Carol Adelkoff, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles-based nonprofit 1736 Family Crisis Center, received more than $1.6 million in combined salary, bonuses, and vacation payouts over the past two years, despite residing in Hawaii. According to the organization’s recent tax filings and statements, Adelkoff earned $907,923 in 2023 and an additional $742,181 in 2024. These figures position her as the highest-compensated executive among homeless service providers in Los Angeles.
1736 Family Crisis Center manages domestic violence shelters, crisis hotlines, and homeless programs throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. The nonprofit annually receives roughly $15 million in revenue, with approximately 94% sourced from government grants. While the organization serves vulnerable populations locally, Adelkoff has reportedly listed Hawaii’s Big Island as her primary residence for over ten years. Property records identify her ownership of a large home on the island, and family court documents indicate she lives there year-round.
Adelkoff attributed the sizable compensation primarily to a payout for accrued but unused vacation time amassed during her 40-year tenure at the nonprofit. She stated that her baseline salary has remained around $405,000 for several years and that roughly $824,000 of her total pay over the two-year period stemmed from unused vacation accrued over decades. The nonprofit’s attorney, Kerry Garvis Wright, noted that the board, working with legal and financial advisors, sought to reduce the growing liability caused by this accumulated leave ahead of Adelkoff’s anticipated retirement. Wright said that the organization's demands made it difficult for Adelkoff to take time off during her service.
Despite this explanation, the payout has drawn scrutiny from nonprofit governance experts. Brian Mittendorf, a professor specializing in nonprofit accounting, questioned whether it was appropriate for an individual to accrue such a substantial vacation liability and then receive a large lump-sum payment. Laurie Styron, CEO of nonprofit watchdog CharityWatch, described the payout as "highly unusual" and emphasized the need for clarity regarding how the decision was made. Experts also noted that, although California law protects earned vacation time, most nonprofits impose caps on accrual to prevent such large payouts. While 1736 Family Crisis Center reportedly has a cap on vacation accrual for other employees, it did not place similar limits on Adelkoff.
Adelkoff declined to disclose details about her location or how frequently she travels to the nonprofit’s headquarters in Southern California, citing security concerns related to serving victims of domestic violence. The organization stated that she works an average of 70 hours per week and that her compensation has since returned to previous levels following the payout of her accrued vacation.
Other nonprofit leaders have expressed concerns about the impact of a remote executive leadership model on operational effectiveness, highlighting the importance of in-person engagement with staff, donors, and clients. Mittendorf raised questions about whether Adelkoff’s living situation imposes additional financial or logistical burdens on the organization.