California Domestic Violence Nonprofit CEO Living in Hawaii, Driving Employer-Paid BMW
The executive director of a Los Angeles-based domestic violence nonprofit has resided in Hawaii for over a decade, while her employer has continued to pay for her vehicle and a luxury apartment during visits to California.
The CEO and executive director of the 1736 Family Crisis Center, a California-based nonprofit focused on domestic violence, has been living in Hawaii for at least 11 years, according to reports.
Carol Adelkoff, who leads the Los Angeles-area organization, has resided on the Big Island of Hawaii for more than a decade. The nonprofit she heads does not operate any shelters or serve clients in Hawaii. During her tenure, Adelkoff has driven a BMW that was paid for by the organization, including expenses for gas, repairs, maintenance, and insurance. The nonprofit also rented a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica for Adelkoff's use when she visited the Los Angeles area. This apartment, located two blocks from the beach, cost the nonprofit $6,500 per month, with associated costs for internet, television, and cleaning bringing the total to approximately $7,200 monthly. This arrangement was approved by the board in June 2018 and categorized as a business travel expense.
Adelkoff, 68, received approximately $1.6 million in salary, vacation pay, and other compensation over 2023 and 2024. The 1736 Family Crisis Center operates with a $15 million budget, approximately 94 percent of which is funded by taxpayer dollars through federal, county, and city grants. Adelkoff has led the nonprofit since 1984, building it into a significant organization that runs 16 facilities in the LA area and provides crisis hotlines, domestic shelters, and homelessness programs. The organization has received at least $25 million from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority since 2021.
In 2019, three senior employees raised concerns about the nonprofit's finances and Adelkoff's perks, hiring an attorney to address allegations of misuse of funds. Adelkoff and the center's chief financial officer were temporarily placed on leave as a result, though Adelkoff later returned to work. The nonprofit's attorney stated there was no basis for the leave. Subsequently, the senior employees filed lawsuits alleging retaliation and wrongful termination. Two of these cases were settled, and one was withdrawn. The center's lawyer maintained that Adelkoff had been fully exonerated.
Adelkoff's compensation has been attributed partly to the payout of accumulated vacation time. She explained that a significant portion of her recent pay was a result of reducing accrued vacation liability on the books after accumulating over 40 years of unused vacation time. There are no accusations of wrongdoing related to these arrangements.