FEMA Funds Go to L.A. Homeless Agency, Raising Mismanagement Concerns

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds have been allocated to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Agency (LAHSA) to house homeless victims of the Palisade Fire, but few have been found.

Furthermore, a current note from Westside is that homeless services are expected to have hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to the passage of Measure A last year, which increased 0.5 cents in LA County to rescue homelessness. It's there.

West Side Current It has been reported:

According to Rasa's 2024, a year ago Homeless Count16 unsheltered homeless people lived in Pallisard, with three paired shelters. Sharon Killbride, a member of the Pacific Palisades Homeless Task Force, said there was “15” at the time of the fire. [homeless persons] Even when we cleared up the hillside, it didn't want a housing. PPHTF has its own outreach workers. People are worriedcaptures the hillsides and beaches twice a week in the camp, providing temporary shelter for those who accept it.

In the area of ​​Altadena, which was devastated by the Eton Fire, the number of camps counted in 2024 was even lower than in Palisades. Census Route 43.01 – Area West of Lake Avenue 17 people lost their lives – It has been reported Only one camp. The adjacent area, 4602, also reported only one tent, with two homeless individuals. In fact, all 8 Census Regions Altadena included one or more camps last year.

Another question raised at this event is why Rasa Annual budget Of the $857 million, FEMA assistance was needed to serve 45 individuals. As Sharon Kilbride told us, according to her contact information of people's concerns, two weeks after the fire, they “easily got a voucher from Rasa for the motel for people.” I did.” This appears to indicate that Rasa had many resources, including temporary housing, for those who needed it after the fire. According to a January 14th Rasa press release, “On January 13th, 15 outreach teams were deployed in 30 high-danger areas to attract people experiencing homelessness. The teams were , contacting people outside and near the RV, providing educational materials on fire safety and diet, and providing motel vouchers and beds at the welcome navigation center in Lahasa. This release has been announced since the fires. said it had distributed 645 motel vouchers to the city. In contrast to FEMA Aid, recipients of these rooms and services went through a two-hour application process and quickly got them without waiting for a few weeks.

FEMA Aid is going to Lahsa, but fire victims who need FEMA assistance often have a hard time accessing it thanks to ramp-delayed scams.

There have been long been concerns about the mismanagement at Lahsa. Last year, West Side flow It's attracting attention Separately, the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) has called for independent state agencies to “investigate Lahasa for serious and widespread mismanagement, lack of accountability and potential corruption.”

Latest It has been reported On Tuesday, Lahsa CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum approved a $2.1 million contract with a nonprofit organization whose husband is a senior employee.