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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
Stories by Nick Gerda
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“I’m at the end of my rope on this,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who threatened to cut off funding to L.A.’s homeless services agency.
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The independent report is the result of a nearly year-long investigation the city commissioned from a former police investigator.
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Up until now, renters have been protected from eviction if they still owe debt from March 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. But it’s coming due on Tuesday.
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“It would be completely unacceptable to me to settle with this pace,” Mayor Karen Bass told LAist. “That will not solve the problem, and our goal is to solve the problem.”
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The designated sleeping site with 20 tents comes after the city passed a law against camping in public. An estimated 312 people were unsheltered in the city last year.
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At a meeting Tuesday, supervisors also said money from past phone call fees has been misspent by sheriff officials. The jail phone fees currently bring in an estimated $30 million per year.
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Prosecutors say a search later found an additional Molotov cocktail at one defendant’s home and illegal guns at another — potentially preventing further attacks.
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Six VA apartments have been scheduled for move-ins since LAist’s reporting last week cleared up confusion between officials. About a dozen more units are expected to be filled soon.
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Officials celebrated the new apartments at a grand opening in early May. But most of the housing is still unoccupied.
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On LAist’s AirTalk, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass discussed the strike, saying L.A. has become unaffordable.
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The homeless program has moved nearly 1,400 people into hotels and motels, but just 77 have secured long-term housing. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass reacted to the newly revealed figure on LAist’s AirTalk.
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City officials say 1,500 people are at risk in the nonprofit’s apartment buildings, after years of neglect and safety issues – including broken fire alarm systems.
