Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum, CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), will officially step down Friday, marking the end of a troubled tenure that has drawn sharp legal and political scrutiny over the agency’s fiscal mismanagement and administrative failures.
Her resignation, first announced in April, follows a decisive move by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to divert more than $300 million in funding away from LAHSA and toward a newly formed Department of Homeless Services and Housing — effectively dismantling LAHSA’s central role in managing homelessness for the county’s 10 million residents.
The shift, and Adams Kellum’s departure, underscore broader questions of public accountability, inter-agency governance, and the legal liabilities that can arise when public entities fail to properly administer taxpayer funds.
“It is the right time for me to step down,” Adams Kellum said in a letter to the LAHSA Commission. “I am incredibly proud of LAHSA’s talented and dedicated staff and deeply grateful for their tireless work.”
Legal and Fiscal Consequences: A Governance Crisis Unfolds
The legal significance of Adams Kellum’s resignation is rooted in a series of findings from independent audits and a federal court review, which collectively faulted LAHSA for failing to account for billions in public funds, including tens of millions in specific program allocations. These reports intensified public and governmental concern over whether LAHSA had met its statutory and fiduciary duties.
As a joint powers authority (JPA) governed by both the City and County of Los Angeles, LAHSA was intended to streamline homelessness services across jurisdictions. However, the dual-governance model became a source of operational ambiguity and diffused accountability, which critics say enabled systemic underperformance and ineffective oversight.
In response, the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous April vote to form a separate county department marked a rare legal rebuke of a JPA model. The board’s action effectively removed LAHSA from its role as the primary administrator of county homelessness funding and centralized governance under the new department.
“This is about structural reform,” said Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who stressed the need to “break through bureaucracy” and deliver measurable outcomes.
Implications for Public Administration and Intergovernmental Agreements
The dissolution of LAHSA’s funding authority may set a precedent for other jurisdictions evaluating the legal effectiveness of joint city-county governance models. Critics have long argued that LAHSA’s hybrid structure diluted legal accountability, making it unclear which body—city or county—held ultimate responsibility for oversight failures.
For legal analysts and municipal law practitioners, LAHSA’s unraveling raises questions about:
- The limits of intergovernmental cooperation under California’s Government Code provisions on JPAs;
- The fiduciary responsibilities of public executives managing mixed-source funds;
- And the mechanisms available to cities and counties to legally restructure failing agencies without violating contractual or statutory obligations.
A Measured Record Amid Mounting Pressure
Despite her resignation under pressure, Adams Kellum’s tenure was not without successes. She was instrumental in implementing Mayor Karen Bass’s Inside Safe program, an initiative designed to transition individuals from street encampments into interim housing.
Under her leadership, homelessness numbers declined modestly for two consecutive years — a 4% drop countywide and a 3.4% drop in the City of L.A., with a notable 9.5% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in 2025. These were the first back-to-back reductions in nearly a decade.
Still, for the Board of Supervisors, those improvements did not outweigh the systemic compliance failures and the legal exposure created by LAHSA’s lack of financial control and documentation.
What’s Next for Homeless Governance in L.A. County
The newly established Department of Homeless Services and Housing is now led by Sarah Mahin, formerly LAHSA’s Director of Policy and Systems. Her appointment suggests institutional continuity even amid structural upheaval.
From a legal perspective, the transition may invite further examination of contractual obligations, funding disbursement processes, and the county’s risk exposure related to any unaccounted funds.
Additionally, Adams Kellum’s resignation may lead to further inquiry into executive responsibility, especially as public and legal attention turns toward recovery of misallocated funds and enforcement of accountability standards in public service.
