The updated MyLA311 app was officially released on March 28 with a fresh new design and improved features to help you report City service requests more easily than ever.
Submit service requests
Browse the City Services Directory
Available in multiple languages
Download it now on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Learn more at myla311.lacity.org
Essayli testifying at a microphone
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced a new Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force to investigate misuse of funds intended to fight homelessness in seven California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
The task force includes federal prosecutors from the Major Frauds, Public Corruption and Civil Rights, and Civil Fraud sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Federal partners include the FBI, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Inspector General, and the IRS Criminal Investigation division.
Los Angeles County alone has more than 75,000 people experiencing homelessness, including over 45,000 in the city of Los Angeles. The other six counties combined have more than 20,000.
Essayli said voters have supported large funding efforts, but billions in spending have failed to solve the crisis. A recent audit found serious problems with how Los Angeles City and County manage homelessness services, including bad data and weak financial oversight.
“California has spent more than $24 billion over the past five years to address homelessness,” Essayli said. “But officials have been unable to account for all the expenditures and outcomes, and the homeless crisis has only gotten worse. Taxpayers deserve answers.”
Los Angeles officials have started pulling away from LAHSA, the joint city-county agency overseeing homeless services. LAHSA has faced repeated criticism over waste, inefficiency, and lack of transparency (Daily News).
Federal support continues despite the concerns. During the pandemic, $100 million in emergency funds went to Los Angeles County. Last month, HUD awarded more than $200 million to address homelessness in the region.
The new task force will prioritize reviewing federal, state, and local programs that receive federal funding. It will also investigate fraud involving private donations meant to help unhoused people.
“Any exploitation of the homelessness crisis via the theft of funds intended to improve conditions cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Akil Davis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation added, “We’re uniquely poised to track any funds granted through federal programs and will help ensure money is spent properly.”
Essayli became U.S. attorney for the Central District of California on April 2 (Daily News). He previously served two terms in the California State Assembly.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed concern about the task force, saying she only learned about it on Tuesday. In a radio interview, she warned against what she called a “fishing expedition.”
“Our purpose is to end homelessness, and especially street homelessness. We do not need to be distracted from our number one mission,” she said.
Bass’s press secretary, Clara Karger, pointed to a 10% drop in street homelessness in 2024 as proof that current efforts are working.
“We’ll continue to focus on saving lives and disrupting the status quo,” Karger said.
To further engage the community and gather important feedback, LA Sanitation and Environment is hosting a second 30-minute virtual public meeting on this proposed ban. This follows our first meeting on March 26, which yielded valuable input. To ensure that those who were unable to attend our initial session have an opportunity to participate, we’ve scheduled a second evening session. We will be presenting the same information shared in the first session, so if you missed it, this is an excellent opportunity to catch up, ask questions, and contribute your feedback.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday April 16, 2025
Time: 6:00PM to 6:30PM
Location: Zoom (Link to be provided upon registration)
Agenda:
Please note, no decisions will be made during this meeting – it is an opportunity to ensure that your voice is heard.
Your feedback is critical! We encourage your participation, whether you are a consumer, business owner, or someone passionate about sustainability.
To register for the public meeting, please visit https://
For additional information on the City’s plastic reduction strategy and efforts, please visit https://sanitation.lacity.gov/
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to san_sourcereduction@lacity.org
Thank you for your participation in helping shape a more sustainable Los Angeles!
LA County Launches New Homeless Services Department
On Tuesday, April 1, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to create a new county department focused entirely on homelessness. The vote passed 4 to 0, with Supervisor Holly Mitchell abstaining.
This major change shifts funding and control away from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), a joint agency between the City and County of Los Angeles. The new department will handle about $1 billion in funding and employ around 1,000 people. It is scheduled to launch on January 1, 2026, with a full transition from LAHSA programs by July 1, 2026.
The move follows years of criticism that LAHSA was slow to act and lacked accountability. A November 2023 audit from the County Auditor-Controller’s Office listed several issues. These included a lack of repayment agreements with partners, delays in reimbursing nonprofits, weak contract oversight, and inappropriate use of funds.
LA City Council to Vote on Using ULA Funds for Wildfire Rent Relief
The Los Angeles City Council will vote on Tuesday, April 1, on whether to use $15 million from the United to House LA Fund to support renters affected by the January wildfires.
Measure ULA, passed by voters in November 2022, was created to support long-term affordable housing. The proposal would redirect part of that funding for emergency rental relief. It also asks city staff to report on additional ways to use Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds.
Councilmembers Bob Blumenfield, Traci Park, John Lee, and Heather Hutt introduced the motion.
Supporters say this move is needed to protect tenants and small landlords who are still recovering from the wildfires.
“Redirecting existing funds already designated for housing assistance toward emergency rental assistance is a practical and effective way to prevent evictions and not place the burden on mom and pop rental providers who often carry the financial burden in the wake of disasters,” said Councilmember John Lee in a statement released Monday, March 31.
He added, “I fully support this reallocation as a logical step to keep our communities stable and help residents recover.”
Not everyone agrees with the plan.
The Los Angeles City Council approved a set of motions Wednesday aimed at strengthening protections for immigrants in response to increased federal enforcement efforts and threats to sanctuary cities.
In a 10-0 vote, council members directed staff to report on new policies that would require businesses in Los Angeles to notify the city of any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and to inform workers of their rights before potential raids. The council also asked city staff to identify $540,000 to sustain immigration legal services. This funding would fill a gap caused by a freeze from the Trump Administration.
Council members John Lee, Tim McOsker, Adrin Nazarian, Traci Park, and Nithya Raman were absent during the vote.
In a separate 12-0 vote, the council approved two additional motions after amendments were introduced by Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Ysabel Jurado. McOsker, Park, and Raman were absent for those votes as well.
The approved motions include the development of a citywide “Know Your Rights Campaign.” This effort will inform immigrants in Los Angeles about nondiscrimination protections, sanctuary policies, and available legal resources.
2028 LA Olympics Venue Changes Could Shift Major Events, Report Finds
A report recommending venue changes for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles is moving to the City Council for review and approval on Thursday. Officials say the adjustments will boost revenue and reduce financial risk for the city.
On Wednesday, the Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games, made up of seven members, approved amendments to the venue plan and requested an economic analysis of the proposed changes.
Council members also asked LA28, the private group overseeing the Games, to carry out an independent economic study. This report will evaluate the proposed changes, added sports, and lessons from the 2024 Paris Games. The study is due to the City Council no later than June 30.
The original venue plan was approved in 2017 when the City Council made its bid to host the 2024 Olympics. Any revisions to that plan must be approved by the city.
LA County Approves $637 Million Budget for Homeless Services
After debate and multiple amendments, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $637 million budget for homelessness services on Tuesday, March 25.
The approved funds include:
Over $535 million from the 2025–26 Measure A Comprehensive Homelessness Services budget
$59 million in one-time carryover from Measure H
$42 million from the State’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program
More than $96 million from the Local Solutions Fund will go to cities and unincorporated areas. The board had six funding formulas to choose from. Senior Manager Carter Hewgley said Formula No. 6 best encouraged local progress, but the board ultimately adopted Formula No. 4 after an amendment from Supervisor Janice Hahn. She said this formula offered a fairer distribution.
Some city leaders disagreed with the board’s approach. Palmdale Mayor Richard Loa said the plan would reduce funds for communities that need them most. A representative from Councilmember Nithya Raman’s office echoed that concern, noting both Raman and Mayor Karen Bass opposed the new funding metrics.
Several residents also voiced concerns during public comment, especially about a $7 million reduction for new programs and youth homelessness services. Speakers urged the board to prioritize support for youth and immigrant communities who are unhoused or at risk.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said Formula No. 4 helped most cities but agreed more prevention efforts were needed. She proposed amendments to restore funding for housing navigation, transitional housing, and youth services.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell opposed that reallocation, explaining she supported prevention but did not want to reduce funding for the Pathway Home Program. The board reached a compromise and adjusted the funding accordingly.
Some commenters asked the board to delay the vote, but Mitchell emphasized the need to act quickly. The board voted 5–0 to approve the funding plan.
Supervisor Janice Hahn said:
“Thanks to voters, our county’s 88 cities will finally have direct, reliable funding to address the unique homeless crises facing their communities with the solutions that work best for their residents. But just because this is new, doesn’t mean we should start small. I want to get our cities the most amount of funding possible so they can start strong, make a difference in unsheltered homelessness, and be real partners in this work with us.”
After the vote, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath released this statement:
“Our communities are tired of the status quo. They are frustrated with sharing their voices only for them to be ignored in the process. The days of rubber stamping are over. It’s time for outcome-based budgeting, where we invest in programs that house the most people with our limited dollars, and standardize care across our system.
“We must ensure every dollar invested in homeless services is used wisely and leads to real results. Cutting funds for our transition-age youth is both cruel and irresponsible, and sacrificing our prevention services cuts our most cost-effective way to keep people housed and risks increasing flow into homelessness. We need more transparency and to genuinely listen to those who are directly impacted.
“This budget underscores the urgent need to consolidate homelessness services into one department, allowing us to better track investments and outcomes, and standardize services to maximize every dollar spent.”
A young African American man looks at the electricity bill
Some relief is on the way for many California utility customers this April, but for most Angelenos—who get their electricity from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)—the break will only apply to natural gas bills, not electricity.
If you are a SoCalGas customer, you’ll see an $86.60 credit automatically applied to your gas bill during the April billing cycle. However, you will not receive the $56 electricity credit that Southern California Edison customers are getting.
As a customer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), you will not receive the California Climate Credit, as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) does not regulate public utilities like LADWP, and therefore, the credit does not apply to them.
These credits are part of the California Climate Credit, a statewide program administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). It is funded by the state’s cap and trade program, which requires power plants and major polluters to buy permits for the carbon emissions they produce.
