The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Continuum of Care model recognizes that all homeless persons are not at the same level of stability and addresses a variety of needs.  Recognized components of the Continuum of Care include: Outreach , Access Center/Drop-in Center, Safe Haven, Supportive Services, Overnight Shelter (Year Round Shelter and Winter Shelter), Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Permanent Housing & Permanent Supportive Housing, and Prevention.

The Los Angeles Continuum of Care (LACoC) includes all areas of the County except for the cities of Long Beach, Glendale and Pasadena, and includes an estimated 82,291 homeless people. At 4,083 square miles, the County of Los Angeles is the largest urban county in the nation. While in some areas average incomes are amongst the highest in the country, there is also incredible poverty. Further, Los Angeles County is one of the most racially diverse and ethnically varied counties in the United States. The political landscape is even more complex as the LACoC includes 88 separate cities. Many of the cities, including the City of Los Angeles, are further divided into council districts. All cities and unincorporated areas are overlaid by one of five County Supervisorial Districts.

It is against this backdrop that the LAHSA faces the daily challenge of planning and coordinating housing and services for homeless individuals and families. To ensure local control and planning, LAHSA has divided the County into eight geographic areas designated as Service Planning Areas (SPAs).

Each Service Planning Area is expected to have a balance of homeless services. LAHSA helps coordinate efforts among agencies, businesses, community leaders, government agencies, and elected officials to determine priority needs and services from an individual, regional, and countywide basis.