Homelessness money
Homelessness funding and spending
The City, the County and LAHSA each publish part of the picture. This page puts their figures side by side and compares budgets with spending. Each amount opens to what it pays for and the law or court order behind it.
How to read homelessness spending
Homelessness money in LA comes from at least four sources: the City's General Fund, City special taxes such as Measure ULA, County money (mostly Measure A sales tax) and state grants (HHAP). The County, the City and LAHSA, the joint agency that contracts with service providers, each report their part separately and in different formats.
A court-ordered audit in 2025 found that these separate systems made it hard to verify spending, count beds or connect dollars to results. The City Controller now tracks City homelessness spending against its budget and reported large unspent amounts in each of the last two years.
Budgets are not spending. Much of the unspent money is in special funds that carry over, and some state grants are scheduled to be spent in later years. On this page, each budget figure is shown next to the matching spending figure, where one exists.
Laws and sources behind this page
Homelessness money in LA comes from at least four sources: the City's General Fund, City special taxes such as Measure ULA, County money (mostly Measure A sales tax) and state grants (HHAP). The County, the City and LAHSA, the joint agency that contracts with service providers, each report their part separately and in different formats.
A court-ordered audit in 2025 found that these separate systems made it hard to verify spending, count beds or connect dollars to results. The City Controller now tracks City homelessness spending against its budget and reported large unspent amounts in each of the last two years.
Budgets are not spending. Much of the unspent money is in special funds that carry over, and some state grants are scheduled to be spent in later years. On this page, each budget figure is shown next to the matching spending figure, where one exists.
- Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grants (HHAP) (2019): State block grants to cities, counties and homeless service systems. The City's Round 6 award is $143.6 million, much of it for interim housing.
- Inside Safe (2022): Mayor Karen Bass's program that moves people from encampments into motels and other interim housing, then toward permanent housing. It began under the homelessness emergency the Mayor declared in December 2022.
- LA Alliance for Human Rights v. City of Los Angeles (2022): A federal lawsuit settlement in which the City agreed to create 12,915 shelter or housing spaces by June 13, 2027. In 2025 Judge David O. Carter found the City had not met its obligations and appointed a monitor.
- Measure A (LA County, 2024) (2024): A half-cent countywide sales tax for homelessness services and affordable housing, approved by County voters in November 2024. It replaced the quarter-cent Measure H on April 1, 2025, and splits its money by a fixed formula.
- Measure ULA (City of LA, 2022) (2022): A City tax paid when property sells for more than about $5 million, with a higher rate above about $10 million. The money goes to eight housing and tenant programs. Revenue has come in far below the first estimates.
Sources: City Controller: LA didn't spend at least $473M on homelessness (Mar 24, 2026) · Court-ordered audit of LA homelessness spending (Mar 6, 2025)
The 2026 homeless count
People experiencing homelessness
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
Statisticians did not consider these changes statistically significant. LAHSA and city leaders pointed to living costs, a pause in short-term rent subsidies that left over 5,000 fewer people in permanent housing, more people living in RVs, and federal and state funding cuts.
City of LA · FY 2025-26 (July 2025 to June 2026)
FY 2025-26 budget and spending
FY 2025-26 ended June 30, 2026. The City has not published year-end spending. This section shows the budget and the public mid-year figures.
Fiscal years. The City and the County both run their budgets from July 1 to June 30. In fall 2026, the current fiscal year is FY 2026-27, which started July 1, 2026. FY 2025-26 ended June 30, 2026.
City homelessness budget, all sourcesFY 2025-26 $952M
About $350M of City money plus about $602M of state and federal grants and voter-approved taxes and bonds such as Measure ULA and Prop HHH. From a news summary of the adopted budget. The CAO's breakdown has not been posted.
Sources
About $350M of City money plus about $602M of state and federal grants and voter-approved taxes and bonds such as Measure ULA and Prop HHH. From a news summary of the adopted budget. The CAO's breakdown has not been posted.
Source: Here's what your tax dollars are paying for in L.A.'s new budget (Jul 1, 2025)
Unspent FY 2024-25 money carried into FY 2025-26FY 2025-26 $326M
Includes $123.3M from House LA (Measure ULA), $32.3M from Prop HHH and $85.9M of state money.
Sources
Includes $123.3M from House LA (Measure ULA), $32.3M from Prop HHH and $85.9M of state money.
Source: Quarterly Comprehensive Homelessness Spending Report (CAO, Mar 25, 2026)
Interim housing beds and units funded4,918 beds and units $161M
From the CAO's June 2025 report, all funding sources combined.
Sources
From the CAO's June 2025 report, all funding sources combined.
Source: FY 2025-26 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CAO, Jun 12, 2025)
Inside Safe funding authorityFY 2025-26 $101M
Sources
- Inside Safe (2022): Mayor Karen Bass's program that moves people from encampments into motels and other interim housing, then toward permanent housing. It began under the homelessness emergency the Mayor declared in December 2022.
Source: FY 2025-26 Fourth Homelessness Funding Report (CAO, Apr 3, 2026)
Inside Safe projected spending$31.1M over its authority $132M
Sources
- Inside Safe (2022): Mayor Karen Bass's program that moves people from encampments into motels and other interim housing, then toward permanent housing. It began under the homelessness emergency the Mayor declared in December 2022.
Source: FY 2025-26 Fourth Homelessness Funding Report (CAO, Apr 3, 2026)
Measure A Local Solutions Fund (from the County)FY 2025-26 $54.9M
Paid as reimbursement. The City spends first, then bills the County. Approved April 29, 2026 for tiny-home village operations ($42,979,510), Project Homekey operations ($6,457,166) and LAHSA administration ($5,492,964).
Sources
Paid as reimbursement. The City spends first, then bills the County. Approved April 29, 2026 for tiny-home village operations ($42,979,510), Project Homekey operations ($6,457,166) and LAHSA administration ($5,492,964).
- Measure A (LA County, 2024) (2024): A half-cent countywide sales tax for homelessness services and affordable housing, approved by County voters in November 2024. It replaced the quarter-cent Measure H on April 1, 2025, and splits its money by a fixed formula.
Sources: FY 2025-26 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CAO, Jun 12, 2025) · FY 2025-26 Fourth Homelessness Funding Report (CAO, Apr 3, 2026)
Inside Safe, FY 2025-26
The program was projected to spend about $31.1M more than its funding authority. The Council's April 29, 2026 vote moved up to $36.2M into the Homelessness Emergency Account and up to $24.0M from it to the Housing Department for Inside Safe's January to June costs.
Source
The bar can exceed 100% here. The promised figure is the spending limit, and the actual figure is a projection above it.
- Inside Safe (2022): Mayor Karen Bass's program that moves people from encampments into motels and other interim housing, then toward permanent housing. It began under the homelessness emergency the Mayor declared in December 2022.
Sources: FY 2025-26 Fourth Homelessness Funding Report (CAO, Apr 3, 2026) · Official Action of the City Council: FY 2025-26 Fourth Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S29, Apr 29, 2026)
Not yet published. Year-end spending for FY 2025-26 is not public. The CAO's quarterly report from March 2026 said the next report would include the FY 2025-26 budget breakdown, and the Controller's year-end review of the previous year came out in March. This card will be updated when either is published.
City of LA · FY 2026-27, the current year
FY 2026-27 City homelessness funding by source
From the City's annual homelessness funding report. Open a row to see what it pays for. These are the largest sources and do not add up to a complete total. The City does not publish a consolidated homelessness budget.
State HHAP Round 6 grantFY 2026-27 proposed $144M
The City's largest single homelessness grant this year: $57.3M interim housing, $25.3M rapid rehousing and navigation, $15.9M outreach and services, $11.5M Skid Row housing operations, $19.3M administration, and a $14.4M youth set-aside.
The law behind it and sources
The City's largest single homelessness grant this year: $57.3M interim housing, $25.3M rapid rehousing and navigation, $15.9M outreach and services, $11.5M Skid Row housing operations, $19.3M administration, and a $14.4M youth set-aside.
- Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grants (HHAP) (2019): State block grants to cities, counties and homeless service systems. The City's Round 6 award is $143.6 million, much of it for interim housing.
Source: FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33)
Inside Safedown from $137.3M $122M
$71.4M for service providers and administration and $50.3M for motel leases. The City expects about $104.8M of County reimbursement against its General Fund cost.
The law behind it and sources
$71.4M for service providers and administration and $50.3M for motel leases. The City expects about $104.8M of County reimbursement against its General Fund cost.
- Inside Safe (2022): Mayor Karen Bass's program that moves people from encampments into motels and other interim housing, then toward permanent housing. It began under the homelessness emergency the Mayor declared in December 2022.
Source: FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33)
County reimbursement for Alliance settlement bedsof up to $259M total $130M
The law behind it and sources
- LA Alliance for Human Rights v. City of Los Angeles (2022): A federal lawsuit settlement in which the City agreed to create 12,915 shelter or housing spaces by June 13, 2027. In 2025 Judge David O. Carter found the City had not met its obligations and appointed a monitor.
Source: FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33)
Measure A Local Solutions Fund (from the County)FY 2026-27 proposed $54.7M
$40.8M for tiny-home village operations, $8.9M for Project Homekey operations and $5.0M for LAHSA administration.
The law behind it and sources
$40.8M for tiny-home village operations, $8.9M for Project Homekey operations and $5.0M for LAHSA administration.
- Measure A (LA County, 2024) (2024): A half-cent countywide sales tax for homelessness services and affordable housing, approved by County voters in November 2024. It replaced the quarter-cent Measure H on April 1, 2025, and splits its money by a fixed formula.
Source: FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33)
State encampment resolution grant (ERF-4-L)FY 2026-27 proposed $23.1M
For Inside Safe motel leasing.
The law behind it and sources
For Inside Safe motel leasing.
Source: FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33)
Safe Parkingneeded to restore; only 3 months funded $1.7M
The proposed budget funds only three months of Safe Parking to wind it down. Restoring the full year would cost about $1.7M more.
The law behind it and sources
The proposed budget funds only three months of Safe Parking to wind it down. Restoring the full year would cost about $1.7M more.
Source: FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33)
City Controller's audit
Budgeted vs. spent, FY 2024-25
Counting adjustments and carryover, the FY 2024-25 budget was about $1.1B. The year before, the City budgeted $1.3B and spent $599M.
Reasons for unspent funds
The Controller cited state grants scheduled for later years, Measure ULA housing projects that take up to three years to approve, slow approvals for ULA tenant programs, short staffing, and no single department in charge. The Controller recommended budgeting only what can be spent in the year and reporting spending monthly or quarterly.
Source: City Controller: LA didn't spend at least $473M on homelessness (Mar 24, 2026)
Federal court settlement
The Alliance settlement
357 units in four projects may not open in time, according to the City's own April 2026 report. The County has agreed to reimburse the City up to $259M for Alliance beds.
About the Alliance settlement
- LA Alliance for Human Rights v. City of Los Angeles (2022): A federal lawsuit settlement in which the City agreed to create 12,915 shelter or housing spaces by June 13, 2027. In 2025 Judge David O. Carter found the City had not met its obligations and appointed a monitor.
Source: Alliance Settlement status report (CF 23-1022-S30, data through Dec 31, 2025)
LA County · FY 2026-27 recommended
Measure A in the County budget
About Measure A
- Measure A (LA County, 2024) (2024): A half-cent countywide sales tax for homelessness services and affordable housing, approved by County voters in November 2024. It replaced the quarter-cent Measure H on April 1, 2025, and splits its money by a fixed formula.
Source: LA County previews 2026-27 Recommended Budget (Apr 13, 2026)
City of LA · cost per outcome
Inside Safe
Per person who reached permanent housing, the Westside Current reports about $259,000. In one four-month span, 249 participants returned to homelessness and 18 died, according to LAHSA data cited by the Westside Current. The FY 2026-27 proposed budget for Inside Safe is $121.8M, down from $137.3M.
Why there are two costs
Cost per person served divides total spending by everyone who entered the program. Cost per person housed divides by the smaller number who reached permanent housing, so it is much higher. The two figures measure different things.
- Inside Safe (2022): Mayor Karen Bass's program that moves people from encampments into motels and other interim housing, then toward permanent housing. It began under the homelessness emergency the Mayor declared in December 2022.
Sources (3)
- Five charts on homelessness in Los Angeles (Jul 15, 2025) Crosstown
- FY 2026-27 Annual Homelessness Funding Report (CF 23-1022-S33) City of LA, CAO
- Inside Safe costs top $322 million Westside Current