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LA County supervisors vote to explore cutting homeless services agency’s budget, creating new department
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority workers observe sanitation workers removing an encampment in Venice Beach in 2023.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to explore how it could trim the budget of the region’s top homeless services agency and move many of its duties to a yet-to-be created department.
The move comes after an audit of the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority found late payments to subcontractors and inadequate monitoring of contracts to make sure providers were complying with the terms of the funding agreements. LAHSA’s current annual budget is $875 million.
Four supervisors voted in favor of the motion, which directs officials to report back early next year on how to create a new county department and begin transferring funding and duties away from LAHSA. One abstained.
What is being proposed?
The proposal calls for LAHSA’s duties to be limited to core functions, including the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count and some emergency services. That means hundreds of millions of dollars managed by the agency could go to the new county department to distribute to dozens of service providers.
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Jose Rodriguez lost the garage home where his son lived. He wasn’t trying to be the first to rebuild. But his experience helped him earn that distinction. -
The spending plan would gut prevention, outreach and supportive services to maintain temporary shelter beds and absorb rate increases previously covered by other funding sources. -
The hearing was ordered by a federal judge overseeing a settlement in a lawsuit brought against the city by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights. It will resume Dec. 2.
If the county moves forward with the proposal, it would be a major change in how the county organizes its response to homelessness.
“It is time to take the hard but necessary steps to double down on transparency and accountability on homelessness by creating a county department where we have direct oversight,” said Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who co-authored the motion with Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
City and county officials have scrutinized the agency in recent weeks, following an audit that found the agency was not paying some service providers on time and that some contracts were not properly monitored and other issues.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who abstained from the vote, argued for implementing the audit’s recommendations instead of standing up a new department.
“I do not see how shifting all the homeless services funding and programs to one department addresses the true challenges that service providers are facing,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell also pointed out that the audit did not investigate whether tax dollars were spent incorrectly.
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What’s next
County officials are expected to report back early next year with a summary of LAHSA functions that could transition to the new county department.
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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.
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