Los Angeles County Will Create Its Own Homelessness Department

County officials voted to set up the new homeless department after defunding the prior agency, which lost track of billions in spending.

A homeless encampment in Los Angeles on Aug. 7, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted on April 1 in favor of creating a new department to take over services provided by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), which administers homelessness services in both the city and county of Los Angeles.

The supervisors discussed the proposal during a more than six-hour-long board meeting, ultimately voting 4–0 to create the county’s own homeless services department. Supervisor Holly Mitchell abstained from the vote. Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger introduced the motion.