This report responds to a motion from the Board of Supervisors to develop a plan that will house all homeless adults age 65 years and older (65+). Projections of homelessness in Los Angeles and across the country show that the number of older homeless adults is likely to grow—in many places more than doubling—over the next several years as a result of a cohort effect described elsewhere in this report. This plan is thus very well timed, as it allows Los Angeles County to get ahead of this problem as it threatens to worsen throughout the next decade.

The pilot presented here represents an innovation in homelessness services, targeting paired housing allowances and service plans on a scale previously unseen for this uniquely vulnerable population and doing so primarily through funds recouped from resultant reductions in other services. We expect that most of the service costs (excluding rental subsidies) will be fundable through Medi-Cal, and the transition of people through interim housing, if planned carefully, could be accomplished with existing housing stock. We propose that the need for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and housing vouchers be met through a combination of turnover in existing units and new allocations. The success of this plan hinges on a well-coordinated effort that includes an expansion of housing stabilization case managers, who will be required to enroll and manage the transition into housing.