LAHSA Focuses Legislative Priorities On Addressing Root Causes

LAHSA’s 2026 Federal and State legislative agenda, approved by the LAHSA Commission earlier this year, affirms the organization’s commitment to reducing homelessness by addressing its root causes to bringing people indoors in as many ways possible. 

General Legislative Priorities 

Each year, LAHSA’s Legislative Affairs team sets legislative priorities that reflect the broader policy and funding landscape at the local, state, and federal levels. These priorities guide how LAHSA and its partners respond to homelessness across the Los Angeles Continuum of Care (LA CoC), and how shifts in laws, regulations, and budgets affect both the agency’s work and people experiencing homelessness. The team engages elected officials and their staff to explain how proposed policies impact homelessness and housing, and to advance legislation and investments that strengthen the region’s homeless response system. Legislative Affairs staff engage with elected representative offices to help inform policymakers on issues of homelessness and housing, and how legislation can support the LA CoC’s work to end homelessness. 

LAHSA’s general legislative priorities for 2026 are as follows:  

1. Addressing the root causes of homelessness  

2. Preventing homelessness and housing instability 

3. Reducing barriers to housing access 

4. Safeguarding access to services and public benefits 

5. Strengthening workforce and economic stability 

6. Promoting an evidence-based homelessness response system 

Federal Legislative Priorities 

In 2026, the federal landscape is shaped by shifts in homelessness funding, primarily distributed through the Continuum of Care program, which supports housing, system coordination, and data infrastructure. Federal funding levels and policies can change program design, eligibility criteria, and implementation timelines. Because communities rely on timely federal disbursements, delays or interruptions can disrupt housing stability and essential services. Federal program requirements also directly influence who can be housed, how people move through the system, and how local homeless response systems are structured. 

LAHSA’s 2026 Federal legislative priorities are as follows: 

1. Stabilize federal homelessness funding to support system continuity 

2. Preserve and stabilize the Continuum of Care program 

3. Bridge federal homelessness policy with local realities 

4. Sustain and expand the supply of permanent supportive and affordable housing 

5. Streamline federal requirements to improve housing access and flow 

State Legislative Priorities 

The state landscape in 2026 is centered around the fact that state funding continues to play a significant role in supporting housing access, homelessness prevention, and system operations. However, variability in state funding cycles makes long-term planning, coordination, and program sustainability more difficult. Further, state investment could support care continuity and mitigate disruptions associated with changes in federal funding. State leadership also influences data infrastructure, reporting alignment, and system coordination across jurisdictions.  

LAHSA’s 2026 State legislative priorities are as follows: 

1. Preserve and strengthen ongoing state investment dedicated to homelessness 

2. Advocate for ongoing homelessness programs and a permanent funding source for homeless services 

3. Secure reliable state funding if federal funding is curtailed 

4. Build sustainable data infrastructure, governance, and coordination 

In partnership with allies from the public, non-profit, and private sectors, LAHSA continues to advocate for legislative and budget decisions that advance efforts to address homelessness in Los Angeles. As the lead for the largest CoC in the country, LAHSA is committed to advocating for better programs, funding, and legislation at the federal, state, and local levels to create, support, and sustain solutions to homelessness in the City and County of Los Angeles.