Local News in Brief : Efficacy of Homeless Aid Questioned
Public and private agencies in California are spending half a billion dollars a year to help the homeless but not enough of that is reaching the people who need it, the chairman of the state’s Little Hoover Commission said Thursday.
“It’s becoming in some areas a money-making operation, not a homeless operation, and I don’t like it,” said Nathan Shapell, chairman of the 13-member watchdog commission.
Shapell said a high-level state administrator may be needed to restore accountability and rescue California homeless assistance programs from “waste and mismanagement.”
His comments came during a tour of facilities of five Los Angeles programs for the homeless. A commission meeting will be held here today.
Shapell said a staff report to be presented today includes the $500-million estimate for current programs aiding the homeless and suggests that “the dollars simply aren’t reaching the intended recipients in an efficient manner.”
The commission was surprised to learn that so much is being spent and wants to know “who’s in charge and how are we spending this money?” Shapell said. The total works out to between $2,500 and $5,000 a year for every homeless person in California, he noted.
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