, a decision may be made within about 30 days.

Final requirements will be listed in the application portal. Landlords may be asked to provide:

• Proof of property ownership
• Rental agreements
• Payment records showing unpaid rent
• Documents related to emergency-related financial hardship

No. Applying does not guarantee funding. Awards depend on eligibility, priority status, and available funds.

If funding is exhausted, some eligible applicants may not receive an award.

Please contact the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) at (800) 593-8222 for tenant protections, counseling and referrals.

Yes. Displaced homeowners whose mortgage is in forbearance may still be eligible for a grant, provided they agree to use the awarded funds to pay their mortgage.

Yes. Tenants will be notified if their unpaid rent is approved for payment through the program. Once the application is approved, tenants can view the updated status in the application portal and will also receive a copy of the approval notice by email, which includes the approved amount.

For a landlord to remain eligible for this program, the tenant must still be residing in the rental unit. If the tenant is evicted and is no longer living in the unit, the landlord would not be eligible for the program.

• Tenants who signed a sublease are not considered the “tenant of record” for this program therefore, ineligible.
• If you are a subtenant, the property owner may still be eligible to apply for assistance based on rent owed by the primary tenant under the original lease. Any rent owed between a subtenant and the primary tenant is not covered by this program.