Los Angeles judge rebukes county for delaying homelessness audit

(The Center Square) - A judge in Los Angeles County ordered the county to rapidly produce court-ordered homelessness program audit data, saying, “If there isn’t documentation of work being done, it’s not being done.”

Judge David O. Carter is overseeing a settlement from two years ago between the LA Alliance for Human Rights and both Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles’ separate settlement requires the city to bring shelter online in each city council district for some 60% of the city’s unsheltered homeless based on the 2020 homelessness count; once each district reaches that threshold, it can begin enforcing anti-camping ordinances.

Los Angeles County has approximately 75,312 homeless individuals as of the most recent July annual homelessness report.

LA County’s side of the settlement includes an agreement to provide a wide variety of homelessness services such as “intensive care management, mental health and substance use services” and even “job training … family reunification, education, childcare,” said L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell at a press conference at the time of the settlement, according to LAist.

L.A. County also said it would provide 3,000 mental health treatment beds. According to the California Health and Human Services Agency, 21% of homeless individuals in California have a “serious mental illness.”

Carter ordered an audit of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority be completed by November or October.

"An audit like this is a tool that helps us try and figure this out, but at the end of the day we need more beds. We need more services. If the city and county don't know where the documentation is that shows beds and services are being provided, we've got a massive problem,” LA Alliance for Human Rights attorney Matthew Umhofer told ABC.

Umhofer also noted Carter could impose sanctions on the government, and even appoint a receiver to take over services.

“He can impose sanctions on the city and county and at some point, if the city and the county aren't complying with our agreements, the judge can appoint a receiver," Umhofer continued.

Last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Los Angeles County for its homelessness response, warning that the over $3 billion he’s provided to the county could come to an end if there aren’t results soon.

“$144 million has been provided through the Encampment Resolution Grants in LA County Broadly … this in addition to $3.1 billion in other resources … in just the last few years coming from the State of California [in Los Angeles],” said Newsom. “Do your job. There’s no more excuses. You got the money … you got the support from the state … If we don’t see demonstrable results I’ll start to redirect money … that will start in January.”

A state audit from earlier this year found the state’s $24 billion in homelessness spending between 2018 and through the 2022-2023 fiscal year, or approximately since Newsom took office, was often not tracked and evaluated.