One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Want To Decide Where $8.5 Million Gets Spent In The City? Applications For New Program Close Tuesday
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
(
Christian Petersen
/
Getty Images
)
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.”
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.
Sponsored message
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.”
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.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
