LA City Council delays vote on outside monitor in federal homeless lawsuit

The LA City Council delayed a vote Friday on City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto's request to hire a "monitor" who would track the city's progress and use of funds under a federal lawsuit settlement requiring 12,915 shelter beds by June 2027.

The City Council is expected to revisit the matter on Wednesday. Feldstein Soto has proposed contracting with former City Controller Ron Galperin and data analyst Daniel Garrie to serve jointly as the monitor in the L.A. Alliance case.

Earlier this week, current L.A. Controller Kenneth Mejia criticized the decision to select an outside monitor. 

"The City of LA spent Millions to avoid transparency and accountability by my Office and is going to do it again to have an outside monitor keep an eye on the city's homelessness spending and efforts!" he posted on Facebook.

In June, a federal court judge determined that the city failed to meet its obligations under a settlement agreement with the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights. U.S. District Judge David Carter ordered city officials to provide an updated plan detailing how it will create 12,915 beds for homeless residents within two years.

In court documents, Carter wrote that the city has shown "a consistent lack of cooperation and responsiveness -- an unwillingness to provide documentation unless compelled by court order or media scrutiny."

The judge had previously threatened the city with appointing a receiver to oversee homeless funding and enforce compliance with the settlement, as requested by the plaintiffs. Carter ultimately declined to do so, describing such action as a "last resort."

However, Carter did institute a "monitor" to oversee compliance, who would "ask the hard questions on behalf of Angelenos," the judge had written in his order.

The city is expected to submit its bed plan and name a monitor as ordered by Carter, no later than Oct. 3.

This month, six of Los Angeles County’s homeless service providers, including Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System (HOPICS), LA Family Housing,the People Concern, PATH Home,St. Joseph Center and Union Station Homeless Services, released a new report that warns how cuts from city, county, state and federal budgets could set Los Angeles back when it comes to reducing homelessness.

The report titled “Los Angeles Homelessness Response Stands at a Crossroads” states that the frontline effects of budget cuts are immediate and devastating for both service providers and the thousands of people experiencing homelessness in L.A. County.

Homeless service providers worry that funding cuts will reverse the city’s progress on homelessness

The case started in March 2020 when L.A. Alliance -- a coalition of business owners and residents of the city and county -- filed a complaint in Los Angeles federal court against the city and Los Angeles County, accusing them of not doing enough to address homelessness.

A judge signed off on a settlement in September 2023 in which the county agreed to supply an additional 3,000 beds for mental health and substance abuse treatment by the end of next year and subsidies for 450 new board-and-care beds. The L.A. Alliance filed papers alleging the city was not meeting its obligations.

An independent court-ordered assessment filed in March was unable to verify the number of homeless shelter beds the city claimed to have created.

Brenda Verano contributed to this report. Additional reporting by City News Service.