Months after establishing a dedicated entity for homeless services, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday formally appointed Sarah Mahin as director of the Department of Homeless Services and Housing.
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Mahin, a Georgetown University and University of Texas at Austin alumna, has worked in housing and homelessness for nearly two decades. She joined Housing for Health within the Department of Health Services in April 2019, serving as director for six years.
In that role, 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.
In a major shift in L.A.'s homelessness strategy, the Board of Supervisors voted in April to cut funding from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and create a new county-run department. The decision redirects hundreds of millions of dollars away from LAHSA, a joint city-county agency long criticized for mismanagement. Multiple audits and a recent federal court review faulted LAHSA for losing track of billions in taxpayer funds while failing to address the region's homelessness crisis.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Sarah Mahin as Director of our new County Department of Homeless Services and Housing," Horvath said.
"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. Her deep experience with contract management, data integration, and creating a culture of innovation and progress will be instrumental in charting a new way forward for homeless services in L.A. County. Sarah is a collaborative leader who will bring service providers and all of our city partners together in this vital effort."
Horvath said Mahin's experience will be critical as the county transitions funding from LAHSA.
"I am optimistic about the future of our County's homelessness response with Sarah Mahin at the helm of our new department," Board Chair Kathryn Barger said. "Sarah's more than 20 years of leadership experience in housing and homeless services, along with her strong health and housing acumen, make her uniquely qualified to lead this effort from day one."
Mahin's appointment is effective immediately, with an annual salary of $375,000.
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