In Los Angeles, various agencies are each tackling different aspects of the homelessness issue—whether it involves mental health services, outreach, permanent housing, or temporary shelters. Among these, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) stands out. Established in 1993 as a joint effort between the city and county, its primary aim was to prevent discord over which body should handle what services related to homelessness. Since then, as the challenges and funding have escalated, LAHSA’s responsibilities have significantly expanded.
Correction: At 11:29 a.m. on January 1, 2025, it was clarified that L.A. Mayor Karen Bass did not appoint Va Lecia Adams Kellum as the head of LAHSA. Instead, the LAHSA Board of Commissioners made this appointment.
LAHSA’s jobs include the massive annual point-in-time homeless count each January, mobilizing thousands of volunteers across every census tract in Los Angeles County. The agency is also pivotal in contracting homelessness services; for instance, when the city requires service providers for city-funded permanent housing projects, it’s LAHSA that collaborates with the city on service goals, issues requests for proposals, selects providers, and drafts contracts.
Recently, the county has proposed a significant overhaul of LAHSA. The plan involves stripping the agency of its hefty contracting duties, leaving it responsible for the homeless count, maintaining a homeless database, and running an emergency shelter program. The Board of Supervisors has already initiated proceedings by requesting feasibility and other analytic reports to weigh the proposal.
Is dismantling LAHSA necessary? Perhaps not. Although a solution to homelessness is beyond reach, recent data shows a 2.2% reduction in the city’s homeless population for the first time since 2018, with numbers holding steady across the county. Meanwhile, federal data reveals an alarming 18% rise in homelessness nationwide. Los Angeles bucking this trend highlights successful collaboration between city and county, according to LAHSA’s Chief Executive Va Lecia Adams Kellum.
As it stands today, LAHSA has undoubtedly grown. With numerous agencies joining the fray and resources blossoming—thanks in part to the 2017 Measure H, which introduced a quarter-cent sales tax to fund homeless initiatives—so has LAHSA’s grant distribution. This year, its budget is a substantial $875 million, funneled into grants drawing from federal, state, and local coffers.
Despite its efforts, LAHSA remains a convenient target for city and county officials frustrated by unyielding homelessness figures—a problem rooted primarily in the county’s shortfall of 509,000 affordable apartments.
Like any large entity, LAHSA faces challenges. A recent audit spotlighted issues such as late contractor payments and lax oversight. Additionally, some providers, granted $50 million in cash advances beginning in fiscal year 2017, have yet to repay these funds. According to Adams Kellum, these advances were intended to strengthen providers’ capacities amid rising service demands.
The advent of Measure H infused the system with hundreds of millions, compelling nonprofits to quickly upscale their operations. Providers were assured that repayment would only be necessary once Measure H funding ceased at the end of 2026. Now, Measure A, a half-cent sales tax, is poised to replace Measure H funding beginning January.
It’s noteworthy that much of the audit’s critique pertains to a period before Adams Kellum took charge in March 2023. "I was aware of LAHSA’s challenges. Our intent was to rectify them," she affirms.
With 15 years as chief executive of St. Joseph Center—where she successfully transitioned over 200 people from Venice boardwalk encampments into motels and hotels—Adams Kellum played a key role in developing the Inside Safe program. This initiative has relocated over 3,500 homeless individuals from encampments to interim housing. Her leadership role at LAHSA was cemented by the agency’s board of commissioners.
Under Adams Kellum, LAHSA has implemented several reforms, such as timely grant payments and tracking available shelter beds with a new inventory tool. This system aids both city and county programs in transitioning individuals from encampments to temporary housing and will launch systemwide in the coming year.
Greater accountability is undeniably crucial. Yet, the county should evaluate whether dismantling LAHSA to form a new agency is truly warranted, especially with the impending influx of an estimated $1 billion annually from Measure A, which will largely bypass LAHSA.
Mayor Bass also expresses skepticism: "Our focus remains on urgently assisting those on the streets, not spawning new layers of bureaucracy," she stated.
Certainly, LAHSA could use some adjustments. The agency currently delivers limited services, mainly outreach. Some nonprofits and advocates argue that outreach should be exclusive to non-government entities whose primary mission is service provision. Adams Kellum describes LAHSA as a "first responder" to concerns about individuals on the streets communicated by elected officials.
Nonprofit providers envision LAHSA as a strategist for the entire system, addressing service inequalities. Why should service rates per bed vary across agencies for identical services? Moreover, LAHSA should ensure service consistency—whether it’s outreach or case management—regardless of the provider.
As the supervisors deliberate LAHSA’s future, they must decide whether to construct a new funding agency or refine the existing framework.
