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Litigation to Compel Specific Responses to Homelessness / Closed Session / LA Alliance

Council File 20-0263

Closed — the City settled a federal civil rights lawsuit on homelessness, appointed an independent monitor, and has now paid out the agreed $2.2 million in attorney fees. The case is resolved.

Introduced
2020-02-27
Last changed
2026-08-26
Status
open
Expires
2028-08-24
Committee
Budget and Finance Committee
Initiated by
City Attorney
References
City Attorney Report: R20-0070; R22-0210; R26-0377; R26-0452Related Council file No. 23-1022 thru 23-1022-S9USDC Case No. 2:20-cv-02291-DOC-KES

Brief

The City Attorney initiated litigation against LA Alliance to compel specific responses related to homelessness issues. The file was discussed repeatedly in closed session from 2020 through 2026, with Council instructing legal counsel on litigation strategy. A motion was adopted by Council on May 5, 2026, and final Council action occurred on August 11, 2026 (13-1-1 vote). The file was then transmitted to the Mayor on August 12, 2026, with the Mayor's deadline to act set for August 22, 2026. The file is now closed.

Full summary

This file tracks the City's handling of a federal civil rights lawsuit, LA Alliance for Human Rights et al. v. City of Los Angeles et al. (USDC Case No. 2:20-cv-02291-DOC-KES), in which the LA Alliance sued to compel the City to take specific action to address homelessness. The City Attorney opened the file in February 2020, requesting authority to discuss litigation strategy in closed session under Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1), which allows confidential council deliberations on active litigation. From early 2020 through mid-2025, the Council met in closed session roughly every two to four months to instruct legal counsel on litigation strategy, a pattern reflecting the complexity and duration of the underlying federal case. The parties eventually reached a settlement agreement, and the file shifted from pure litigation management to settlement implementation. Community engagement included impact statements submitted by the North Westwood Neighborhood Council in July and August 2025. The most significant Council actions came on May 5, 2026, when Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Tim McOsker introduced three motions that were adopted forthwith. The Council approved an amendment to the existing settlement agreement, appointed Nardello and Co. LLC as the independent monitor of the settlement, and authorized payment of $2.2 million in attorney and intervenor fees. The fees were agreed upon by the parties through a joint stipulation to resolve ongoing disputes over settlement implementation, and the federal court approved the stipulation on May 8, 2026. A subsequent City Attorney report in August 2026 provided payment instructions for the previously approved $2.2 million, directing $1.9 million to the law firm Umhofer, Mitchell and King LLP and $300,000 to the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, both drawn from the City's Liability Claims Fund. The Budget and Finance Committee waived consideration, and the full Council approved the disbursement instructions on August 11, 2026, by a 13-1-1 vote. The file was transmitted to the Mayor on August 12, 2026, and is now closed.

Activity (75)

  • 2026-08-26 City Attorney document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee.
  • 2026-08-24 Document submitted by City Attorney, dated August 24, 2026.
  • 2026-08-12 Council action final.
  • 2026-08-12 City Clerk transmitted file to Mayor. Last day for Mayor to act is August 22, 2026.
  • 2026-08-07 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 11, 2026.
  • 2026-08-06 Budget and Finance Committee waived consideration of item .
  • 2026-08-06 City Attorney document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee.
  • 2026-08-06 Document submitted by City Attorney, dated August 6, 2026.
  • 2026-06-29 City Attorney document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee.
  • 2026-06-29 Document submitted by City Attorney, dated June 29, 2026.
  • 2026-05-05 Council adopted item forthwith.
  • 2026-05-01 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on May 5, 2026.
  • 2025-08-27 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2025-08-20 Council continued item to August 27, 2025 .
  • 2025-08-18 Community Impact Statement submitted by North Westwood Neighborhood Council.
  • 2025-08-15 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 20, 2025.
  • 2025-07-10 Community Impact Statement submitted by North Westwood Neighborhood Council.
  • 2025-06-10 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2025-06-06 Council continued item to June 10, 2025 .
  • 2025-06-04 Council continued item to June 6, 2025 .
  • 2025-05-30 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on June 4, 2025.
  • 2025-02-26 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session, and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2025-02-19 Council continued item to February 26, 2025 .
  • 2025-02-14 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on February 19, 2025.
  • 2024-12-04 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-11-27 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on December 4, 2024.
  • 2024-09-25 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-09-20 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on September 25, 2024.
  • 2024-08-16 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-08-13 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 16, 2024.
  • 2024-05-01 Council discussed matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-04-26 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on May 1, 2024.
  • 2024-04-16 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to the subject litigation.
  • 2024-04-12 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 16, 2024.
  • 2024-04-05 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-04-04 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 5, 2024.
  • 2024-03-20 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-03-18 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 20, 2024.
  • 2024-01-31 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2024-01-26 Council scheduled item for Council on January 31, 2024.
  • 2022-08-03 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2022-08-01 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 3, 2022.
  • 2022-05-11 Council discussed the matter in Closed Session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2022-05-06 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on May 11, 2022.
  • 2022-03-02 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2022-02-25 Council scheduled item for committee meeting on March 2, 2022.
  • 2021-04-27 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2021-04-23 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 27, 2021.
  • 2021-04-20 Council took no action.
  • 2021-04-14 Council continued item to April 20, 2021 .
  • 2021-04-06 Council continued item to April 14, 2021 .
  • 2021-03-31 Council continued item to April 6, 2021 .
  • 2021-03-30 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 31, 2021.
  • 2021-03-24 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2021-03-22 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 24, 2021.
  • 2020-10-21 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-10-19 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on October 21, 2020.
  • 2020-09-09 Council took no action on this matter.
  • 2020-09-04 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on September 9, 2020.
  • 2020-08-05 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-08-04 Council continued item to August 5, 2020 .
  • 2020-07-31 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 4, 2020.
  • 2020-06-16 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-06-12 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on June 16, 2020.
  • 2020-06-05 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-06-03 Council continued item to June 9, 2020 .
  • 2020-05-29 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on June 3, 2020.
  • 2020-05-27 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-05-20 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-05-19 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on May 20, 2020.
  • 2020-04-22 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-03-04 Council discussed matter in closed session and instructed legal counsel with respect to subject litigation.
  • 2020-02-28 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 4, 2020.
  • 2020-02-27 City Attorney document(s) referred to Homelessness and Poverty Committee.
  • 2020-02-27 Document(s) submitted by City Attorney, as follows:City Attorney report R20-0070, dated February 27, 2020, relative to a request to discuss in closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1), Litigation to Compel Specific Responses to Homelessness.

Documents (28)

Council votes (2)

  • 2026-08-11 Adopted — 13-1-1 · Regular
  • 2025-08-20 Vote — 14-0-1 · Regular

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