LOS ANGELES – With homelessness down for the first time in years, homicides at a multi-year low, and recovery after one of L.A.’s worst-ever natural disasters on track to be the fastest in state history, we can see the path to the citywide turnaround L.A. needs, Mayor Karen Bass will say during her 2025 State of the City Address. Key moments and quotes as planned for delivery are below. Watch the State of the City here. Read the speech as delivered here.
“The state of our city is this – homelessness is down, crime is down. These are tough, tough challenges, and they show that we can do so much more,” Mayor Bass will say in her State of the City address. “We have a long way to go. We need a citywide turnaround. We need a fundamental overhaul of City government to deliver the clean, safe, healthy and orderly neighborhoods that Angelenos deserve in the place they call home – and to reverse decades of failure on homelessness. My pledge is to continue making change – and I ask the City Council and every Angeleno to join in turning our city around.”
Leading The Recovery in the Palisades:
“Today, in reporting on the State of our City, I report to Los Angeles that the recovery in the Palisades is on track to be the fastest in California history. And we know that the faster we can rebuild, the faster we can heal. We still have a long way to go – and for those who have lost a home each and every day is a day too long. We want to be fast, we want to be safe and we want to be resilient.”
Mayor Bass will note that the rebuilding of homes is underway in the Palisades, with permits to rebuild issued more than twice as fast as after the Camp and Woolsey fires. Water was restored nearly a year and a half faster than after the Camp Fire, and power was restored in just two months. She cited sweeping emergency orders and noted that the fires cost people their jobs as well, which is why four Impacted Worker and Family Recovery Centers were opened across the city to provide assistance to workers and businesses.
Mayor Bass also will announce new action to expedite the permitting process and make it easier to rebuild by:
- Establishing a self-certification program to reduce redundancy in the permitting process
- Launching an initiative to start using innovative AI technology to accelerate and support the City’s Plan Check Review process
- Calling on Council to pass an ordinance to waive all plan check and permit fees so that Angelenos can rebuild in the Palisades
Making Los Angeles Safer:
“Chief McDonnell and I stand together in reporting that both violent crime and property crime are down in Los Angeles.”
- Mayor Bass will highlight her comprehensive approach to public safety – which includes law enforcement and community safety efforts – resulting in a drop in both violent crime and property crime in Los Angeles. Last year:
- Homicides fell 14%
- Gang-related homicides in communities most impacted fell 45%
- Victims shot dropped 19%
- More stats available here.
“I am pleased to report we have hit a four-year-high of applications to join the LAPD. But the frustrating part is the city’s broken system now stands in the way of actually hiring those applicants. That is why I appointed a new head of the Personnel Department with a clear directive – stop the bureaucratic madness, overhaul the system and get officers hired and on our streets.”
Confronting the Homelessness Crisis:
“We are taking action and making change, and after years of increasing homelessness, we are finally reversing that trend – homelessness is down. That includes a 10 percent reduction in street homelessness and a 38 percent reduction in makeshift structures and tents. We are moving thousands more people from the streets than before we took office, and more Angelenos are being moved into permanent housing than ever before. All of this comes as, nationwide, homeless went up 18 percent – but not in Los Angeles.”
Mayor Bass will highlight the first decrease in homelessness in Los Angeles in years, which bucks nationwide trends. She also pointed to two policy changes implemented:
- Homeless Angelenos no longer are forced to languish on the street while trying to compile the paperwork necessary to prove they are homeless. Read more about the Mayor’s work here.
- Homeless Vets are no longer forced to decide between disability benefits and housing. Read more about the Mayor’s work here.
Mayor Bass also will highlight the work of the Mayor’s Fund to prevent homelessness and the work of LA4LA to prove new models for immediately making housing available at a much lower cost. She also shared her visit last Thursday to an Inside Safe operation, which brought more than 40 Angelenos inside and moved 25 RVs. More information about the Inside Safe operation she referenced here.
A Budget In Dire Times:
“This is a broken system – and to turn LA around, we have to fix this.”
Mayor Bass last month her budget proposal for next year will deliver fundamental change in the way the City operates and directed the Chief Administrative Officer to report to her with strategies to reduce spending significantly while protecting essential services. Read more here.
Economic Development:
“We are building a city ready to lead – not just for today, but for tomorrow. From Downtown to the Valley, from the Port to the airport, we are investing in jobs, housing, and opportunity. Because the cost of living keeps going up – it’s harder and harder to put food on the table, keep the gas tank full and to pay the bills.. Tariffs and trade wars will make this worse and make things more expensive. But we are fighting here in LA to create better paying jobs. And make no mistake – we will protect every Angeleno, no matter where you are from, no matter when you arrived in L.A….. Because we know how much immigrants contribute to our city in so many ways. We will always stand strong with you.”
…
“With a new convention center, we will attract thousands of business travelers – visitors with expense accounts to buy restaurant meals, book hotel rooms, buy souvenirs and visit our vibrant neighborhoods. And we must compete to win back our entertainment jobs. I renew my call on the State to triple the Film and TV tax credit. … So to our leaders in Sacramento – and to our local industry leaders here – I say, let’s bring Hollywood back. “
Mayor Bass will highlight projects that will bring an economic upswing to Los Angeles including the new Los Angeles Rams practice facility in the Valley, Destination Crenshaw, new contracting and construction at LAX and ongoing efforts to renovate the Convention Center. She also highlighted a continued commitment to supporting Hollywood with an expanded California Film and TV Tax Credit. California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program, which was originally created when Mayor Bass served as Speaker of the California State Assembly, has generated tens of billions of dollars in investments while creating nearly 200,000 jobs.
Preparing For The World:
Mayor Bass will announce Shine LA – a new monthly activation to get Angelenos excited for the coming major events and to get Los Angeles ready to host the world.
ANGELENOS CAN SIGN UP HERE: https://mayor.lacity.gov/ShineLA
“2028 is right around the corner. But we are just about a year away from when we will welcome the world for the World Cup. We want people to not just see our stadiums. We want them to see the real L.A. – our neighborhoods from East LA, to Pico Union to South LA. From Watts to Woodland Hills, from Eagle Rock to Encino, from San Pedro to Sylmar. And we want our city to be at its best. That is why I am calling on all Angelenos to come together to prepare our city to welcome the world. This Saturday, we will launch Shine LA, to show the spirit of our city coming together. Every single month, we will bring Angelenos together side-by-side to unify and beautify our neighborhoods. Improving communities and parks, planting trees, painting murals and so much more. I invite ALL Anglenos to join us on Saturday. We’ll be in Hollywood, South LA, Boyle Heights, Echo Park, West LA, the Valley and the Harbor area with one goal – showing love to L.A., and showing love for each other – like the spirit we all felt in October when we celebrated the Dodgers winning the World Series just across the street. To join this movement – visit lamayor.org and sign up today.”