Union Station Homeless Services (USHS) is offering financial assistance for households that have been directly impacted by the Eaton Fire that began on January 7, 2025. Assistance is available in various forms depending on the need of the household and ranges from one-time financial assistance (e.g. security deposit, rental payment, rental arrears, etc.), motel vouchers, or rental assistance for households that need more than one month of assistance while recovering from the devastation of the fire.

In order to ensure that assistance is prioritized for households that were directly impacted by the Eaton Fire, we will be asking for proof that your residence, place of work, or child’s day care was destroyed or considered uninhabitable as a result of the Eaton Fire. The amount and duration of assistance a household receives will be based on household need and funding availability. USHS commits to making this process as low barrier as possible with the intention of serving households that are not eligible for services through the Coordinated Entry System (CES). Therefore, certain eligibility requirements for rental assistance programs through CES have been waived for the Eaton Fire Housing Assistance Program, such as income limits. However, income will still be taken into consideration when determining the amount and duration of assistance a household can receive. If a household’s needs exceed what the Eaton Fire Housing Assistance Program can provide, a referral to CES will be considered. 

Every household that requests financial assistance will need to complete an intake with a USHS staff that will involve providing requested documents (e.g. proof of residency, proof of income or financial hardship, lease agreement for rental assistance, etc.) and signing standard agreements and consents for participation in this program. Once the intake has been completed and the amount and duration of assistance has been determined, a USHS Care Coordinator will be assigned to each household to ensure that the household receives supportive services and linkage to community resources while receiving financial assistance.