State budget has big benefits for Los Angeles
By Mayor Eric Garcetti
Governor Newsom has just signed the state budget, which, because of our historic budget surplus, will make key investments in our economic recovery and continue to ensure we leave no one behind.
Thanks to our Los Angeles legislative delegation, our City secured some big wins. I want to thank our delegation and Governor Newsom for the important resources that will be coming to our community to address homelessness, housing, economic recovery, climate change, and more.
Here are some of the exciting provisions that will help Angelenos:
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$12 billion over the next two years to tackle homelessness, including $2 billion that will go directly to cities, and $2.75 billion in additional funding for Project Homekey, which will allow the purchase of additional hotels and motels for our unhoused neighbors
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$8.1 billion for the Golden State Stimulus, which will put $600 directly into the pockets of Californians making under $75,000
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An expansion of Medi-Cal to include undocumented residents age 50 and older
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An additional $1.5 billion in small business assistance grants with a set aside of $50 million for microbusinesses and sidewalk vendors
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$2 billion to help customers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power who are behind on their electric and water bills
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$35 million for Universal Basic Income pilot programs with special emphasis on foster youth, which will build on the work we are doing in the Justice Budget
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Approximately $54.4 million directly to the City of L.A. to help us expand summer youth employment opportunities
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$120 million over three years to support legal services for renters and homeowners most at risk of eviction or foreclosure
In addition to these bold statewide investments, our state legislators were able to secure funding for communities and projects across the City of Los Angeles, including:
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$2 million to support the City’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development program
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$11 million for the Potrero Canyon Pacific Coast Highway Pedestrian Bridge
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$5 million for improvements at Rio de Los Angeles Park, including establishing a farmers market
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$4.4 million for the Southeast San Fernando Valley Roller and Skateboard Rink in Sun Valley
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$3.25 million to revitalize the Canoga Park Arts District
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$6.5 million to advance Destination Crenshaw in South Los Angeles through infrastructure and public art improvements
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$2 million for renovations to Salazar Park in East Los Angeles
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$2.3 million to upgrade pedestrian access and finalize a complete streets project at the Louise Avenue U.S. Route 101 freeway overcross in Encino
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$14.9 million for restoration of the Breed Street Shul
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$5 million for the Colorado Bridge Undercrossing East Bank River Way Project
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$15 million to support the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Center
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$10 million to support the Museum of Tolerance, which aims to help residents understand the Holocaust and the history of bigotry and discriminiation
These funds — and many more — will help us expand and implement programs that will have lasting, positive impacts on our City and our communities.
I want to thank our state legislative delegation: Assemblymembers Bloom, Rivas, Friedman, Gabriel, Nazarian, Carrillo, Santiago, Bryan, Jones-Sawyer, Burke, Gipson, Muratsuchi, O’Donnell, and Valladares and Senators Hertzberg, Durazo, Portantino, Allen, Stern, Kamlager, Gonzales, and Bradford, for securing these investments and many others.
Their steadfast support of the City of Los Angeles during these challenging times has been critical, and we are grateful to them for crafting a budget that provides Los Angeles with the means to tackle the challenges ahead.
