L.A. Homeless Services Authority

In their first debate of the general election season, mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman debated key issues including homelessness, housing, and police hiring. The candidates engaged in sharp jabs over progress on unsheltered homelessness and debated contrasting views on zoning and density needed to address housing shortages in Los Angeles.

The Editors of Pasadena now review over 100 published articles to select the top 20 most newsworthy stories. Recent local events include a six-hour special meeting held by the Pasadena School Board Trustees and recall petitions against two Pasadena Unified Trustees being cleared for signature gathering. Furthermore, a federal judge blocked efforts to suspend federal funding to LA Homeless Services Authority.

Federal court cases will determine whether Los Angeles' lead homelessness agency, LAHSA, can compete for $241 million in HUD grants after being suspended for alleged financial mismanagement. A second lawsuit challenges HUD's shift away from funding permanent housing, which LAHSA historically used 90% of its federal funds for.

Los Angeles reports a 27% decrease in unsheltered families experiencing homelessness, but providers argue the count underrepresents reality due to funding cuts, declining resources, and the hidden nature of family homelessness (e.g., living in cars, motels, or couch-surfing). The LA Homeless Services Authority acknowledges the decline may reflect reduced access to resource centers rather than actual improvement.

The Los Angeles City Council delayed a plan to analyze moving hundreds of millions of tax dollars away from the troubled LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), citing ongoing oversight failures and data issues. The original July 1 deadline for the analysis has been pushed back to December 2027, though council members like Nithya Raman aim to fast-track the process. The county previously redirected funds to a new department after audits revealed mismanagement.

LA County has taken over management of its homeless spending from the LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), transferring oversight to a new county department led by Sarah Mahin. The shift follows audits and criticism of LAHSA's spending practices, with the new Homeless Services and Housing (HSH) department reporting faster response times and improved accountability.

The L.A. Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) underspent $108 million in its budget for the fiscal year ending June 2025, with federal officials suspending funds over mismanagement. The city of L.A. also underspent $513 million in its homelessness budget during Mayor Karen Bass’s first full fiscal year, contributing to the federal funding suspension.