A Los Angeles Continuum of Care board meeting to decide the future of homeless services was abruptly canceled Friday after an organized surge of attendees overwhelmed the online platform, preventing a vote on replacing the embattled Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA).
Over 1,500 individuals signed up to participate in the Zoom meeting, far exceeding the platform's 1,000-person capacity. The surge was reportedly orchestrated by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who urged supporters via her communication networks to join the meeting and vote against a recommendation that Los Angeles County assume LAHSA's core duties. The board's attorney, Shayla Myers, declared the meeting canceled due to the Zoom capacity issue, prompting immediate backlash.
Mayor Bass and four City Council members issued a joint statement condemning the cancellation as a failure that disenfranchised members and hindered progress on the complex issue of homelessness. They argued that a lack of collaboration and transparency would prolong the suffering of unhoused individuals. This disruption intensifies a crisis surrounding the region's federally mandated homelessness functions, which include managing the homelessness count, tracking client interactions, determining housing allocations, and securing federal funding.
The crisis originated in June when the Trump administration suspended LAHSA's role, citing mismanagement and potential fraud. While a federal judge temporarily stayed the suspension, a replacement agency was mandated within 60 days, placing the onus on the Continuum of Care (CoC) board. Consultants were hired to manage an emergency bidding process, which resulted in a recommendation for Los Angeles County to assume four key functions, while the City of Los Angeles applied for two but scored lower.
The CoC board acknowledged the unexpected turnout was driven by the mayor and City Council's mobilization efforts. Board chair Ben Kay stated that anticipating such a response, fueled by the city's "immense communications infrastructure," was not feasible. He argued that the cancellation, while unfortunate, should not be framed as the board's unpreparedness, but rather as a consequence of external actions that could undermine local decision-making in response to federal directives.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath described the meeting's cancellation as unacceptable and detrimental to public trust. She affirmed the county's readiness to collaborate with all cities to find solutions and assured that the City of Los Angeles would retain access to crucial databases and matching systems. The CoC board is currently working to upgrade its Zoom account and has yet to announce a new meeting date.
