A U.S. congressional subcommittee has formally requested Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to testify at a Washington hearing regarding concerns about "fraud and failure" in the region’s response to homelessness. The inquiry comes from the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, chaired by U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who expressed concerns in a four-page letter about federal funds used by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, or LAHSA.
Mayor Bass holds a seat on LAHSA’s 10-member board and appoints half of its members; the other half are chosen by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. In his letter, Burchett asserted that homelessness has worsened under Bass’s leadership as mayor, particularly in the Skid Row area. He criticized the city's "Housing First" and "Harm Reduction" policies, claiming they do not adequately address mental health and drug abuse crises contributing to homelessness in Los Angeles. Burchett concluded that the situation has led to declining public health, increased lawlessness, and a difficult environment for small businesses.
Paige Sterling, a spokesperson for Mayor Bass, confirmed that the mayor's office had received the letter and is preparing a response. However, Sterling did not indicate whether Bass plans to attend the scheduled September 15 hearing.
The inquiry has drawn sharp criticism from some local representatives. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), a ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, denounced the action. Garcia characterized it as a partisan effort by Donald Trump and House Republicans against Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles, claiming previous attempts by the Trump administration to cut homelessness funding were blocked by a federal court. Garcia stated that Oversight Democrats plan to oppose this effort.
LAHSA officials issued their own statement, emphasizing that the agency welcomes audits and external assessments to improve its work. The statement also noted that such reviews have not found evidence of fraud or corruption.
This congressional scrutiny follows closely on the heels of a significant action taken by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) nearly three months prior. HUD announced it was moving to suspend LAHSA from applying for and spending federal funds, citing pervasive fraud, mismanagement, and years of damaging audits. As a direct consequence of this suspension, LAHSA was unable to submit an application, due in late August, for $240 million in federal funding intended for 140 homeless services organizations in the region.
LAHSA responded to HUD’s action by filing a lawsuit, arguing that the suspension was a pretext for the Trump administration to impose its preferred homelessness policies on the region, which prioritize substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and short-term housing over permanent housing solutions. Last month, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter issued a preliminary injunction against HUD, calling its action "arbitrary and capricious" and warning that suspending LAHSA would harm the public interest. HUD has since filed papers indicating its intention to appeal this ruling.
Burchett’s letter to Mayor Bass also cited specific concerns regarding alleged corruption at LAHSA. He mentioned reports concerning Va Lecia Adams Kellum, who allegedly signed a $2.1 million contract between LAHSA and a nonprofit that employed her husband, Upward Bound House, despite a supposed recusal. An attorney for LAHSA, in a federal court document, stated that a staff member, unaware of the conflict, applied the signature. The attorney added that Adams Kellum had informed the LAHSA commission of her conflict and had instructed staff to implement an "ethical wall" around the contract to prevent her involvement in decisions.
Another instance cited in Burchett’s letter involved the 1736 Family Crisis Center, a nonprofit that has received at least $25 million in grants from LAHSA since 2021. Reports indicated that between 2023 and 2024, the nonprofit paid its chief executive, Carol Adelkoff, $1.6 million in total compensation, including two substantial payouts for unused vacation time, while she resided in Hawaii. Adelkoff explained that she had accrued the vacation time over 40 years.
Beyond the call for testimony, Burchett's subcommittee has requested an enormous trove of documents. The request covers nearly seven years of correspondence between the mayor’s office and LAHSA concerning federal homelessness funding, as well as communications about LAHSA's management exchanged between the mayor’s office and both the City Council and the county supervisors.
The congressional inquiry arrives as Mayor Bass faces a competitive reelection campaign against Councilmember Nithya Raman, who has been openly critical of Bass’s approach to homelessness. Raman previously led the council’s housing and homelessness committee for three years. On the numbers front, LAHSA's most recent count revealed an increase in homelessness in Los Angeles this year, following two years of declines. Bass has acknowledged these setbacks but maintains that unsheltered homelessness—people living outdoors or in vehicles—has fallen by 11% since she took office in 2022. The LAHSA count estimated 45,194 homeless people in the city of L.A. at the start of the year.
