Va Lecia Adams Kellum, CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), is officially stepping down this Friday, capping off a turbulent two-year tenure marked by programmatic achievements, sharp scrutiny, and a dramatic restructuring of the region’s homelessness response system.
Her resignation comes just months after the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to strip LAHSA of over $300 million in taxpayer funding, reallocating it to a newly formed Department of Homeless Services and Housing — a major shift that signaled a loss of confidence in LAHSA’s fiscal oversight and long-term effectiveness.
“It is the right time for me to step down,” Adams Kellum wrote 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.”
A Legacy of Progress — and Pressure
Hired in early 2023, Adams Kellum brought experience and visibility to the agency during a pivotal moment for the city and county’s response to a spiraling homelessness crisis.
She played a central role in helping launch Inside Safe, Mayor Karen Bass’s flagship encampment resolution program, which seeks to move unhoused residents into transitional housing and wraparound services.
During her time as CEO, Los Angeles saw a modest but measurable drop in homelessness, according to the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count:
- Countywide homelessness fell by 4%
- City of L.A. saw a 3.4% decrease
- Unsheltered homelessness declined by 9.5% in 2025
- A total drop of 14% over the past two years
These numbers marked the first back-to-back reductions in homelessness in nearly a decade, a milestone LAHSA celebrated as a sign of meaningful progress.
Funding Fallout and Accountability Crisis
But despite these gains, LAHSA has faced intense criticism over transparency and financial mismanagement. A March 2025 audit, combined with a federal court review, revealed the agency failed to track billions in public funds and could not properly account for tens of millions of dollars intended for homelessness programs.
This triggered sweeping action by county officials. In April, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to effectively defund LAHSA and create its own dedicated department, saying the fragmented oversight structure between the city and county had become untenable.
“We have to streamline services, break through bureaucracy, and deliver results across all 88 cities and unincorporated communities,” said Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
What’s Next
In early July, Sarah Mahin, formerly LAHSA’s Director of Policy and Systems, was appointed to lead the Department of Homeless Services and Housing. Her new role will involve integrating city and county services more efficiently while managing the $300 million redirected from LAHSA’s budget.
Though LAHSA will continue to exist as a city-county agency, its role will be dramatically reduced. Adams Kellum’s departure marks the end of an era for one of the most influential — and embattled — public service agencies in California.
For Adams Kellum, her departure is not just an exit, but a transition after a term that embodied the contradictions of Los Angeles’ homelessness response: real progress, overshadowed by persistent questions of efficiency, equity, and accountability.
