Originally published Oct. 23, 2025
Topline: The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to pay nearly $15 million to extend renter assistance funding into next spring, meaning funds will continue to flow temporarily to a coalition of organizations that provide legal aid, rent relief and eviction defense to struggling tenants.
The backstory: The coalition, Stay Housed L.A., has been funded by the city and county of L.A. since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The council and Mayor Karen Bass had approved a new contract for Stay Housed L.A., but City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto refused to sign it this summer, claiming the sole-source contract violated the city’s charter. Soon after declining to approve the contract, Feldstein Soto launched an audit of the Legal Aid Foundation of L.A., the lead contractor for Stay Housed L.A…