Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass gave her State of the City Address, sharing that while there is still much work to be done, the state of the city is stronger because of work done to disrupt the status quo and work to lock arms with all levels of government.
Mayor Bass highlighted how her new approach has impacted how the city addresses homelessness, public safety, and operates city hall. Compared to 2022, the city in 2023 helped thousands more unhoused residents come inside, homicides and violent crime went down, and 100,000 more service requests were completed.
Regarding homelessness, the Mayor recommitted to unprecedented urgency in addressing this crisis, describing the transition from the rescue phase to the recovery phase of an emergency. She also highlighted her efforts to address LAPD hiring and retention and how her budget proposal for the next year will preserve core services and serve as a “reset” to improve future budgets.
Mayor Bass said that to boost downtown and the city’s economy, she supported exploring the modernization of the Los Angeles Convention Center and called on the private sector and philanthropy to join a new capital campaign to house people experiencing homelessness called LA4LA. She also announced new climate action efforts to help the city become a 100% clean energy city by 2035.
Watch the Mayor’s full address here.
At a time when our rights, freedoms, and futures are under threat, Democratic Mayors are showing the nation what real leadership looks like.
