LA Business Briefs: Sheriff’s Receive $15.6 Million Grant to Combat Organized Retail Theft and Mayor Supports Small Businesses

Sheriff’s Department to Receive $15.6 Million Grant To Respond to Organized Retail Theft

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Sept. 26 approved a motion authored by Chair Janice Hahn and Supervisor Hilda Solis securing a $15.6 million grant to fund the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s response to organized retail theft.

LASD will use this funding to support the department’s recently created organized retail theft task force. In response,  LASD partnered with neighboring law enforcement organizations to create the organized retail theft task force. Within LASD, this task force will consist of one lieutenant, three sergeants, and thirty detectives who are dedicated to preventing and addressing organized retail theft, including smash-and-grabs, catalytic converter thefts and cargo theft. The task force, which will also be supported by civilian professional staff, will be divided into three geographic teams, and they will collaborate with other law enforcement agencies, the District Attorney’s Office, and local businesses.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/LASD-Grant-motion 

Mayor Karen Bass Continues Progress for L.A. Businesses

LOS ANGELES —  Mayor Karen Bass Oct. 3 released a report outlining immediate solutions and actions already under way to foster and support small businesses in Los Angeles. The report, which was set in motion by the mayor’s fourth executive directive, summarizes initial findings and preliminary actions needed to address two priority areas: 1) opening and expanding a business; and 2) improving the experience of doing business with the city. 

The directive instructed the mayor’s office of business and economic development to work in collaboration with select city departments and bureaus to form the Los Angeles business steering committee to identify barriers to business development and growth. It also instructed the steering committee to conduct its initial findings and report back within 90 days of the issuance of the directive. Read the 90-day progress report here and report summary here.

The initial findings identify solutions to implement prior to Dec. 31, 2023, including: 

• Enacting departmental action plans to address process delays
• Providing virtual and in-person counter services for businesses looking to open or expand Adopt strategies to immediately help expedite contract payments
• Establishing a small business cabinet and an ED4 community business taskforce to ensure small businesses can inform the steering committee and provide solutions

Mayor Bass signed Executive Directive 4 on June 22 to encourage small business and minority business creation, development and growth across Los Angeles. The directive requires: 

• A review of existing business taxes and fees and reasonable opportunities to reduce those costs with special attention to how fees impact small and micro businesses;
• An assessment of existing processes and timelines associated with starting and operating a business in the city, expanding an existing one, and contracting directly or indirectly with the city; and
• A comparative analysis of Los Angeles City’s taxes and to those of other cities.