Days after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors decided to establish its own department to handle homelessness, effectively sidelining the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the agency's CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum announced her resignation, as reported by FOX LA. Adams Kellum, who joined LAHSA in 2023 and has seen the organization through a period of accountability reforms and a noted decrease in homelessness, stated in her resignation letter that the creation of a new agency by LA County marked "the right time for me to resign."
Despite the credible progress under her leadership, including a predicted 10% decrease in homelessness across Los Angeles County this year, as early data from the 2025 homeless count suggested, criticisms over a lack of transparency and accountability have long loomed over LAHSA. A scathing audit last year found financial discrepancies, which Adams Kellum countered by claiming that improvements in transparency and contractor relations were made during her tenure, according to a statement obtained by NBC Los Angeles. Working closely with LA Mayor Karen Bass, Adams Kellum helped initiate "Inside Safe," a program aimed at resolving entire encampments.
The decision by the county to form its own homelessness agency arrives at a time when voters have shown a willingness to support anti-homelessness efforts through tax measures. Just last November, Measure A, which implements a half-cent sales tax for homelessness programs, was approved. As detailed by ABC7, the supervisors argued that a new county department would streamline services and bolster accountability. With $300 million in funding being redirected from LAHSA to the county's new department, a full transition is expected by July 1, 2026.
Resistance to the county's severing of ties with LAHSA came from municipal corners, and with reason. Councilmember Nithya Raman told CBS News, the city had only recently begun "making real headway" against the homelessness crisis under Adams Kellum's guidance. She expressed deep concern that the positive momentum would stall in the wake of the county's move. This sentiment was echoed by Mayor Bass, who, in a statement to ABC7, lauded Adams Kellum as a change agent, credited for life-saving initiatives, and worried the county's decision might set back the advances made to date.
In the interim, Adams Kellum committed to staying with LAHSA for a minimum of 120 days to ensure a smooth transition to her successor. Before her departure, according to FOX LA, she emphasized the imperative of continuing the work that "is my life's mission," facing up to a humanitarian crisis she took on with wholehearted vigor. The final results of the 2025 homeless count, which may further illuminate the outgoing CEO's impact, are due later this year.
