Mayor Bass Faces Capitol Hill Testimony | California News

0:00So, Mayor Karen Bass is being called to testify before Congress. The investigation is looking into how federal money for homelessness is being spent, specifically for any waste, fraud, or abuse. The letter from the chairman points out that homelessness has been a persistent issue, especially in areas like Skid Row, and suggests it's gotten. Worst during her time as mayor, this isn't the first time this agency, LAHSA, has been under scrutiny. They've actually welcomed audits before, and they say none of those reviews have ever found proof of fraud or corruption. They've also mentioned that independent audits have suggested ways to improve operations, and they claim they've made real progress in things like getting people into temporary and permanent housing. Now the investigation is asking for a lot of documents going back to 2020. This includes communications between the mayor's office, LAHSA, and the LA County Board of Supervisors. They're also referencing some past reporting, including an article about a former top official

1:03at LAHSA, who signed contracts with a nonprofit where. Her husband worked. The agency said those contracts were signed by mistake. There's also a bigger legal fight happening. LAHSA is in a dispute with the Trump administration over federal funding. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had suspended LAHSA from federal grand activities, claiming mismanagement. However, a federal judge put a stop to that suspension, at least for now, and a trial is set to start in February. The hearing where mayor bass is expected to testify is scheduled for September 15th on Capitol Hill. It's part of a larger effort to examine how federal funds are being used for homelessness services, looking for any issues with how that money is, being handled. From your city, powered by AI, this is California News Today.