Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has stepped down from the governing board of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, delivering what observers describe as a critical blow to the embattled joint city-county agency. Bass announced her departure on Wednesday, stating to reporters that the three-decade-old governance structure is “not functional at this point” and arguing that the city requires direct control over homeless services.
County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger, who left the 10-member board after one and two years respectively. According to the source material, Horvath and Barger spearheaded an effort to shift more than $300 million out of LAHSA and into a new county homelessness department after losing confidence in the agency. Bass, who is currently facing a tough reelection campaign, framed her resignation partly as a scheduling matter, noting she recently became chair of the board overseeing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. However, she acknowledged that her time on the commission convinced her that the city needs its own independent system.
Growing Pressure and Federal Scrutiny Facing LAHSA
Bass’s departure comes as LAHSA faces mounting pressure from multiple fronts. The Trump administration has spent months attempting to strip the agency of federal funding, while federal court battles have exposed weak oversight. Additionally, L.A. City Council members have voiced frustration over the agency’s handling of the yearly homeless count, compounding years of critical news coverage and unflattering audits.
Despite the intensifying scrutiny, LAHSA spokesperson Paul Rubenstein defended the agency’s ongoing mission. Rubenstein stated that LAHSA remains focused on moving unhoused Angelenos indoors, managing public funds, and ensuring transparency and accountability across the rehousing system. Meanwhile, county officials plan to compete for core LAHSA duties, including management of the homeless count, and both Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman want the city to compete for those responsibilities as well.
Political Fallout and Campaign Developments in the Palisades
The political landscape surrounding the mayoral race has grown increasingly tense. Councilmember Nithya Raman recently campaigned in Pacific Palisades regarding recovery plans for the community, which was devastated by the January 2025 wildfire. Raman told an audience that the city had let them down and expressed an urgency to show up for residents.
That appearance drew a sharp rebuke from Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the Palisades. Appearing on KFI’s The John Kobylt Show, Park stated that Raman never spoke with her one-on-one about the disaster or neighborhood needs, noting that Raman skipped an early tour of the burn area offered to council colleagues. Through a campaign spokesperson, Raman countered that she did tour the Palisades both before and after launching her mayoral bid and signed multiple council motions concerning wildfire prevention. Park remains the sole council member who has not endorsed in the mayoral race, while thirteen other council members are backing Bass.
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Dueling City Controllers Endorse Raman
In a surprising political development, Raman secured endorsements from two former and current city controllers with a history of sharp public friction. Current City Controller Kenneth Mejia stood with Raman in Chinatown to advocate for paying nonprofit homeless providers based on their success rates. Just a day later, Raman appeared in the San Fernando Valley with former City Controller Laura Chick to oppose the city’s $2.6-billion Convention Center upgrade.
Chick previously called Mejia “unfit for public office” in 2022 over social media posts, and endorsed Mejia’s opponent, Zach Sokoloff, during the recent primary. Speaking on the new political alignment, Chick stated she hopes Raman as mayor will receive vigorous audits from Mejia’s office and implement the findings. Meanwhile, Mayor Bass has secured backing from former city controllers Rick Tuttle and Wendy Greuel.
State of Play Across Local Government
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Mayor Karen Bass step down from the LAHSA commission?
Mayor Bass stepped down from the LAHSA governing board citing time constraints, particularly her role as chair of the board overseeing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and her conclusion that the city needs direct control over homeless services rather than the existing joint city-county governance structure.
What led county officials to pull funding from LAHSA?
L.A. County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger spearheaded an effort to shift more than $300 million out of LAHSA and into a new county homelessness department after stating they had lost confidence in the agency.
What are the city’s next steps regarding homeless services?
County officials and city leaders, including Mayor Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman, intend to compete for core LAHSA responsibilities—such as managing the annual homeless count—as the future of the joint agency remains uncertain.
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