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
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A nonprofit at the center of an LAist investigation of O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do missed another deadline to account for over $3 million in taxpayer dollars Do gave the group to feed needy seniors during the pandemic. -
For years, the homeless count in the L.A. area has shown increases in the unhoused population. The latest count finds the upward surge has leveled out overall. -
Officials acknowledge the mistakes, and say they’ve now fixed them. -
An Orange County judge is facing pointed questions about how a murder case was handled back when he was a prosecutor, including the disclosure of the use of so-called jailhouse snitches. -
Federal judge wants details of the city’s spending on homeless service providers to be shared online with the public. -
City officials have been called in for a hearing later this week to detail how millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent. -
The report finds 39% of people at encampments returned after officials ordered them to leave. -
Unhoused people said they were feeling hopeful and looking forward to moving indoors. Over 25 people accepted rooms, according to the city. -
Providers say they’re struggling to pay their own staff because it often takes months to get reimbursed by L.A.’s city and county homeless services agency. -
In her first public statements since controversy erupted over millions of unaccounted for tax dollars, Rhiannon Do says she’s no longer with the O.C. nonprofit Viet America Society. She also says she never had a leadership role. Public documents show otherwise.
