L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Will Be Spared from Testifying in Homeless Case

Introduction to the Case

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass won’t be called as a witness in a multiday federal court hearing that could determine whether the city’s homelessness programs are placed in receivership. Matthew Umhofer, an attorney for the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, told U.S. District Judge David O. Carter on Tuesday that he and his legal team were withdrawing subpoenas issued in recent weeks to Bass and City Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Traci Park.

Background of the Case

The alliance, which sued the city in 2020 over its response to the homelessness crisis, originally sought testimony from the three politicians as part of an ongoing evidentiary hearing focused on whether the city failed to comply with the terms of a settlement agreement on homelessness programs. The agreement, reached in 2022 between the city and the alliance, requires the city to provide 12,915 beds for its unhoused population by June 2027.

The City’s Compliance with the Settlement Agreement

The alliance contends that the city already is failing to meet the milestones of the agreement and has no clear path to that goal. City officials say they fully intend to comply by the deadline. Umhofer said he dropped Bass and the others because the city’s lawyers had threatened to pursue an appeal to block the three politicians from testifying, which would have triggered a delay of at least two to three months.

Reaction to the Withdrawal of Subpoenas

“I think it’s cowardly for the mayor to not testify,” Umhofer said in an interview. “She’s come in to court on multiple occasions and shared talking points, but has never undergone cross-examination. For her to resist a subpoena is the definition of avoiding accountability and transparency.” Theane Evangelis, an attorney for the city, said Umhofer’s allegation of cowardice — made in front of the judge during Tuesday’s hearing — was “uncalled for.”

The City’s Homelessness Programs

Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness in 2022, on her first day in office, securing additional power to award contracts and sign off on lease agreements for interim housing and other facilities. That same year, she launched Inside Safe, which has been moving thousands of unhoused Angelenos into hotels, motels and other interim housing. She also created a program to accelerate the approval of certain types of affordable housing.

The Alliance’s Portrayal of the City’s Homelessness Response

The alliance has portrayed the city’s homelessness response programs as irrevocably broken, arguing that the only recourse is for the judge to turn them over to a third-party receiver. During six days of testimony, lawyers for the alliance repeatedly highlighted the findings of a consulting firm that the programs lack adequate data systems and financial controls, leaving them vulnerable to fraud.

Conclusion

The withdrawal of the subpoenas for Mayor Bass and the two city council members brings an end to the speculation about their potential testimony in the case. The city’s compliance with the settlement agreement remains a critical issue, and the outcome of the hearing will have significant implications for the city’s homelessness programs.

FAQs

Q: Why were the subpoenas for Mayor Bass and the city council members withdrawn?

A: The subpoenas were withdrawn because the city’s lawyers had threatened to pursue an appeal to block the three politicians from testifying, which would have triggered a delay of at least two to three months.

Q: What is the settlement agreement between the city and the alliance?

A: The agreement requires the city to provide 12,915 beds for its unhoused population by June 2027.

Q: What is the city’s position on its compliance with the settlement agreement?

A: City officials say they fully intend to comply with the agreement by the deadline.

Q: What is the alliance’s position on the city’s homelessness programs?

A: The alliance contends that the city’s programs are irrevocably broken and that the only recourse is for the judge to turn them over to a third-party receiver.