-
Listen Listen
Nick Gerda
What I cover
I’m a reporter focusing on government accountability in Southern California, including around the homelessness crisis. I try to find answers to questions like: Why does it often seem like there’s so little progress around homelessness? What can be done to make systems more effective? And how are people in charge of these systems using their authority?
My background
I grew up in L.A. and Orange County and previously covered the county government in Orange County for more than a decade — often reporting on issues like homelessness, public safety, mental health and the role of money in politics. At LAist, my reporting on corruption spurred a criminal investigation that led one of Orange County’s most powerful officials to resign, plead guilty and get sentenced to years in prison for a scheme that diverted millions in food money from needy seniors. For that work, in 2025, I was honored to be named journalist of the year for California, SoCal and Orange County and to receive the national Dan Rather Medal for News and Guts.
My goals
I want my coverage to inform the public and inspire positive change by identifying areas for improvement in the ways leaders are exercising power.
Best way to reach me
Email: ngerda@laist.com. Signal: @ngerda.47
-
Voters will decide whether to preserve L.A. County's new watchdogs and fix a funding error.
-
This measure is the legislative effort to open the door for taxpayer dollars to fund certain campaigns statewide.
-
Hundreds of millions of dollars meant to serve unhoused Angelenos are on the line as government officials and a federal judge navigate a difficult transition.
-
A bike-lane-loving hedge fund founder and construction workers union put $7M behind Raman. Airbnb has spent heavily for Bass, and the LAPD union is spending big against Raman.
-
With L.A. County and the feds already gone, eyes turn to the city of L.A.'s funding of the L.A. Homeless Services Authority.
-
Federal and local prosecutors unveil new cases and a guilty plea, while asking: Who was actually watching LAHSA's books?
-
Bass is warned ‘every tool’ will be used to get her testimony as she skips homeless spending hearingThe mayor declined to appear, calling it a political attack. The U.S. House panel’s chairman says he hasn't ruled out compelling her to speak.
-
Asked why Justin Szlasa was removed from the post, the LAHSA Commission head says that it is her 'prerogative' to change committee assignments.
-
An LAist investigation found officials awarded millions to a homeless services group even after it was flagged for failing to do its job. Its leader pleaded not guilty.
-
The former Orange County supervisor is serving a federal prison term in Tucson, Arizona, after pleading guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
-
The largest spending so far appears to be Airbnb in support of Karen Bass, and the LAPD officers’ union and a major landlord company against Nithya Raman.
-
The findings, released Friday, are part of a wide-range of new statistics based on a January point-in-time survey of homelessness across L.A. County.
