To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOY A. FORD, CITY ATTORNEY
TITLE
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AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A LETTER TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO OPPOSE A BOARD MOTION REGARDING A MORE ACCOUNTABLE HOMELESSNESS GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY INTRODUCED BY SUPERVISOR LINDSEY HORVATH
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This item provides City Council and the Mayor an opportunity to approve and authorize dissemination of a comment letter to the Board of Supervisors to oppose a motion regarding homelessness governance that is being introduced by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
BACKGROUND
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is a joint powers authority of the city and county of Los Angeles, created in 1993 to address the problem of homelessness in Los Angeles County. LAHSA is the lead agency in the HUD-funded Los Angeles Continuum of Care (CoC), and coordinates and manages federal, state, county and city funds for programs providing shelter, housing, and services to people experiencing homelessness, including federal funding meant for 88 other cities in Los Angeles County, Redondo Beach being one of the 88.
Last year, the Board of Supervisors moved to pull the county’s funding of services from LAHSA to bring that funding to full county control, to take effect this July. In January of 2026, the County launched the Department of Homeless Services and Housing (HSH) to lead a unified county wide response to homelessness.
On April 10, 2026, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker submitted a letter to the Los Angeles City Council seeking to renegotiate the LAHSA Joint Powers Authority (JPA) agreement to “provide the City of Los Angeles with a clear majority of governance authority over the LAHSA Commission,” to “merge the CoC Board with the LAHSA Commission,” and to propose redesign for the Coordinated Entry System (CES).
As a party to the negotiated LAHSA JPA settlement agreement, the County of Los Angeles feels it must respond to the City’s letter. As a response, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath introduced a motion for “A More Accountable Homelessness Governance Structure for Los Angeles County” to consolidate the CoC Board, LAHSA Commission, HMIS and CES Policy Council under the HSH to be considered on the May 14 Homelessness Cluster Meeting and potentially the May 19 Board of Supervisors Meeting.
There are several concerns that the motion does more than just respond to the City of Los Angeles and does not incorporate representation of or participation from all local jurisdictions, that HSH is too new to take on this level of restructuring, and that decision-making may become over-centralized and weaken local coordination, collaboration and partnership.
Mayor Light will draft the position letter to be blue-foldered for the City Council’s meeting. Following approval, the letter will be submitted for consideration at the appropriate Board of Supervisors meeting for the Board’s consideration.
COORDINATION
Mayor Light drafted the position letter in coordination with Councilmember Kaluderovic. The City Attorney’s Office prepared this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with authorizing the Mayor to sign the position letter.
Submitted by:
Joy A. Ford, City Attorney