Fear of Homelessness in Wake of Government Shutdown

According to the LA County Housing Authority, if the government shutdown continues through the end of the month, more than 23-thousand families could end up on the street 

"This shutdown and continued uncertainty will result in households losing their vouchers, and puts our most vulnerable populations at further risk, such as the homeless, senior and mentally ill," said Housing Authority Executive Director Sean Rogan.

Wayne West is an ex-convict who relied on the low-cost housing program to help turn his life around.

"I'm not really interested in doing any criminal activity, especially after just coming home after doing five years," said West. "But at the same time I'm not going to be out here starving if they do close down, and I think anybody can understand that. I'm going to eat, I'm going to do whatever I have to to eat."

One expert says, if these residents do end up on the streets, the shutdown could keep them there, especially if their housing applications are not being processed.

"There are people who would be eligible who are not yet 62, they're 55 and older and here are some apartments we could rent to them but we can't," explained Richard Washington from the Retirement Housing Foundation.

Real Estate expert Richard Schulman hasn't heard much about the shutdown impacting affordable health care from his clients however.

""I think the general consensus is that it will be resoled very quickly and it won't end up being a big impediment to anything."

It is currently too soon to know how much the government shutdown will actually impact housing. If lawmakers do not reach an agreement before the end of October, affordable housing will lose funding.