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$9.9 billion Los Angeles city budget approved with $450 million for homeless services
City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 17, 2017.
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$9.9 billion Los Angeles city budget approved with $450 million for homeless services
A $9.9 billion budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year was approved Monday by the Los Angeles City Council, with the council unanimously voting to approve adjustments to the budget plan. After a final formal vote, the plan will head back to Mayor Eric Garcetti for a final signature.
Under this budget, about $450 million would be set aside for homeless services. This includes funds for emergency shelters throughout the city. Some residents in Koreatown have already pushed against one of those emergency shelters in their neighborhood.
City Councilman Paul Krekorian, chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, said he understands people’s frustrations.
“But people need to also understand that there are really only two choices,” Krekorian said. “We can accept the status quo, or we can begin to address the challenge that homelessness presents to the homeless population, but to all residents of Los Angeles.”
Also in the proposed budget: $1 million would be set aside for a pilot project exploring construction of granny flats and other accessory dwelling units. It’s a way to house more residents on existing residential properties.
The budget keeps police staffing at 10,000 officers.
“We’re maintaining the size of the police department at its highest levels with sworn officers,” Krekorian said. “And we’re adding civilian employees that had been previously cut so that we can get more officers back on the street.”
The budget also calls for $9.3 million to hire 195 firefighters.
Here's the official summary of the budget from Krekorian's office:
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BUDGET BY THE NUMBERS
PLANS FOR A RAINY DAY
- $9.9 billion total city budget (7.5 percent increase over last year)
- General Fund: $6.2 billion ($203 million increase)
- Special Funds: $3.7 billion
- Primary revenue sources: Property Tax, Utility Users’ Tax, Business Tax, Sales Tax, Documentary Transfer Tax, Power Revenue Transfer, Transient Occupancy Tax and Parking Fines
INVESTS TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS
- $350 million Reserve Fund, well over 5 percent target
- $108m Budget Stabilization Fund, highest in history
- $109m budgeted to cover legal liabilities
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE
- $440m in housing and services for the homeless, the highest amount ever budgeted
- $275m from Measure HHH funds
- $238m toward permanent supportive housing and affordable housing = 1,500 new housing units
- $36m in facilities, including shelters and navigation centers
- $39m funding for outreach, services, sanitation teams
- $20m crisis and bridge housing fund
- Additional $10m for shelters and homeless services
- Expanding domestic violence shelters, adding 60-70 new beds, serving 400 people each year
PROSPERITY FOR ANGELENOS
- Trasportation
- Measure M and gas tax will fund Vision Zero and street improvements.
- 91m to traffic safety improvements
- 3m to Great Streets
- Infrastructure
- $41m sidewalk repair = 10m more than last year
- $73.4m for street reconstruction
- $147.8m for street maintenance
- $2.5m cool pavements to reduce urban heat island effect
- Neighborhood Services
- $1m to expand Girls Play LA
- 30 new rec and parks positions to prepare for youth sports expansion
- Extended summer season by four weekends at 15 city pools.
A SAFE CITY
- Development Reform:
- Reduce the Neighborhood Community Plan refresh rate from 10 to 6 years
- Supports renters by strengthening RSO outreach and education
- $1m to create incentive program for Accessory Dwelling Units
- Workforce Development:
- Funding HIRE LA’s Youth to meet goal of providing 20,000 jobs by 2020 for young Angelenos ages 14-24.
- Increasing funding for LA:RISE, day laborer programs and older workers employment programs
- Economic Activity
- Dept of Cannabis Regulation expanded to 28 positions to receive and process applications and do outreach and education.
HOW WE GOT HERE
- Police
- $1.6 billion to LAPD
- 10,000+ cops maintained. Hiring to attrition.
- A-COP program: 1m to bridge gap for young adults to join as sworn officers
- Investment in Cannabis enforcement
- $1.4m to increase library security
- Fire
- Funding to hire 200 new firefighters
- $4m to replace Fire Station Alerting System
- Other
- Funding for a family justice center to provide one-stop shop where med, mental health, legal and social services go to DV victims
- Cybersecurity increase by creating Cyber Lab
- Data protection of city data assets
- April 19: Mayor proposed budget
- April 27: Budget and Finance Committee hearings began
- 2+ weeks of hearings
- 44 city departments, bureaus and agencies
- 100+ public comments
- 165 budget memos
- May 21: the full City Council adopted the budget
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