Council confirms Stephanie Graves to LAHSA commission after questioning on oversight and data

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved the appointment of Stephanie Graves to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) commission after councilmembers pressed her on agency oversight, recent audits and a lack of timely data.

Councilmember Raman called the item special and introduced Graves before the council discussed her nomination. “I am pleased to support her nomination to the commission today,” Councilmember Raman said, describing Graves as having “a long history of work with large public sector organizations and private sector organizations and significant civic engagement.”

Why the appointment matters: LAHSA administers homeless services funded by the city and county. Several councilmembers said recent audits and reporting gaps have eroded trust and requested immediate improvements in transparency and contract oversight.

Councilmember Rodriguez framed the conversation around recent revelations. “Can you talk a little bit about some of the most recent revelations regarding LAHSA and what your thoughts are, particularly with respect to the $50,000,000 of funds that were granted to a number of service providers without contracts or oversight,” Rodriguez asked. She said the council needs “real time data associated with those that are contracted to do the work” and voiced frustration that many Insight Safe items remain listed as pending for more than a year.

Graves responded that she had reviewed audits, motions and press coverage and would “get in to see what is working, what is not.” She told the council she brings private-sector experience in contracts, finances and accountability and said technology and modern data tools could improve oversight: “I think if some of that can be put in place because this has been an agency 30 years or so ... it can push this and have some really good change for accountability.”

Councilmember Lee and Councilmember Price both pressed Graves on operational priorities. Lee emphasized the need to make people in shelter “document ready” for permanent supportive housing openings so units do not go unused, saying the lack of that follow-through creates a revolving door between temporary and permanent housing. Price asked Graves to identify a top priority to reassure residents that LAHSA is accountable; Graves reiterated technology and public access to data as priorities.

Other speakers at the dais noted structural constraints on LAHSA decision-making. Mr. Bloomfield, speaking as a LAHSA board member, said part of the challenge is the number of separate decision-making bodies that govern data systems and funding flows and that a commissioner must navigate that maze.

Action taken: the council approved Graves’s appointment. The transcript records the roll call and the clerk’s tabulation after the vote; the printed tally in the meeting record appears as a raw clerk entry (transcript reads “59”), which may be a transcription or clerical artifact; the transcript does not provide a clearly labeled conventional yes/no tally for this item in the audio text. The council recorded the item as approved on the Jan. 21, 2025 agenda.

What councilmembers asked Graves to follow up on: disclosures of broader conflicts of interest beyond the CEO position, improved and more timely contracting reports, and more accessible, real-time data about contractors and outcomes for Insight Safe and other programs. Councilmember Rodriguez said she had introduced a motion borne of frustration with misappropriation findings and asked for that motion to be scheduled for council consideration.

The nomination drew several members’ public statements of both support and concern, and Graves said she looked forward to meeting with councilmembers to better understand data gaps and operational constraints. The council’s action makes Graves a commissioner for LAHSA pending any required administrative steps.

Ending: Councilmembers said they expect follow-up work and faster, clearer reporting from LAHSA and that they will bring motions and oversight requests to the council if current reporting does not improve.