The newly formed Los Angeles County Department for Homeless Services and Housing has a new head, the LA County Board of Supervisors announced on Tuesday.

Amid accusations of mismanagement and, more recently, audits that criticized its handling of taxpayers' money, the board voted in April to essentially defund the joint city-county LA County Homeless Services Authority and instead form its own department.

The board formally appointed Sarah Mahin as director of the new Department of Homeless Services and Housing on Tuesday. Mahin has worked in housing and homelessness for nearly two decades, including at the US Department of Veterans Affairs and LAHSA.  She served as the Director of Policy and Systems at LAHSA and coordinated services across a range of organizations and multiple county and city departments.

"I am honored to serve as the inaugural director of the Department of Homeless Services and Housing, and I am grateful to the Board of Supervisors," Mahin said. "Together -- with housed and unhoused neighbors, frontline workers, community partners, and local leaders -- we will build a department grounded in dignity, inclusion, and real solutions that meet this moment."

A recent federal court review faulted LAHSA for losing track of billions in taxpayer funds while failing to address the region's homelessness crisis.

An audit revealed that the agency could not account for tens of millions of dollars. Supervisors in favor of gutting LAHSA of much of its funding said a new county homeless department would consolidate and streamline services while also adding greater accountability. 

As director of Health Services, Mahin oversaw a $875 million budget and managed a team of more than 600 staff, according to Supervisor Lindsey Horvath's office. Mahin's most recent position served as "the blueprint for the Department of Homeless Services and Housing," the statement added.

"She's exactly who we need, ready to hit the ground running with the urgency this moment demands. Sarah knows the County, she knows LAHSA, and she knows how to get things done," Horvath said.

LAHSA is expected to have all of its funding transferred over to the new county department by July 1, 2026. Voters also approved Measure A in 2024, a half-cent county sales tax increase, from  9.5% to 9.75%, which is expected to generate $1 billion annually for homelessness.

Supervisor Janice Hahn said the new county agency, which is expected to be in place by Jan. 1 of next year, would be responsible for managing $1 billion and staffing more than 1,000 employees.