Federal probe of Los Angeles homelessness spending
The House DOGE subcommittee's inquiry into federally funded homelessness services and the federal fraud prosecutions over Los Angeles homelessness aid.
Federal prosecutors charged three people Wednesday with stealing $12 million in federal and state homelessness aid, alleging the money went to real estate, luxury trips and vintage vehicles. Lakiya Malone, 48, and Michael Young, 46, were arrested in Los Angeles; a third defendant, Donye Mitchell, 55, is considered a fugitive. Young founded Home At Last, a nonprofit that took in more than $118 million in public funds since 2019.
The charges were announced the day after the House DOGE subcommittee's September 15 hearing on homelessness-services spending.
House Oversight Committee · on the DOGE subcommittee's homelessness-spending hearing
The Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee held its September 15 hearing on homelessness-services spending, with testimony from Jonathan Choe of the Discovery Institute, Paul Webster of the Cicero Institute and Samantha Batko of the Urban Institute. The majority's wrap-up said Los Angeles has taken in $2 billion in federal funds since 2005, including $220 million in 2024, and that overall homelessness there has doubled. Webster alleged LAHSA's chief executive signed $2.1 million in contracts with the nonprofit that employs her husband; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who was invited, did not appear.
Chairman Tim Burchett announced the hearing September 14, and federal prosecutors charged three people with Los Angeles homelessness-aid fraud the day after it was held.