Federal judge orders independent audit of Los Angeles programs amid at tackling homeless camps

LOS ANGELES -- It's something seen far too often - a homeless encampment is cleared and then it comes back.

In California's East Hollywood, more than 20 people were housed after an encampment next to a daycare was cleared last week. Residents say shortly after, it was repopulated.

"I will say the encampment isn't as big as it was before," said Rosie Wong, who has lived in East Hollywood for 20 years.

However, Wong said it was discouraging to see the encampment return so soon.

The encampment was cleared under Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program.

Bass' office says they're monitoring the site and have started an Inside Safe response team that focuses on sites where operations have occurred that have brought more than 100 people inside already this year.

Inside Safe is now part of an audit ordered by federal Judge David O. Carter of all homelessness assistance programs funded or conducted by the city of Los Angeles.

The plaintiff in the federal case is the LA Alliance for Human Rights, a group of business owners, residents and members of the unhoused population who are upset over how taxpayer dollars are being spent on homelessness.

"We are disappointed in the city, and we do not believe that they've complied with our agreement," said Matthew Umhofer, an attorney for the group. "The city has made some progress. The mayor's Inside Safe program has brought some people inside, but the numbers are far short of what we anticipated under the agreement."

In a statement regarding the federal audit, the mayor's office said in part, "Mayor Bass has long led calls for accountability, transparency and outcome measures regarding homelessness services and the cost incurred by the city, which is why the mayor suggested an independent audit."

City Controller Kenneth Mejia is also conducting his own audit of Inside Safe.

"The city and the county has spent billions of dollars over the last three decades on homelessness and yet the problem continues to grow worse," said Umhofer. "People want to see that people suffering on the streets coming inside. They want the amounts of money being put towards homelessness to actually be effective in helping people on the streets and that's what this audit is about."

The Alliance for Human Rights will be back in federal court Thursday as an auditor is expected to be appointed. The city told ABC7 it'll release invoices related to their homeless efforts as instructed by the court on Tuesday.