iAUDIT! – An old Hollywood cliché is that there are no more than a half dozen plots in the movies, and studios just recycle the stories with new details. It certainly seems that with many films, one gets a profound feeling of déjà vu after seeing the latest major movie. One could say the same thing about Los Angeles’ homelessness programs, and there would be no better example than the May 6 mayoral debate.
We heard the same claims about homelessness from both ends of the spectrum. Councilmember Raman insists homelessness can only be solved by the provision of massive numbers of housing projects. That is why she refuses to enforce encampment bans in her district, claiming they merely move the problem down the street. Spencer Pratt said homelessness is primarily a problem of untreated mental illness and substance abuse. Ever the prevaricator, Mayor Bass tried to avoid discussion about causes and instead relied on questionable and unverified claims of decreasing homelessness, as she has in the past. While the debate may have been entertaining, it contained little of substance for those seeking a solution to LA’s homelessness crisis.
Perhaps a better perspective on homelessness programs can be gained from a recent Calmatters article on the state’s Project Homekey program. Reporters Lauren Helper and Marisa Kendall filed 100 public records requests and looked at every California county’s performance in creating homeless housing and bringing it online. The results have been mixed. While some projects succeeded in meeting state deadlines and have successfully housed hundreds of people, others are still stalled in development. In the City of Los Angeles, eight projects remain incomplete after more than five years since Homekey began, and 15 were completed late. The article raised two key issues: 1) state funding isn’t always enough, and local governments were ill-equipped to provide additional funds to complete projects; and 2) the most successful projects provided residents with proper support services, something LA’s local agencies have consistently failed to do. The reporters also found, as did a 2024 state audit, that the state’s oversight of Homekey projects has been woefully lacking, consisting of little more than checklists for compliance, with no focus on outcomes. The emphasis on process is a story we have seen many times before…