Exclusive | LAs homeless money meltdown City and County battle over $240M in federal funds

Days after it was announced homeless numbers in Los Angeles increased despite billions in taxpayer spending, City Hall and LA County are now fighting over who controls more than $240 million in federal funding.The political fight erupted after the Trump administration threatened to strip the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, or LAHSA, of its authority to oversee the region’s federal Continuum of Care funding, which pays for permanent supportive housing, street outreach and other homelessness programs.The federal government accused LAHSA of fraud and financial mismanagement.Los Angeles received about $240 million through the program last year, the largest Continuum of Care grant awarded anywhere in the nation.Mayor Karen Bass and City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson argued Tuesday, in a letter obtained by the California Post, that the federal money should flow directly to the city because Los Angeles is home to the largest share of the county’s homeless population and operates many of the programs that depend on the funding every day.“The City stands ready to work collaboratively to ensure continuity of critical Continuum of Care functions, protect regional coordination, and minimize disruption for service providers and people experiencing homelessness,” they wrote.The county, however, says it wants the money and to take control of the operation.In a July 24 letter, obtained by The Post, Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Development Authority told the board they are ready to immediately take over LAHSA’s responsibilities if the federal suspension remains in place.County leaders said they already have the staff and experience and management of major federal grants and oversight of programs serving more than 30,000 people in permanent supportive housing.They also said delays could jeopardize the federal funding and services that help keep more than 11,000 people housed.LAHSA was created more than 30 years ago because the city and ...