It has all the markings of a racket.
LA’s mayor and City Council shovel tens of millions of tax dollars to an “eviction defense” nonprofit that does … something.
That’s right: The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles offers few records or receipts, but $106 million in bills — and the council just pays up.
Oh, and that same group sues the city from time to time, leaving taxpayers presumably to pay for attorneys on both sides of litigation.
How can this be right?
Answer: It’s not.
The mayor and city council should retreat from this taxpayer rip-off (and others like it) — and face scrutiny for poor ethics and perhaps, corruption.
Already, the council’s been warned by its own counsel.
In a recent closed meeting, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto objected to poor oversight as the city cedes millions to eviction defense groups.
Activists who collect this largesse also sue LA — billing taxpayers up to $1,025 an hour — to block public business such as clearing the streets of squalid encampments.
The madness must end.
To wit:
No city contracts if you sue the city. Bankrolling those running up legal tabs both for and against LA? It’s insane. End all litigation against City Hall, or see your contracts voided.
No payment without documentation of specific work delivered. Set clear goals and meaningful benchmarks. Pay for results, not promises.
No blank checks. Impose caps on attorneys’ fees billed to taxpayers. $1,000 per hour for “nonprofit” lawyers? Ludicrous.
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
No sole-source contracts. Ensure open bidding with competition to get taxpayers better value for their money.
While we’re at it, let’s give voters more public debate on the extravagant contracts with eviction defense groups:
What constitutes a wrongful eviction? Is there an epidemic of wrongful evictions in LA? How many Angelenos in fact need eviction defense attorneys? Which tenants qualify and why?
How many evictions, exactly, did or will the $106 million payout to the Legal Aid Foundation prevent? Are they legitimate cases (i.e., are the tenants paying their rent)? Or do these activist-attorneys simply make life a misery for honest landlords?
Let’s also ask: Why are taxpayers covering eviction defense costs at all?
If this work is so important, why can’t nonprofits raise private funds to bankroll it — or get lawyers to work pro bono for the cause?
We’re skeptical that shoving tens of millions of public money at this issue is the best or only answer.
It’s disturbing, in fact, how cavalier, and how self-righteous, the mayor and council are with struggling taxpayers’ cash.
Stop the racket now.
