Los Angeles Mayor Unveils $1.3 Billion City Budget Proposal

Mayor Karen Bass released her first proposed City budget today, which includes nearly $1.3 billion, an investment to build housing and confront the homelessness crisis. 

“This budget is a reflection of our values and invests in the most critical needs of our city,” said Mayor Bass. “The goal is to make both big changes and to chart a course of sustainable change. With 40,000 people unhoused in our city, and with the size of our police department possibly dropping to 2002 levels, we must take bold action – and that’s what this budget is – a real, sustainable plan for change and a new direction for a Los Angeles that is stronger, healthier, happier and safer. “

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

HOMELESSNESS

• Nearly $1.3 billion for homelessness and housing.

• $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

  • $21 million for permanent housing – includes transition and set up of permanent housing, 12 months of rental assistance

  • $10 million for staff – including directors and property managers, administrative funding for services providers

• Office of Housing & Homelessness Solutions – Budget Includes 13 outreach teams within the Mayor’s Administration

• Substance Abuse/Mental Health Treatment Beds – $23.5 million from tobacco ($11.8M) and opioid ($11.7M) settlements

• 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

• ULA

• Allocates a responsible $150 million in ULA funds (The City would utilize up to $150 million in federal reimbursements allocated to the City to satisfy any repayment obligation if the litigation is successful)

  • $62 million for acquisition and rehabilitation of housing

  • $20 million for short term emergency assistance for tenants

  • $25 million in income support for rent burdened at risk seniors/people with disabilities

  • $25 million for eviction defense

  • $6 million for tenant outreach

  • $12 for tenant protection from harassment

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
    

  • $15,000 recruitment bonus for new officers (and lateral hires)

  • Up to $2,000 referral bonus for City employees, with $1,000 payable upon hiring, and an additional $1,000 payable at academy graduation

• 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

  • GRYD: increases funding from $28 million to $41 million

  • Summer Night Lights: funding to continue at 43 sites

  • CIRCLE Teams: continued funding for 7 existing teams

  • DART (Domestic Abuse Response Teams): increases funding of approximately $1 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

• $5 million to continue refurbishment of childcare centers so they can reopen 

• Increases funding for senior meals from approximately $9 million to $18 million.

• Increased one-time contractual services funding of $6.35 million for the Community Investment for Families Department to fund supportive services for the 16 Family Source Centers, including  $200,000 for each center to provide short-term emergency housing assistance.

• $4.6 million to continue the Solid Ground Homeless Prevention Program

SUSTAINABILITY

• Add 2,400 trees to the watering plan for total of 7,200 trees

• $1 million to add a crew to remove 2,700 dead trees or stumps (increase of 900 from previous year)

• $2 million to support trimming of 5,000 more trees 

INFRASTRUCTURE

• In addition to required $36 million for sidewalk repair, this budget adds $28 million for additional repairs and doubles funding for access ramps to $20 million.

• $8 million for bus shelters in underserved communities

ZOO

• Annual capital repair program increased to $2.5 million

• Additional $4.1 million provided as part of a multi-year investment to initiate design and pre-development activities to upgrade exhibits

ANIMAL SERVICES

• Adds funding for 14 new Animal Care Technicians

• Provides funding for seven positions to coordinate volunteer services

• Funds animal enrichment contract to socialize dogs and improve their health

RESPONSIBILITY/RESERVES

• $201.8 million for Budget Stabilization Fund

• $561.6 million for the Reserve Fund (7.14%) 

• $30 million Reserve for Mid-Year adjustments

• Overall Cumulative Reserves slightly above 10%