The news keeps getting worse for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The agency is already on the outs with city and county leaders. Now, new claims of public malfeasance at LAHSA have come to light.
Two whistleblowers have alleged serious misconduct by former LAHSA CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum, who resigned last month. LAist obtained claim letters written by their attorney. You can read the summary of the letters here.
The letters include allegations of nepotism, destruction of records, improper spending, and retaliation. The former employees also claim that Adams Kellum — who was appointed by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass — withheld data about the Inside Safe program because she “did not want Mayor Bass to look bad.”
The whistleblowers were paid $800,000 as part of a March settlement, LAist reports. The payout was aimed at preventing a public lawsuit. The whistleblowers warned that a suit would expose not only Adams Kellum and the organization, but also city and county leaders.
“Once litigation is commenced, we intend to take thorough and exhaustive discovery and depose each of the employees, managers, and officers who witnessed, encouraged, condoned, and turned a blind eye to the unlawful acts of the LAHSA, [Adams] Kellum, and elected officials having authority over LAHSA,” the claim letters state. “There is already a high level of public and media interest in the recent terminations at LAHSA, and a public lawsuit will undoubtedly have far-reaching repercussions...
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