LA County Takes Over Federal Homeless Funding and Counts
Los Angeles County will assume administration of federal homeless grants and counts after the U.S. government withheld $240 million from the previous agency over fraud allegations.
The Los Angeles Continuum of Care voted 310 to 9 on October 13 to transfer the administration of federal funding grants and the annual homeless count from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) to the Los Angeles County Homeless Services and Housing Department (HSH). This administrative shift follows a decision by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to withhold approximately $240 million in annual funding from LAHSA due to allegations of fraudulent use.
Under the new arrangement, the county assumes lead responsibility for federal grants immediately. LAHSA will perform the January 2027 homeless count, but the county will take over the point-in-time count starting in January 2028.
Despite the vote, a dispute persists between the county and the City of Los Angeles regarding the management of the Coordinated Entry System and the Homeless Management Information System. Mayor Karen Bass and city council members argue that the city needs authority over these tracking and placement systems to effectively utilize housing units it funds, claiming a county-only administration leaves no room for city voices to be heard.
