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County Supervisors Could Revamp LA’s Top Homelessness Agency
A homeless man sleeps on a bus bench on a hot day in downtown Los Angeles. (Chava Sanchez/ LAist)
Last year was rough for L.A.'s Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), with homeless numbers going up, not down. Today the L.A. County Board of Supervisors is stepping in, and will vote on a proposal to re-evaluate and potentially restructure the embattled agency.
A number of issues have caused concerns, including
- Homelessness in the county went up by 12% last year
- An official audit found that LAHSA was missing its outreach goals in the city of L.A.
- LAHSA’s director, Peter Lynn stepped down in December.
Created in 1993, LAHSA coordinates and manages funding for homelessness in the city and county. But it doesn't directly provide shelter, housing or services for homeless people.
The city of Los Angeles is also reassessing its approach to tackling homelessness, including LAHSA.
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The motion by County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Hilda Solis would give LAHSA a week to work with county agencies to identify the barriers to placing homeless people in permanent housing — and to offer potential solutions. LAHSA would have two months to offer bigger, structural changes to its governance.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisor's meeting starts at 9:30 a.m.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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