Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the latest Point in Time count, acknowledging that while local efforts reduced homelessness by 11% since 2023, external factors hindered overall progress. She said, "For two years straight, we drove down homelessness by historic margins — but as expected, last year our efforts ultimately couldn’t keep up with policies and funding cuts at the federal and state levels that pushed more people onto the streets."
Mayor Bass specifically criticized the Trump Administration for driving up costs and slashing critical safety net funding. She also highlighted a 50% cut in state HHAP funding last year, which resulted in a "$70 million hit to L.A. city alone," severely impacting efforts. The "lack of adequate services provided by L.A. County" was also cited as a persistent problem.
Despite these "headwinds," the Mayor reported significant local achievements, including placing tens of thousands in interim housing, moving 6,000 people off the streets through Inside Safe, and housing over 1,000 homeless veterans. The city addressed 130 encampments and helped keep 85,000 people in their homes through eviction defense.
Regarding the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), Mayor Bass declared, "I'm not going to defend a broken system." She noted that audits and courts have shown money was untracked and providers went unpaid, eroding public trust. The Mayor emphasized the city must build a "results-driven, transparent" system focused on helping people, not bureaucracy.