Mayor Bass Blames Funding Cuts, "Broken System" for L.A. Homelessness Rise

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acknowledged an increase in homelessness last year, attributing the rise to federal and state funding cuts despite the city's ongoing efforts to house residents.

Mayor Bass specifically cited the Trump Administration for increasing living costs and cutting safety net funding, alongside a 50% reduction in state HHAP funding that cost L.A. City $70 million. She noted her success in advocating for state funding restoration to $900 million this year.

Despite these challenges, Bass reported an 11% reduction in homelessness in Los Angeles since 2023, with tens of thousands placed in interim housing and over 6,000 moved off streets through Inside Safe. She also criticized L.A. County for inadequate services and declared the long-standing system run by LAHSA "broken," citing issues with financial tracking and provider payments.

The Mayor emphasized the city's commitment to "doubling down on what works" and building a new, transparent, results-driven system to replace the current bureaucracy, aiming to address a crisis she said was ignored for decades.