Nick Gerda
Why does it often seem like there’s so little progress around homelessness? What can be done to make systems more effective? From the halls of government to the streets, I follow money and policies to examine what’s working, what’s not, and how it’s affecting people in Southern California.
I grew up in L.A. and OC, and previously spent more than a decade at Voice of OC covering the county government in Orange County – often reporting on issues like homelessness, public safety, mental health, and the role of money in politics.
My reporting helped unlock $70 million in mental health funds that had been stockpiled by Orange County officials, after a federal judge cited my stories in court hearings and demanded answers from elected leaders.
I’m always eager for story ideas and feedback. Your insights help inform my reporting. You can reach me at ngerda@scpr.org.
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Deadline Extended For Nonprofit With Ties To OC Supervisor To Account For Millions In Taxpayer FundsViet America Society has been given more time after a pair of county deadlines came and went earlier this month. -
The debate comes after LAist obtained and published a leaked analysis commissioned by the city about its effectiveness.
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L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and a top homelessness official, at the urging of a federal judge, promised in court to provide more transparency on how the city is spending taxpayer funds.
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Supervisor Andrew Do directed millions to the group, which was supposed to go toward feeding needy residents. “If they can’t prove then they should pay the money back,” Supervisor Katrina Foley told LAist.
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The program aims to move unhoused people off the street and into temporary housing. Its budget is $250 million for this fiscal year.
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A U.S. District judge announced Thursday that he plans to rule that the city of L.A. misled attorneys over promises to clear encampments and provide shelter beds.
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Orange County officials say they are scrambling to understand what’s happening at a county-funded nonprofit led by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s 22 year-old daughter. The county says the group has failed to account for millions in taxpayer dollars.
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Analysis of a major homelessness enforcement policy, first reported by LAist, found 41.18 zones have failed to keep areas clear of encampments and get people housed.
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After the recent atmospheric rivers, it's time to check in on two popular wildflower spots to get the skinny on this year's post-storm bloom.
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The report looks at one of the council’s most controversial laws, a rule known as 41.18. Since 2021, council members have designated public areas in their district where unhoused people cannot sit, lie down, sleep, or keep belongings.
