Celebrating Two Years of ULA: A Milestone in Affordable Housing and Tenant Resources

What is ULA?

ULA is a sustainable funding stream dedicated to affordable housing production, preservation, and homelessness prevention. It was authored by a diverse Coalition of dedicated community members who crafted a ballot measure that was endorsed by more than 200 local organizations, and approved by 58% of Los Angeles voters in the November 2022 election.

ULA established a real estate transfer tax that is applied on high value properties sold for over $5.15 million. Funds generated from ULA are used to fund programs that keep Angelenos housed and to construct more affordable housing. This means that high-value real estate transactions contribute to funding vital programs to improve housing affordability, stability, and quality of life for lower-income Angelenos.

ULA went into effect on January 1, 2023, and applicable property transfer tax collections began on April 1, 2023.

ULA Revenues

Since collection began in April 2023, ULA has generated over $780 million. Monthly revenue has continued to trend upward, with June 2025 representing the strongest month to-date at $58.7 million dollars in revenue collected. An interactive dashboard with real-time data on revenue generated by date, property use type, and location is available on the LAHD website.

These funds are allocated across ten program categories through an annual Expenditure Plan process and in alignment with the requirements of the ULA Measure. Seventy percent of ULA Program funding is allocated to the Affordable Housing Program, which supports the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable housing. Thirty percent of ULA Program funding supports the Homelessness Prevention Program, which supports efforts to stabilize lower-income tenants and prevent displacement from their homes.

The Expenditure Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 was approved by the City Council on July 1, 2025 (Council File 23-0038-S7), allocating over $424.8 million in ULA funds” and if you want to plug in a bit more context, I would then add something along the lines of: “This is more than double the amount of revenue that was available for ULA programs in the prior fiscal year.

Early Accomplishments

In the first two years of ULA, the City implemented five Interim Programs. These interim programs were launched in parallel with work to develop long-term guidelines for implementation of all ten programs created by the ballot measure.

Among the most notable achievements is approving funding for the construction of nearly 800 affordable housing units, which will bring much-needed relief to families struggling with rising housing costs when the projects are completed. These projects will also support thousands of union construction jobs as these units are built. Additionally, ULA funds supported an emergency rental assistance program that has helped more than 4,300 households stay in their homes. Most recently, the ULA income support program for rent-burdened at-risk seniors and persons with disabilities launched in February 2025, providing $20,000 in cash assistance to approximately 500 qualifying households, thereby providing a vital financial lifeline to some of the City’s most vulnerable residents.

The ULA funds have also been instrumental in expanding legal defense services, providing eviction protection legal services to nearly 16,000 households. ULA also supports implementation of the City’s Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (TAHO), with funds supporting outreach and enforcement activities that have led to over 16,000 households filing TAHO complaints with the City. And finally, ULA has supported tenant outreach and education efforts, expanding exposure and awareness of LAHD services and tenant protections.