Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing criticism for missing more than half of the meetings for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commission since she appointed herself to the board in October 2023. The absences have drawn attention as the city council recently voted to lift a ban on homeless encampments in several neighborhoods.
According to reports, Bass has missed 13 of 21 LAHSA Commission meetings held since mid-August of last year. Since joining the commission, she has missed 25 out of 47 meetings. The agency's bylaws, updated in March, state that commissioners can face removal after four absences within a year.
Despite her attendance record, Bass's office stated that she remains up-to-date on the commission's actions. LAHSA has not initiated removal proceedings, as the commission and its committees have consistently achieved a quorum and fulfilled their responsibilities, according to LAHSA communications director Ahmad Chapman.
This scrutiny of Bass's engagement comes as the Los Angeles City Council voted to rescind a ban on homeless encampments in 12 locations, including areas in Hollywood, Silver Lake, and Echo Park. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, who led the measure, argued that banning encampments can hinder outreach efforts. He stated that his district had reduced street homelessness by over 40 percent by connecting individuals with housing and services.
The LAHSA Commission is responsible for budgeting, funding, and planning for homelessness services, overseeing the allocation of significant public funds. When Bass appointed herself to the 10-member commission, it was framed as an effort to transform the agency. At the time, she said, "The City and County, together, are implementing strategies to bring unhoused Angelenos inside from encampments. Now, together, we will continue to directly address this issue with locked arms."
However, commissioner Justin Szlasa emphasized the importance of active participation. "It's not just about achieving a quorum. It's about people who are focused on considering the issue, tracking the things as they unfold and being part of that deliberative process," Szlasa told LAist. "If people don't show up, they can't do that."
A 2024 survey by the University of Southern California indicated that approximately 93 percent of Los Angeles residents view homelessness as a significant problem in the county, with about 64 percent considering it a problem in their own neighborhoods.
Data from LAHSA shows that the homeless population in Los Angeles County was 72,195 as of last year, a slight decrease from 75,312 in the previous year. Bass has previously stated her commitment to ending street homelessness, asserting, "I will never stop fighting until we end street homelessness, because no Angeleno should be sleeping on the street."