The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to make it possible for people with criminal backgrounds to qualify for Section 8 housing – but not for county housing.

For residents at Orchard Arms in Valencia – a housing development owned and operated by the county Housing Authority – it means anyone on probation or parole will not qualify for housing at the complex.

“Leading up to the vote, residents at Orchard Arms were very concerned,” said Jarrod DeGonia, housing deputy for Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

The decision is expected to make it easier for ex-inmates to get Section 8 housing – housing that allows rent payments to be made with public housing vouchers – when in previous years they could not.

Antonovich voted against the motion, as did Supervisor Don Knabe.

“This does nothing to public housing, but it does change Section 8 housing by relaxing background checks,” said DeGonia.

SCV News contributed to this story.