Mayor Bass Signs City Budget

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Karen Bass May 26 signed the city budget. She was joined by Council President Paul Krekorian, Council President Pro Tempore Curren Price and Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, Chair of the Budget, Finance and Innovation Committee. Watch the press conference here.

Mayor Bass’ first city budget includes a $1.3 billion investment to confront the homelessness crisis, including $250 million for Inside Safe – the new citywide program to bring Angelenos inside and end street encampments. The budget also includes funding for methods to make Los Angeles’ neighborhoods safer, strengthen the city’s infrastructure, continue combating climate change and improve our city services.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

HOMELESSNESS

• Nearly $1.3 billion for homelessness and housing, an unprecedented investment
• $250 million for Inside Safe:
  • $110 million for motel rooms/temporary housing
  • $62 million for services (case management, moving people to permanent housing, food, support services)
  • $47 million for buying hotels and motels
  • $31 million for permanent housing – includes transition and set up of permanent housing, 12 months of rental assistance
• Office of Housing & Homelessness Solutions – Budget Includes 13 outreach teams within the Mayor’s Administration
• Street Medicine Teams – $4 million to fund four medical teams serving 5,600 people. Half of this funding is provided by a Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Grant

SAFETY

• LAPD
  • Nets to 9,504 LAPD Officers
  • Budget funds hiring 780 new officers and activation of 200 recently retired officers
  • $1 million for focused public safety recruitment

• LAFD
  • $21 million in funding provided for five Drill Tower classes of 60 recruits, for a net increase of 100 above the projected attrition level
  • Emergency Appointment Paramedic Program

• Mayor’s Office of Community Safety
  • Supports Gang Reduction Youth Development or GRYD Program
  • DART (Domestic Abuse Response Teams): increases funding of approximately $2.7 million (to $3.7 million), which nearly doubles the number of DART advocates at LAPD divisions with the highest call volumes.

COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS TO ADDRESS POVERTY AND INCOME INEQUALITY

• Continued refurbishment of childcare centers so they can reopen
• Increased funding for senior meals

INFRASTRUCTURE & SUSTAINABILITY

• Increases the tree watering plan for more than 7,000 trees
• Allots million for bus shelters in underserved communities
• In addition to the required $36 million for sidewalk repair, this budget adds nearly $30 million for additional repairs and doubles funding for access ramps

ANIMAL SERVICES

• Adds funding for additional Animal Care Technicians and positions to coordinate volunteer services

RESPONSIBILITY/RESERVES

• Nearly $200 million for Budget Stabilization Fund
• Over $560 million for the Reserve Fund
• $30 million Reserve for Mid-Year adjustments
• Overall Cumulative Reserves slightly above 10%

The approved budget can be read here.