September 23, 2026
The largest local program of its kind prevents homelessness and displacement while creating community ownership opportunities
A $102-million Small Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (Small NOAH) Program, focused on acquisition and rehabilitation of buildings with 3-20 units, made a key step forward Wednesday with the approval of a fund administrator by City Council. “Naturally occurring affordable housing” refers to non-deed-restricted homes that are still relatively affordable to lower-income tenants, and this program funds the purchase of buildings that are at risk of losing affordability due to neighborhood change or purchase. The program will create a path for community ownership for some properties under the Measure ULA Acquisition & Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing program.
“With the Small NOAH program, we are creating another tool to help keep Angelenos housed, prevent displacement and give renters a real pathway toward long-term stability,” Councilmember Imelda Padilla, chair of the Los Angeles City Council Housing Committee, said. “This is what Measure ULA is about, investing in programs that our community can access in their own neighborhoods. I’m excited to see these programs take root across all of Los Angeles as we continue raising the standard for affordable housing and homelessness prevention.”
Los Angeles is a city of majority renters, and Angelenos in NOAH are at a high risk of displacement as many of these buildings go to sale for conversion into high-rent units. Measure ULA’s Acquisition & Rehabilitation program will protect vulnerable Angelenos living in NOAH by acquiring properties, rehabilitating and preserving them, making them permanently affordable and creating opportunities for community ownership and governance.
“For more than 20 years, T.R.U.S.T. South LA has worked to preserve affordable housing, prevent displacement, and move land and housing into community ownership,” said Oscar Monge, Executive Director of T.R.U.S.T. South LA. “We helped shape Measure ULA, gathered signatures to put it on the ballot, organized for its passage, and have continued advocating for its implementation. We cannot build our way out of the housing crisis alone. We also have to preserve the affordable housing our communities already rely on. At T.R.U.S.T., we already have a pipeline of preservation opportunities with patient, mission-aligned sellers who want to see their properties remain affordable. This $102-million investment can help CLTs and other mission-driven organizations turn opportunities like these into permanently affordable, community-owned housing while keeping residents in place.”
“As a tenant leader and CLT board member, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for tenants and community members to have a voice in what happens to the homes and neighborhoods we call home,” said Ana Martinez of Fideicomiso Comunitario Tierra Libre. “Through organizing with my neighbors, I’ve learned that keeping people housed isn’t just about short-term solutions. It creates long-term stability, prevents displacement, and gives communities more control over their housing. I believe CLT acquisition through ULA is an important step toward making sure families can stay rooted in their communities and that these homes remain permanently affordable.”
“It is important for community land trusts like BVCLT to have resources because it would help people live in dignity and affordability by having housing that is affordable for them,” said tenant leader DeShanae Cantley. “If money was an option to acquire my building, it would be a dream come true. I would be able to live with permanent affordability and not worry about paying my rent. For me and my neighbors, it would mean having an organized community and land that we can make decisions about based on the care we have for each other. To have a community that cares about each other, organizes with each other, and can live in comfort.”
An initial program launched by Los Angeles County, the Acquisition/Rehab Pilot Program, saved 43 households from displacement through the procurement and stabilization of eight buildings between April 2021 and March 2022. The LA City Small NOAH funding is not allocated in advance to specific NOAH units. Instead, the fund administrator selected today, Genesis LA, will purchase properties in the market.
For many small landlords, the Small NOAH program presents an opportunity feared lost—to protect the welfare of longtime tenants while still realizing the value of a family investment asset.
“Housing is a human right, and after years of owning and operating rental housing in South Los Angeles, I have seen how deeply families depend on stable, affordable homes to build their lives, raise their children, and remain connected to their communities,” said property owner Ramtin Rafiee, the owner of more than 100 units throughout South LA that could be purchased for communal ownership under the Small NOAH program. “That is why partnering with T.R.U.S.T. South LA is so meaningful to me. Their work is centered on keeping residents in their homes, protecting communities from displacement, and ensuring that housing serves the people who live in it—not just the market. I am grateful to be exploring ways to preserve these homes so that the families and communities that give South Los Angeles its strength can remain there for generations to come.”