Mayors Briefs: Combatting Impacts of Climate Change and New Chief of Staff Named

Mayor Bass Announces New Momentum to Combat Climate Change Through City Services

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Karen Bass Dec. 27 announced federal and regional funding that has been secured through actions taken to combat the impacts of climate change through city services in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and citywide. The announced city services include a street furniture program that will begin installation in early 2024, planting of additional trees and continued implementation of solutions like cool pavement, which help cool down neighborhoods.

The following secured funds were announced:

• $30 million Public Works trust fund loan proposed by Mayor Bass and approved by city council to catalyze a rapid rollout of the city’s bus shelter program: the Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program or STAP, which will bring 3,000 bus shelters and 450 shade structures to the city under an equity-informed deployment
• $8 million in city funding included in Mayor Bass’ first budget and approved by city council to provide additional STAP support
• $53M in Metro funding to construct bus shelters as part of Metro’s North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project, which will improve east-west transit service with various routes improvements and amenities
• $2.5 million in federal community project funding from Congressman Tony Cárdenas for shade structures, cool paving street segments and other neighborhood cooling projects

Details: Watch the livestream here. 

Mayor Bass Names Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor

LOS ANGELES — Last week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Nov. 14 announced Carolyn Webb de Macias will serve as her new chief of staff and senior advisor. In this role, Webb de Macias will help Mayor Bass deliver on her commitment to move Los Angeles in a new direction by housing more people faster and making Los Angeles safer and more livable for all. 

Webb de Macias has spent decades working to improve the lives of Angelenos through her work in education, equity and social justice. She worked as chief of staff in the office of elementary and secondary education in the U.S. Department of Education as an appointee of President Barack Obama. Webb de Macias also served the University of Southern California as vice president for external relations and she holds the lifetime title of vice president emerita from the University of Southern California. Webb de Macias is a seasoned veteran of city hall, having served as a senior advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and then-City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas during his first term.