Brief

The Homeless Strategy Committee initiated this file to authorize filling ten vacant positions within the Homeless Engagement Teams (HET) and adopt the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's scope of work for housing and system navigator roles. The Housing and Homelessness Committee approved the proposal in February 2024, and Council adopted it on February 21, 2024 by unanimous vote. After an August 2026 LAHSA submission prompted rereference to committee, Council reaffirmed its adoption on September 18, 2026 by a vote of 11-0-4.

Full summary

The Homeless Engagement Teams (HET) program is designed to provide street-level outreach and engagement with unhoused individuals in Los Angeles. This file authorizes the City to fill ten vacant positions within HET and formally adopts the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's scope of work for housing and system navigator positions — roles intended to help unhoused people navigate available services and move toward housing stability. The Homeless Strategy Committee submitted the proposal on February 1, 2024, framing it as an operational necessity to maintain HET capacity and clarify the mandate for housing navigation services. The Housing and Homelessness Committee reviewed and approved the item on February 7, 2024, with no noted objections. Council adopted the motion on February 21, 2024 by unanimous vote, and the action became final on February 23, 2024. In August 2026, LAHSA submitted an updated report on the Housing Navigation and HET System Navigator Scope of Work, prompting the City Clerk to rerefer the item to the Homelessness and Health Committee under Council File No. 26-2000, which appears to be part of a broader homelessness policy realignment. At its September 9, 2026 meeting, LAHSA staff presented the report and answered committee members' questions. After public comment, the committee — with Jurado, McOsker, Padilla, and Raman voting yes and Blumenfield absent — moved to note and file the LAHSA report rather than take further substantive action, treating it as an informational update rather than a new policy directive. Council then adopted the committee's recommendation on September 18, 2026, voting 11-0-4, subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51. The file remains open through September 18, 2028. The recent activity reflects ongoing oversight of how LAHSA is implementing the navigator scope of work originally approved in 2024, with the committee using the August 2026 LAHSA submission as an opportunity to review program alignment without reopening the underlying staffing authorization.

Activity (14)

• 2026-09-18 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-09-15 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on September 18, 2026.
• 2026-09-09 Homelessness and Health Committee noted and filed item(s).
• 2026-09-04 Homelessness and Health Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 9, 2026.
• 2026-08-28 City Clerk rereferred item to Homelessness and Health Committee, pursuant to Council File No. 26-2000.
• 2026-08-13 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority document(s) referred to Housing and Homelessness Committee.
• 2026-08-13 Document submitted by Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, dated August 13, 2026.
• 2024-02-23 Council action final.
• 2024-02-21 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2024-02-16 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on February 21, 2024.
• 2024-02-07 Housing and Homelessness Committee approved item(s) .
• 2024-02-02 Housing and Homelessness Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on February 7, 2024.
• 2024-02-01 Homeless Strategy Committee document(s) referred to Housing and Homelessness Committee.
• 2024-02-01 Document(s) submitted by Homeless Strategy Committee, as follows:Homeless Strategy Committee report 0220-05151-0520, dated February 1, 2024, relative to authorizing filling ten vacant positions for the Homeless Engagement Teams and adopting the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority scope of work for the housing/system navigator position.

Documents (8)

• 2026-09-16 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-09-09 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Presentation · other
• 2026-09-09 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-09-09 Report from Homelessness and Health Committee · report
• 2026-08-13 Report from Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority · report
• 2024-02-23 Council Action · council_action
• 2024-02-07 Report from Housing and Homelessness Committee · report
• 2024-02-01 Report from Homeless Strategy Committee · report

Council votes (2)

• 2026-09-18 Adopted — 11-0-4 · Regular
• 2024-02-21 Vote — 12-0-3 · Regular