Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced a furious public confrontation when citizen journalist William Gude interrupted her homelessness event and accused her of wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars while basic city services deteriorated. Gude repeatedly demanded answers about Bass’ signature Inside Safe program as people around the mayor attempted to continue the presentation. Bass largely ignored him before hurrying away from the event.
The confrontation occurred during a May groundbreaking ceremony for a new tiny-home village in East Hollywood. Bass appeared alongside Democratic Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez to promote the development, which is expected to provide 51 interim-housing beds when it opens in early 2027. The carefully arranged presentation quickly went off script when Gude began questioning Bass before she could deliver her prepared remarks.
“Karen Bass is here to talk about homelessness,” Gude announced. “Inside Safe, we have spent how much, Karen? How much? Four hundred million to house what? Fifteen hundred people permanently.” He called Bass “an absolute failure” and accused her of appearing for “your little media event” while refusing to answer residents’ questions.
Gude is a Los Angeles citizen journalist who publishes videos under the name Film The Police LA and is best known for filming law enforcement and publicly questioning city officials. During this appearance, he focused his questions on homelessness spending, city-service funding and Bass’ record as mayor. Gude continued questioning Bass as people around the mayor attempted to move him away from the event.
The mayor’s office said the East Hollywood project is supported by a broader $33 million state investment in tiny homes and will include ten beds for transitional-age youth. Bass said the development would provide “safe, stable interim housing” and give residents “a real chance to start again.” Soto-Martínez praised the “determination and creativity” involved in getting the project underway while government funding was being reduced.
Gude continued shouting as Bass began praising Soto-Martínez and their work together. When Bass said the two officials were committed to ending homelessness, he interrupted, “It’s higher right now than when you entered office.” After Bass pointed to two consecutive years of reductions, Gude responded, “You’ve been in office for almost four. It’s higher now than when you entered office. Karen, you deserve no credit.”
Official figures released after the event added context to Gude’s criticism. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported that homelessness in the city increased 3.4% in 2026 to an estimated 45,194 people, although LAHSA said the overall citywide change was not statistically significant. Unsheltered homelessness rose 7.9% to approximately 29,115. An April Los Angeles Times analysis found that the city had spent more than $300 million on Inside Safe, which moved roughly 5,800 participants into interim housing, but approximately 2,300 were back on the streets by the program’s third anniversary.
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Watch Bass get confronted here:
Gude then accused Bass of taking credit for work performed by other people and demanded answers about the Pacific Palisades fire response. “Why did you alter the Palisades after-action report?” he shouted. “Don’t you think the people deserve to know why?” When people near the mayor attempted to move him away, Gude repeatedly told them, “Don’t touch me,” before returning to his questions about Inside Safe.
“You spent $400 million on Inside Safe and only permanently housed 1,500 people. Is that successful?” Gude asked. He accused Bass of cutting funding for street lighting, sanitation and public works while resisting attempts to audit the homelessness program. Gude also confronted reporters attending the event, accusing them of asking “softball questions” while Los Angeles residents continued facing serious problems.
The confrontation followed Bass as she and her entourage left the area. “There goes Karen speed running again,” Gude said as the mayor walked away. “Karen, at some point you got to stop being a Karen and answer questions.” He delivered one final objection to the event: “They just want to turn it into an entire campaign event. You don’t get that luxury.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.