• California's Billion-Dollar Democrat Blunder: More Wasted Tax Dollars

    From Elected Incompetence@21:1/5 to All on Wed Apr 2 22:51:17 2025
    XPost: alt.california, alt.politics.economics, sac.politics
    XPost: talk.politics.misc

    Homeless family living in Skid Row enjoy a meal
    ©MEGA

    Knewz.com is reporting that Los Angeles officials are exploring changes to improve oversight of homelessness funding, following audits that
    identified the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's (LAHSA) lack of transparency and accountability. The City Council voted unanimously to
    consider alternatives to LAHSA, including direct contracts with service providers. The decisions come amid LAHSA's ongoing financial management
    issues.

    LA Mission distributes food to thousands of homeless people
    ©MEGA
    Established in the 90s, the agency has faced scrutiny over its financial practices. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez (D-LA) criticized LAHSA's
    inability to account for its expenditures and advocated for a city
    department to manage homelessness programs.

    Volunteers serve homeless people during an annual feast
    ©MEGA

    Rodriguez stated, “It's now been verified by two audits that they cannot produce an account for the work that they are funded to do. And that, to
    me, is an egregious breach of taxpayer trust.”

    Homeless encampment in LA's Chatsworth neighborhood
    ©MEGA

    LAHSA coordinates funding for essential services such as shelter and food programs for unhoused residents. It currently has an annual budget of approximately $875 million.

    Homeless mother of two leaves an abusive home and returns to the street
    ©MEGA

    The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved a $908
    million funding package for homeless services. The package includes
    allocations from Measure A, a new half-cent sales tax set to replace the previous quarter-cent Measure H.

    Thanksgiving Day celebration for homeless people in LA
    ©MEGA

    LA County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath said, “With recent audits
    underscoring the urgent need for reform and stronger accountability, now
    is the time to implement long overdue change.”

    Homesess encampment near a Metrolink stop
    ©MEGA

    Supervisor Janice Hahn stated, “Measure A is a major shift in our strategy
    for taking on homelessness. Instead of the county deciding where and how
    every dollar gets spent, our cities will get their own allocations for
    shelter, outreach, services and affordable housing.”

    Skid Row residents and homeless people from LA receive services
    ©MEGA

    The budget reduces funding for programs like mobile legal clinics but
    maintains essential resources for services targeting young adults and homelessness prevention. The Board intends to cut the unsheltered
    population by 30% in the coming years.

    An eviction forces Michael Williams' family to treat his chronic pulmonary disease while homeless
    ©MEGA

    Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said, “Cutting funds for our transition-age
    youth is both cruel and irresponsible.” Horvath added, “And sacrificing
    our prevention services cuts our most cost-effective way to keep people
    housed and risks increasing flow into homelessness.”

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/california-s-billion-dollar- blunder-more-wasted-tax-dollars/ss-AA1C4T3a

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