Mayor Bass Asked to Testify on Homeless Funds

A U.S. House subcommittee has requested Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to testify at a hearing in Washington, D.C., concerning allegations of waste, fraud, and mismanagement of federal funds designated for homelessness services. The hearing, scheduled for September 15, is being convened by the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, chaired by U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett. The subcommittee is investigating the potential misallocation of federal dollars by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), which has received over $1 billion in federal funding since 2021, including $220 million in 2024. In a letter to Mayor Bass, Representative Burchett expressed concern that federal taxpayer dollars may not be used for their intended purpose by the nonprofits receiving them through LAHSA. The panel has requested extensive documentation from the mayor's office related to LAHSA's management of federal funds, with a deadline of September 14. The inquiry follows a move by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in June to suspend LAHSA from receiving federal funds due to allegations of fraud and mismanagement.