Legal Motion Over Settlement Agreement Results in Calls for Transparency
U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter has stated that he thinks an independent audit of Mayor Karen Bass’s Inside Safe program is needed during oral arguments for a motion filed by a city coalition that won a lawsuit against the city almost two years ago, as reported by The Los Angeles Times.
The Los Angeles Alliance For Human Rights (LAAFHR) is pursuing $6.4 million in compensation from the city, alleging a breach of the settlement agreement made nearly two years ago. Mayor Karen Bass, who was in Paris last week on a delegation to France, called the judge and told him that the city would pay for an independent audit, according to KNX News.
On Friday, LAAFHR said, via a social media post, that “Today in court, Judge Carter announced that an independent audit will be conducted on Los Angeles homeless programs and services. The LA Alliance supports this effort to increase the accountability and transparency of the region’s initiatives.”
Mayor Bass’s “Inside Safe” Program, which is credited with transitioning over 21,000 Angelenos off the streets, will be under scrutiny during an audit.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the city’s primary hub for homeless services, reported that over 75,500 people were considered homeless in 2023, marking a 9% increase countywide. Within the city, approximately 46,200 individuals were deemed homeless, reflecting a 10% uptick from the previous year.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia, an elected official, announced on Friday on Twitter his plan to conduct an audit of Mayor Bass’s Inside Safe initiative. Mejia emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, citing the city’s lack of disclosure despite substantial funds allocated for homeless initiatives.
The post on Meija’s Twitter account stated, “Today, at Judge Carter’s request, I spoke in court about our auditing powers and the City’s lack of transparency and accountability on homeless efforts despite billions of dollars spent. Based on today and repeated community calls, we are announcing a focused audit on Inside Safe. I’ve asked my independent civil service staff to develop a plan to bring more transparency & accountability to Inside Safe.
As with all our audits, we intend to work collaboratively with the Mayor, other City offices, & departments to provide an objective data-driven assessment.”
