Former County Counsel Mary Wickham To Lead New Blue-Ribbon Commission on Homelessness

LOS ANGELES — The newly formed Blue-Ribbon Commission on Homelessness has a new executive director, former Los Angeles County Counsel Mary Wickham. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appointed Wickham Aug. 31.

The Blue-Ribbon Commission on Homelessness was established following the July 27 motion authored by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, to research and provide recommendations to the board for a new homelessness governance model that is appropriate for Los Angeles County.

The commission will be made up of 12 members, with one appointed by each of the five Supervisors, one by the mayor of Los Angeles, three from the Los Angeles City Council president, two from the Councils of Government, and one nominated by the Contract Cities Association. The new commission will be housed under the executive office of the board.

Wickham, who retired in July 2021 after 23 years of service, will lead the study of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority or LAHSA governance to identify intrinsic challenges of the existing system and provide recommendations for improvement to the board within a six-month time frame. 

Details: bos.lacounty.gov.