CASH LA: Direct Cash to Prevent Youth Homelessness in Los Angeles
CASH LA (Cash Assistance Supporting Housing) is a groundbreaking homelessness prevention program in Los Angeles designed to improve housing stability, food security, empowerment, and general well-being for young people at imminent risk of losing housing in Los Angeles County.
La'Toya Cooper and Detrell from LA Emissary, one of the funding partners for CASH LA, at our Oregon Youth Summit in January 2025.
How it works
● At least 100 eligible young adults (ages 18-30) meet with a local trained provider to create a customized “Housing Action Plan” that identifies housing solutions, a budget, and their next steps to execute the plan.
● Once the plan has been approved, the participants receive a one-time cash payment that is tailored to support their plan.
● Recipients also have access to supportive services like financial planning and budgeting while enrolled in the program.
Point Source Youth (PSY) and LA Emissary, a project of Community Initiatives, worked in collaboration with local youth voices to guide the design and pre-implementation of CASH LA. Three youth consultants with lived experience of homelessness co-led the project after receiving feedback from other youth during focus groups held in November 2024.
PSY and LA Emissary also worked closely to select the Arming Minorities Against Addiction & Disease (AMAAD) Institute as the lead Community-Based Organization overseeing the implementation of CASH LA. The AMAAD Institute is a South Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing culturally relevant programs and services to cultivate settings for individuals to thrive. Their comprehensive model, which incorporates housing, health, education, and community involvement, makes them an ideal collaborator for the CASH LA pilot.
PSY Staff, Youth Consultants, and LAHSA staff take a minute to smile after successfully completing Focus Groups with 50 young people.
“The CASH LA pilot was designed with power-sharing and collaboration at the forefront, empowering young people to design solutions that reflect their real, immediate needs.”
— Leanndra Martinez,
LA Emissary Director
“We can prevent youth homelessness in Los Angeles by trusting young people to know what they need and then meet them where they are with CASH and tailored support, on their terms.”
— Larry Cohen, PSY Co-Founder and Executive Director
"Direct cash assistance provides immediate relief while providing young people with support to make decisions about their long-term stability and well-being."
— Emma Heffernan, Program Officer at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Resources
CASH LA Focus Group Report
Learn about the wishes young people in LA County have for Targeted Housing Assistance.
Press Release
Targeted Direct Cash Program for Youth Homelessness Prevention Launches in Los Angeles County
OUR NETWORK
Thank you to Our Partners
This initiative is presented by Point Source Youth and Los Angeles Emissary with support from Cedars-Sinai and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
