CEO of L.A. homeless shelter network receives $1.6 million in pay and vacation payouts

The 1736 Family Crisis Center disclosed that its longtime chief executive, Carol Adelkoff, received $742,181 in compensation for the most recent tax year and $907,923 the prior year, the latter figure containing a $495,000 bonus. The organization explained that the large increase stemmed from a payout of unused vacation accrued over 40 years, amounting to roughly $824,000 across two years. Legal counsel and financial experts helped the board devise the payout to lower the liability before Adelkoff’s planned retirement.

Compared with other nonprofit leaders in Los Angeles County, her total compensation is several times higher; for example, CEOs at the Weingart Center and People Assisting the Homeless earned under $500,000. The nonprofit runs 16 facilities, employs about 170 staff and relies heavily on government grants to fund its shelters, hotlines and related programs. Critics and nonprofit accounting experts have called the vacation payout “highly unusual” and questioned whether the compensation is reasonable under IRS and state guidelines. The board’s justification emphasized Adelkoff’s long tenure and the organization’s growth under her leadership.