Congressional Homelessness Fraud Inquiry

Congress asks Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to testify regarding homelessness system fraud.

A congressional subcommittee has asked Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to testify before a hearing focused on fraud and failure in the region's homelessness system. The panel is concerned about potential misallocation of federal dollars by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), which Bass sits on. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has moved to suspend LAHSA from applying for and spending federal funds, alleging the agency was plagued by fraud and mismanagement. This comes as Bass faces a tough reelection fight against Councilmember Nithya Raman, who has been critical of Bass' leadership on homelessness. The latest homeless count found that homelessness went up in L.A. after two years of decreases.

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