Housing Assistance for Returning Citizens (H.A.R.C)

Affordable housing and homelessness

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Los Angeles County receives the highest number of individuals returning from state prison, yet reentry remains deeply fragmented and under-resourced. Despite robust efforts, the recidivism rate exceeds 65% (LA County Sheriff's Dept, 2022), and formerly incarcerated people are disproportionately impacted by homelessness and unemployment. An estimated 70% of unhoused Angelenos report a history of incarceration, and nearly 60% remain unemployed one year after release (LAHSA, 2022). Traditional housing and reentry programs are short-term, capacity-limited, and often inaccessible due to being at full capacity. Structural barriers—criminal records, income verification gaps, and landlord stigma—further prevent stability. Without immediate housing and coordinated support, returning citizens are at high risk of re-incarceration. We aim to disrupt this cycle by providing stable housing and peer-led, trauma-informed support that promotes healing, economic mobility, and successful reintegration

Support from LA2050 will fuel After Life Initiative’s Housing Assistance for Returning Citizens (H.A.R.C.), a trauma-informed, peer-led program that combines immediate rental assistance with wraparound reentry support to help formerly incarcerated adults secure stable housing and reintegrate into community life. H.A.R.C. provides rental assistance for up to three months, along with housing navigation and stabilization support. Participants are referred through ALi’s Navigating Life program, which offers warm handoffs, needs assessments, and personalized reentry plans that address employment, legal barriers, wellness, and family reunification.
All services are delivered by staff with lived experience who understand the challenges of reentry and foster authentic trust. Participants also receive 1:1 mentorship, peer support groups, and wellness programming. Our Housing Navigators support participants in overcoming credit, criminal record, and landlord stigma barriers through Housing Action Plans and strong relationships with reentry-friendly landlords. For those without immediate housing options, we provide transitional housing assistance and navigation services.
Rooted in Housing First and harm-reduction principles, H.A.R.C. eliminates traditional entry barriers like sobriety or program compliance, ensuring safe, participant-centered housing access. This holistic approach creates the conditions for long-term success, reducing recidivism and promoting economic mobility.

H.A.R.C is already proving successful: since launching with seed funding from the Care First Community Investment (CFCI) initiative, we’ve supported over 85 people returning from prison with rental assistance, placed 7 people in permanent housing, and provided emergency financial assistance to 200 individuals through our Navigating Life program. But the need far exceeds our current capacity—over 90 people are still on our waitlist.
A $75,000 grant from LA2050 would fuel our ability to serve more people with immediate rental assistance and trauma-informed support. It will help us expand access, deepen local partnerships, and reduce barriers to stability for those often left behind.
As more participants secure housing and reconnect with family and community, LA County will move closer to a system that truly centers lived experience, removes harmful barriers, and creates space for people to rebuild their lives with dignity and support.