Outgoing LA homelessness chief says budget cuts jeopardize next year’s homeless count

The soon-to-depart leader of the embattled Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority is warning that funding cuts could prevent the agency from carrying out next year’s homeless count.

CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum told the agency’s commissioners in a public meeting on Friday that because of budget cuts in the city of L.A. — and because of L.A. County’s decision to pull funding and set up a new county department to oversee homeless services — less money will be available for the 2026 homeless count.

In the past, the agency pulled from its administrative budget to cover shortfalls in funding for the annual event, she said — but that won’t be an option next year.

“ Our team is working to reduce costs for next year's count given this situation,” Adams Kellum said. “But even with cost saving adjustments, we anticipate that the current allocations will not provide enough funding for LAHSA to conduct an unsheltered count in 2026.”

How the count works

The federal government requires local governments to conduct an annual count of people living without housing. LAHSA holds the responsibility for overseeing the local count, which involves thousands of volunteers fanning out across the county over the course of three nights to produce a tally of people living in tents, vehicles, shelters and on the streets.

The agency analyzes the data and reports results of the count every year. Those numbers influence funding levels for homeless services. They also show whether local governments are making any progress on reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness.

Last year, the agency reported a count of about 75,000 unhoused people across the county, with elected officials and homeless services leaders celebrating a reported 10% drop in the number of people living without shelter in the city of L.A.

Changes in LAHSA’s future 

Adams Kellum recently announced her resignation after a series of audits found serious accounting and oversight issues at the agency. She is currently remaining in her role as a search for a new interim CEO is underway.

The agency’s role in homeless services will soon be dramatically curtailed following the L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ decision earlier this year to pull most of its funding in favor of the new county department to be established by July 2026.

Though its budget will be severely reduced, the agency will still be tasked with carrying out the annual homeless count. Adams Kellum told the agency’s commissioners she would keep them updated about the funding situation for next year.