LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to create a new office or department that would coordinate the county's response to the homelessness crisis in the region.
The new entity would have authority over various agencies — including the county's departments of health services, social services and mental health — and would report directly to the Board of Supervisors.
In a divided vote, the supervisors called for the county chief executive to return with recommendations on the specific powers and structure of the new office. Among the options to be considered were modeling it after the county Office of Emergency Management, which coordinates county agencies during emergencies or elevating the Homeless Initiative, which currently manages homeless funds from the Measure H sales tax.
