LA Taxpayers Spent $418 Million On Homeless Programs In 2025
Los Angeles spent about $418 million on homelessness programs in 2025, yet only a small share went toward helping people leave the streets for good, according to the New York Post. A recent City Hall report suggests most of the money supports short-term services that manage homelessness rather than resolve it.
The review, released as the city prepares major budget cuts, shows that hundreds of millions were directed to hygiene facilities, outreach teams, temporary housing, and vehicle-living programs with limited long-term success. These efforts often keep people in transitional situations instead of moving them into permanent homes.
The Post noted that councilwoman Monica Rodriguez condemned the system, saying, “We’re hemorrhaging money on a homelessness system that was never designed to succeed — and no one is being held accountable for the failure.”
She also argued that ineffective programs are protected instead of evaluated: “If we really wanted to do something about this crisis, we would be advancing real oversight, demanding results, and shutting down programs that don’t work — not protecting a system that keeps spending more while delivering less.”
One of the costliest efforts, Inside Safe, places people in motels and temporary housing at prices far above other programs. Rodriguez criticized its management, stating, “We know where a big pot of money is that isn’t being used wisely — and that’s Inside Safe.”
City officials warn that homelessness funding could fall short by nearly $250 million within two years, raising concerns about sustainability. Community advocate John Alle says the spending model focuses too much on services and too little on lasting change. “Services are a band-aid,” he said. “The numbers never go down. There are no results — and no consequences for mismanagement.”
Alle also accused city leaders of limiting public oversight: “We can’t even begin to calculate the total fraud until officials open their books. These are public funds, and they’re hiding from audits and accountability.”