Councilman Hernandez proposes reallocating $4M LAHSA funding for homelessness efforts

The Los Angeles City Council convened on May 16, 2025, for budget hearings focused on allocations for homelessness services and other city programs. The meeting addressed several key items, particularly concerning funding for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and adjustments to various budget proposals.

The discussion began with a review of the unappropriated balance (UB) line item, which was identified as being approximately $3 to $4 million earmarked for LAHSA. Council members clarified that this funding is intended for six months of support for homeless engagement teams. Councilwoman Hernandez proposed moving these funds directly to LAHSA to streamline the contracting and administrative processes, rather than leaving them in the unappropriated balance.

Further discussions included the deletion of an item related to the Homelessness Oversight Bureau, which had already been addressed in previous meetings. Additionally, Councilman Blumenfield suggested an amendment to add a senior project coordinator position without allocated funding, as well as a request for the City Legislative Analyst (CLA) to report on programs that could be administered in collaboration with other jurisdictions, including the county and school board.

Councilwoman Hernandez also raised a point regarding uniforms and memorandums of understanding (MOUs), indicating that this topic had not been fully addressed during the meeting.

The meeting concluded with a consensus to gather further details on the proposed amendments and ensure all relevant items were accounted for in the budget discussions. The council plans to continue deliberations on these matters in upcoming sessions, emphasizing the importance of effective funding allocation for homelessness services in Los Angeles.