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Want To Decide Where $8.5 Million Gets Spent In The City? Applications For New Program Close Tuesday
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
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Christian Petersen
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Angelenos in select neighborhoods have until Tuesday (July 5) to apply to join a pilot program that allows residents to decide how to spend a combined $8.5 million in community investments.
The L.A. Reforms for Equity and Public Acknowledgment of Institutional Racism, known as L.A. REPAIR, is the city’s first participatory budget program. It’s similar to efforts undertaken by other cities, including Long Beach.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said the nine areas identified for L.A. REPAIR have been harmed by decades of institutionalized racism. They span the city, from Pacoima, to Skid Row and Wilmington.
“We're talking about the legacy of redlining,” he said. “We're talking about racist covenants, discrimination ... we've got our work to do.”
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Applicants who will be considered for the program's advisory committees must live in a selected area and be at least 16. If chosen, they’ll review and pare down ideas, which will then be put forward for a vote.
The L.A. REPAIR program covers nine areas.
Applications are open now for the first cohort (indicated in bold):
- Arleta and Pacoima
- Mission Hills, Panorama City and North Hills
- Westlake
- West Adams, Baldwin Village and Leimert Park
- Skid Row
- Boyle Heights
- Southeast L.A. (South LA, east of the 110 freeway)
- South L.A.
- Wilmington and Harbor Gateway
The city’s Civil Rights Executive Director Capri Maddox said members will play a crucial role. [Note: Maddox is on the board of Southern California Public Radio, LAist's parent company.]
“They can give us information about how to best serve communities in need to make determinations on whether child care or environmental issues are priorities in communities,” she said. “And really lean in to provide suggestions about how we can roll out resources to meet the needs of communities that have been underserved for far too long.”
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Applications are open (in English and Spanish) for the first cohort.
Updated July 4, 2022 at 1:51 PM PDT
This story was updated to include information about the program's deadline.
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