Mayor Bass says L.A. ‘cannot afford to accept’ homelessness crisis, during State of the City address

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass delivered her State of the City address from City Hall on Monday.

The Mayor touched on several issues impacting the story, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. Bass also spoke about the homelessness crisis, the tragic accident on the 101 Freeway that claimed the life of a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit, and more.

The homelessness crisis

Bass wasn’t shy about the number of unhoused people living throughout L.A. Homelessness has been a major issue in the city for decades, and the Mayor says she wants to find a way to bridge the gap for the approximately 46,000 unhoused people.

“We refuse to hide the fact that it’s 46,000 people,” Bass said. “We will not hide people – instead, we will house people.”

The Mayor didn’t hold back on previous City Hall regimes, saying their quick fixes for homelessness and lack of tangible solutions led to today’s crisis.

Bass introduced the Inside Safe program last year and says the initiative is slowly turning things around. The cost of renting nightly motel rooms for the unhoused has been an expensive endeavor. The Mayor says the impact of the homelessness crisis is multi-pronged.

“It is far, far more expensive to leave people unhoused on our streets, beyond the human toll, we all pay the cost of the thousands and thousands of fire, paramedic, and police calls.

The cost of each overdose, of each emergency room visit, of each night in county jail – each of which is a human tragedy. The cost to shops and restaurants whose customers stay away out of fear. The cost when tourists don’t come to visit. The cost when offices and their employees leave downtown.

I just will not accept this – and our city cannot afford to accept this. That is why we are disrupting, challenging, and rebuilding the system.” Bass said during her address.

Bass says her government has helped thousands of Angelenos keep their homes through assistance programs, and that 16,000 new affordable housing units are currently being constructed.

The 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games

Several matches of the 2026 World Cup will be held in L.A., and the international spotlight will be on the city when it hosts the 2028 Olympics two years later.

Mayor Bass says the Games will provide an economic boon for L.A.

“More than 5 million visitors pumping billions of dollars into our economy – staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, visiting our museums, and exploring our neighborhoods,” Bass said “And my administration will create a focused initiative to make sure the Games will mean hundreds of small businesses winning contracts and hiring Angelenos.”

Bass is also hopeful that the World Cup and Olympics will be an opportunity to showcase a bigger, and better city by quelling some of the dysfunction that has plagued City Hall.

“So what is the city we will showcase to the world?” Bass said. “It’s the new Los Angeles we are building, together.”

Transit in the city and improvements to L.A. Metro

Despite the growing concerns about safety issues on the L.A. Metro transportation, Bass says the city is trending in the right direction.

“We want the world to see that Los Angeles is now the number two transit city in the country – because riders are seeing that we are changing Metro’s approach to safety, cleanliness and customer service,” she said.

Riders have been concerned after numerous violent incidents that occurred on Metro vehicles. A man was shot to death at a Hyde Park station in January, while another was killed after being stabbed during a fight at a Metro stop in South L.A. just weeks before.

Bass says the city has invested billions of dollars in transit improvements, including building new tracks to link the sprawling metropolis.

“This past year Metro accomplished what commuters have dreamed of for years – a regional connector in the heart of our city that links every corner of our region, and bursting with promise of what’s possible as we expand public transportation in L.A.” Bass said.

The launch of a new climate cabinet in City Hall

Bass says she aims to make L.A. a 100% clean energy city by 2035.

“To advance our work, I am announcing the creation of a new climate cabinet, new climate plans at key city departments, stakeholder engagement, and action on climate justice to make sure our city continues to lead.” Bass said.

Opening doors for more businesses, investors, and tourists to come to L.A.

The Mayor says she will implement new policies, such as, “doubling permit help for business owners, accelerating our restaurant and small business express program, a new walk-in counter in Van Nuys for street vendors; and same-day sanitation inspection times.”

Bass says City Hall will make a concerted effort to improve downtown L.A. by investing more in the Convention Center and surrounding areas.

The tragic death of an L.A. Firefighter recruit on the 101 Freeway, and protecting first responders

Bass said she spoke with the family of 22-year-old LAFD recruit Joseph Fuerte, who died Monday following an accident on the 101 Freeway.

“My heart goes out to the family during this difficult time, and I’ve ordered City flags to be flown at half-staff in Jacob’s honor,” she said. “And I thank all first responders, especially today.

The Mayor adds that she wants to continue to try and meet her lofty staffing goals for the Los Angeles Police Department. Bass states that she and other government officials have forged a new contract to help retain more first responders.

“We’re attracting record numbers of applicants to the police academy – and my budget for next year maintains our LAPD staffing goals,” she said. “We are sending a signal to our current officers and our community partners that we support them – that public safety is a priority for this administration.”

Bass also said she would focus on paying city workers a fair wage so that they could afford to live in L.A. The Mayor says City Hall will also focus on the hiring, and training of city workers to help improve government services.

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