LA Homeless Services Meeting Canceled After Bass-Led Turnout Crashes Zoom
Los Angeles Homeless Services Zoom Meeting Overwhelmed by 1,500 Voters
More than 1,500 potential voters signed up for a meeting to decide the future of homeless services in Los Angeles, overwhelming a Zoom channel capped at 1,000 participants and forcing a cancellation, the Los Angeles Times reported. The session of the Los Angeles Continuum of Care board was called to pick a replacement for the core duties of the beleaguered Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Mayoral Mobilization Sparks Turnout
The massive virtual turnout was organized by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who used communications networks to urge residents to join the Zoom call and vote down a board recommendation that Los Angeles County assume LAHSA’s core responsibilities. Under the board’s unusual charter, participants were eligible to vote merely because of their interest in homelessness. When enrollment surpassed the 1,000-person limit of the Zoom channel, board attorney Shayla Myers announced the cancellation over objections from attendees present in a downtown meeting room.
Federal Intervention Triggers Regional Overhaul
The crisis stems from actions taken by the Trump administration in June, when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development suspended LAHSA over a history of mismanagement and possible fraud, ruling that local providers must apply directly for federal funding. District Judge David O. Carter to issue a temporary stay keeping the agency in place for 60 days while choosing a replacement. Carter ordered the Continuum of Care to report its recommendations and set October 27 as the deadline to name a new agency.
Evaluation Scores Favor County Administration
Ahead of the canceled vote, the Continuum of Care board hired outside consultants to run an emergency bidding process and score applicants. The City of Los Angeles applied for two of LAHSA’s functions—the homeless database and the matching system—but scored below Los Angeles County in both categories. The county applied for all four functions and won the board’s recommendation, setting up the contentious membership vote.
Leaders Clash Over Disenfranchisement and Planning
Following the cancellation, Mayor Bass and four City Council members issued a statement condemning the board for failing to accommodate participants and disenfranchising members who wanted a voice in the process. Continuum of Care board chair Ben Kay countered that the board could not have anticipated the city using its immense communications infrastructure to drive turnout to defeat the recommendation. Supervisor Lindsey Horvath added in a Saturday statement that failing to hold the meeting was unacceptable and eroded public trust, while noting the county remains prepared to partner with every city to address concerns.