LOS ANGELES – Continuing her efforts to deliver for the people of Los Angeles through unprecedented partnership with the federal government, Mayor Bass today announced she will be leading a historic delegation with members of the Los Angeles City Council to Washington, DC next week. The trip will focus on work to bring more unhoused Angelenos inside, make Los Angeles safer, provide more resources for our veterans, support working Angelenos, improve our transportation system, increase access to federal funding and more.
The delegation, which includes Council President Paul Krekorian, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, Councilmember Traci Park, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and Councilmember Heather Hutt, will meet with senior members of the Biden Administration and members of Congress.
“We are proving in just a few short months that by locking arms, we get things done,” said Mayor Bass. “The partnership with the federal government thus far has delivered progress for our city in our efforts to do everything from bringing unhoused Angelenos inside to improving our transportation system. This delegation continues that momentum. I thank my partners on the City Council for joining me on this trip to amplify the voice of Angelenos on the national scale. Together, we will continue to deliver change for Los Angeles.”
The delegation is expected to meet with:
Secretary Marcia Fudge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: The delegation will meet with Secretary Marcia Fudge to ease certification requirements for rental assistance, expand veteran eligibility for housing vouchers, increase funding for housing vouchers, and provide financial support to bring more affordable housing units online. In August, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a critical agreement to help the City of Los Angeles bring more Angelenos inside faster by waiving proof of income and other past requirements to enter housing.
Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Department of Homeland Security: The delegation will meet with Secretary Mayorkas to request expedited FEMA reimbursements to the City for COVID-related expenses and seek assistance with potential incoming buses from Texas with migrants on board.
Secretary Denis McDonough, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: The delegation will meet with Secretary McDonough to discuss expanding access to Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers, continuing support for building interim and permanent supportive housing on VA facilities in L.A., and continuing work with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure that veterans’ federal disability stipends do not preclude them from accessing housing.
Acting Secretary Julie Su, U.S. Department of Labor: The delegation will meet with the Acting Secretary to request increased federal funding to combat wage theft as well as technical assistance to leverage new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act to create good-paying jobs in Los Angeles.
Tom Perez and Neera Tanden, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and White House Director of the Domestic Policy Council: The delegation will meet with Tom Perez and Neera Tanden to request assistance to tackle additional barriers to housing, discuss the ALL INside initiative, and further advocate for continued federal support to confront the housing and homelessness crisis in Los Angeles.
Shalanda Young, Director of the Office of Management and Budget: The delegation will meet with Shalanda Young to advocate for top-priority funding needs in Los Angeles.
Gregory Jackson and Robert Wilcox, Special Assistants to the President and Deputy Directors for the Office of Gun Violence Prevention: The delegation will meet with the Deputy Directors to highlight the work L.A. is doing on this front and request funding for gun violence prevention programs to create a safer Los Angeles for all.
Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, United States Homeland Security Advisor: The delegation will meet with the U.S. Homeland Security Advisor, who is the lead for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to ensure that public safety and infrastructure goals are met ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Christopher Coes, U.S. Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Policy: The delegation will meet with the Assistant Secretary to discuss funding for infrastructure improvements ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, ensure that the Port of Los Angeles is appropriately funded to reach the goals of becoming a zero-emission and supply chain resilient port, and support LAX’s continued modernization efforts.
Earlier this year, members of Congress secured more than $35 million in the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 appropriation bills for Los Angeles at the request of Mayor Bass and the City Council. The delegation is scheduled to meet with various members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to discuss ways to build on that momentum as well as issues facing Los Angeles including homelessness, public safety, building better infrastructure for Angelenos and the environment. Meetings will include:
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla
U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler
U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
U.S. House Democratic Vice Chair Ted Lieu
U.S. Representative Nanette Barragán, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee
Since January, Mayor Bass has hosted 7 senior officials from the White House, including:
Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez toured Skid Row and attended an event with regional elected leaders to deepen the ongoing partnership between the City and the federal government in confronting the homelessness crisis.
Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Jeff Olivet observed an Inside Safe operation. Shortly after the visit, the White House announced Los Angeles would be included in their All INside initiative, a first-of-its-kind initiative to address unsheltered homelessness all across the country. The City of Los Angeles will partner with the USICH and its 19 federal member agencies to strengthen and accelerate our local efforts to move unhoused Angelenos off the streets and into homes.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra toured the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP) residential substance abuse treatment facility to highlight the need to include substance abuse and mental health treatment when addressing homelessness. The Department of Health and Human Services continues to support Los Angeles through the ALL Inside initiative.
Former Domestic Policy Advisor to the President Ambassador Susan Rice toured Permanent Supportive Housing in Skid Row and met with service providers and affordable housing developers to discuss federal policy opportunities to accelerate housing in Los Angeles. The visit helped lay the groundwork for continued support from the White House.