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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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VA officials are running about four years behind on promises to create 1,200 homes for veterans at the campus. VA Secretary Denis McDonough told LAist he’s “completely unsatisfied” with the pace.
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L.A. County officials announced late Friday they plan to appeal a judge’s rejection of their deal to resolve a long-running federal lawsuit over L.A.’s systemic failures to confront homelessness.
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LAist has learned that biweekly reports ordered by the Los Angeles City Council on where the money is going and how many people have been sheltered have not been delivered.
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In a contentious hearing, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter said L.A. County's proposal was woefully inadequate.
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It’s a major jump from a previous proposal rejected by a judge, though still far short of the 3,000 additional mental health beds a county report found were needed as of 2019.
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“How do I say the state of the city is strong when 40,000 people are in tents?” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said as she released her budget proposal.
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The mayor wants to scale up her Inside Safe program to $250 million, and hire hundreds more police officers.
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Billions have been allocated to address the homelessness crisis. State auditors will look at where that money is going in specific localities — including what’s working and what’s not.
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When it comes to spending the cash, the city of L.A. has been warned not to do much of that until a court decides if the tax is legal.
