Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count: Volunteers, Funding Challenges, and Audit Concerns

The Annual Homeless Count

• 🎯 The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is a massive undertaking involving roughly 4,500 volunteers over three nights.
• 🗺️ The count covers over 4,000 square miles across LA County, aiming to capture individuals both in shelters and on the streets.
• 📊 The data collected is crucial for determining the amount of funding allocated to address the homelessness crisis.

Funding Challenges and Red Flags

• 📉 Officials are concerned that homelessness numbers may increase significantly due to funding cuts at both state and federal levels.
• ⚠️ State funding for homelessness has been delayed and cut by approximately 50%, while federal funding is also uncertain, putting thousands of placements at risk.
• 🏠 Emergency housing vouchers are set to expire, potentially forcing thousands back into homelessness.
• 💰 LA County faces a significant $300 million funding gap.

Scrutiny and New Initiatives

• 🔍 A recent audit has raised questions about how LAHSA is spending taxpayer money and the effectiveness of its programs.
• ⚖️ The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into potential fraud, waste, and abuse related to homelessness funds.
• 🤝 In response to these challenges, LA County has launched its own homelessness department to better unite city and county agencies and improve funding utilization.

Call for Volunteers

• 📢 There is still an opportunity to help; individuals can visit the LAHSA website to sign up as a volunteer for the remaining nights of the count.