Thursday, June 11, 2026
San Diego County Housing Authority approves $293.7M budget to maintain rental aid for 11,100 households
Despite a slight decline in funding tied to cuts in a federal emergency voucher program, the Housing Authority approved a $293.7 million budget that will provide monthly rental assistance to more than 25,000 residents and continue support for veterans, se
The San Diego County Housing Authority on Wednesday approved a $293.7 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, preserving rental assistance for thousands of low-income households across the region despite reductions in federal funding.
The budget by the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is about $900,000 lower than the current year's spending plan. County officials attributed the decrease primarily to cuts in federal support for the Emergency Housing Voucher program, which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
The Housing Authority expects to provide rental assistance to approximately 11,100 households each month, benefiting more than 25,000 residents. Nearly 99% of the budget is earmarked for housing assistance, including monthly rent payments to landlords.
Most of the agency's revenue -- $281.3 million -- comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
County officials said increases in funding for the housing choice voucher program, commonly known as Section 8, helped offset the loss of emergency voucher funding by accounting for rising rental costs. During the past fiscal year, about 140 households that had received emergency housing vouchers transitioned into the Section 8 program.
The budget includes more than $21 million in monthly payments to local landlords participating in the rental assistance programs.
"Every month, thousands of families in our region rely on this support to stay in their homes," David Estrella, director of the county's Housing and Community Development Services department and Housing Authority, said in a statement. "Housing stability is foundational to wellbeing."
According to the county, about 68% of households receiving Housing Authority assistance include an older adult or a person living with a disability, many of whom depend on fixed incomes.
The Housing Authority also assists about 900 formerly homeless veteran households through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, known as VASH. Officials said the county recently increased leasing bonuses for landlords who rent to veterans experiencing homelessness in an effort to expand the supply of available units.
In addition to Section 8 vouchers, the Housing Authority administers project-based vouchers, emergency housing vouchers, mainstream vouchers for non-elderly residents with disabilities, and other programs serving families, young adults and people experiencing homelessness.
County officials noted the Housing Authority operates as a separate legal entity from the county government and develops its own annual budget independent of the county's operational plan.
Since 2017, the County of San Diego has invested more than $334 million in affordable housing initiatives through the use of surplus county land, the Innovative Housing Trust Fund and other state, federal and local funding sources.
Those investments have helped create more than 3,766 affordable homes, with another 2,279 units currently in development under the county's long-term housing blueprint, officials said.
The county also maintains the Housing for All Hub, an online dashboard that provides information about affordable housing developments, rental assistance programs, homelessness services, and other housing-related resources.
The budget by the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is about $900,000 lower than the current year's spending plan. County officials attributed the decrease primarily to cuts in federal support for the Emergency Housing Voucher program, which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
The Housing Authority expects to provide rental assistance to approximately 11,100 households each month, benefiting more than 25,000 residents. Nearly 99% of the budget is earmarked for housing assistance, including monthly rent payments to landlords.
Most of the agency's revenue -- $281.3 million -- comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
County officials said increases in funding for the housing choice voucher program, commonly known as Section 8, helped offset the loss of emergency voucher funding by accounting for rising rental costs. During the past fiscal year, about 140 households that had received emergency housing vouchers transitioned into the Section 8 program.
The budget includes more than $21 million in monthly payments to local landlords participating in the rental assistance programs.
"Every month, thousands of families in our region rely on this support to stay in their homes," David Estrella, director of the county's Housing and Community Development Services department and Housing Authority, said in a statement. "Housing stability is foundational to wellbeing."
According to the county, about 68% of households receiving Housing Authority assistance include an older adult or a person living with a disability, many of whom depend on fixed incomes.
The Housing Authority also assists about 900 formerly homeless veteran households through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, known as VASH. Officials said the county recently increased leasing bonuses for landlords who rent to veterans experiencing homelessness in an effort to expand the supply of available units.
In addition to Section 8 vouchers, the Housing Authority administers project-based vouchers, emergency housing vouchers, mainstream vouchers for non-elderly residents with disabilities, and other programs serving families, young adults and people experiencing homelessness.
County officials noted the Housing Authority operates as a separate legal entity from the county government and develops its own annual budget independent of the county's operational plan.
Since 2017, the County of San Diego has invested more than $334 million in affordable housing initiatives through the use of surplus county land, the Innovative Housing Trust Fund and other state, federal and local funding sources.
Those investments have helped create more than 3,766 affordable homes, with another 2,279 units currently in development under the county's long-term housing blueprint, officials said.
The county also maintains the Housing for All Hub, an online dashboard that provides information about affordable housing developments, rental assistance programs, homelessness services, and other housing-related resources.
