Mayor Karen Bass hosted a telephone town hall on Tuesday to discuss her first year's victories and lay out future plans for Los Angeles. Following her Year in Review Address, the town hall saw more than 2,400 Angelenos tuning in, some through the phone and others via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. It was a chance to directly connect with constituents and discuss big city issues ranging from homelessness to public safety.
In a conversation aimed at earnestly showcasing progress, Bass brought in her team, including the Chief Housing and Homelessness Officer and various Deputy Mayors heading offices from Public Safety to Business and Economic Development. In a statement obtained by the Mayor’s official release, the Mayor explained updates on her initiatives to bring unhoused Angelenos inside, alongside efforts to bolster city safety, support local businesses, and further environmental objectives.
Wrapped up in a review of the "Locking Arms and Delivering for Los Angeles Tour," the town hall reminisced on the mayor's recent welcome of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to L.A. The team highlighted actions on homelessness, with 21,000 people reportedly housed since last December, 9,000 units of affordable housing being fast-tracked, and a drop in homicides and violent crimes compared to the previous year.
Moreover, the mayor’s address pointed to significant economic stirrings, such as the Banc of California shifting headquarters to L.A. and the surge of new businesses in the last year. "Thousands of businesses have opened over the past year in Los Angeles," the release underscored. Among other initiatives, Mayor Bass also instituted a small business policy team and issued an executive directive to support nascent and expanding ventures—a sign to firmly encourage and possibly continuously foster economic vitality.
Environmental gains were not left out, with claims of securing "hundreds of millions of dollars" in partnership with state and federal bodies to lead on climate action. The efforts to position Los Angeles as a green city are building upon the foundations laid by Villaraigosa and Garcetti. The sense of progress was rounded out with statistics reflecting improved city services and increased Metro ridership throughout 2023.
Angelenos who missed this candid conversational line-up can catch up on the initiatives and achievements through summarized accomplishments and video recaps over at the mayor’s official website, rounding out a year of action and anticipation for what’s next to come under Mayor Bass's administration.
