SACRAMENTO – Mayor Karen Bass yesterday traveled to Sacramento to advocate for critical funding for housing, homelessness, and wildfire recovery, meeting with Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón, and others. She also testified at a legislative hearing on preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Mayor Bass was widely praised for her tenure as Speaker of the Assembly, particularly for her bipartisan leadership to balance the state budget following the Great Recession and for leading the passage of the state’s first Film and TV Tax Credit. As Mayor, she uses her state experience to secure state support for critical initiatives in Los Angeles. Photos available here.
“For so many years, homelessness only went up in Los Angeles, and housing was dramatically underbuilt. Now, we have reversed these longstanding trends, and we are seeking to continue our strong partnership with the state to accelerate our progress,” Mayor Bass said.
Ensuring We Don’t Reverse Progress on Housing and Homelessness
After years of increases under past leaders, under Mayor Bass, street homelessness has been reduced two years in a row – a first for L.A. – with street homelessness down by almost 18 percent. Homeless mortality was reduced for the first time in a decade (when records started being kept).
But as federal support is cut, state investment has also declined – dropping from a peak of $6.9 billion in 2022-23 to $1.5 billion in 2025-26, threatening to reverse the progress made. Specifically, the Mayor advocated for restoring Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP) funding to $1 billion for California cities and for an amendment to the The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026 – AB 736 (Wicks) and SB 417 (Cabaldon) to acquire interim housing.
Wildfire Recovery
For so many Palisades residents who lost their homes in the wildfire, delays, underpayments, and denials from insurers and ongoing mortgage payments are making it impossible to rebuild. During her visit, Mayor Bass pushed formortgage relief for impacted homeowners, legislation to crack down on insurers, state funding to close the gap between insurance proceeds and the cost of rebuilding, enhanced regulations on testing and remediation after wildfires, and more.
This builds on the delegation Mayor Bass led to Sacramento in February alongside Councilmember Traci Park and a dozen Palisades residents to advocate for key priorities related to the ongoing wildfire recovery effort in Pacific Palisades. In April, Mayor Bass and L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger met with President Trump in Washington, D.C. to advocate for FEMA and other rebuilding funds and for continued pressure on insurance companies and banks to step up to ease the financial pressure on L.A. families.
Preparing to Welcome the World for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games
The Mayor is calling for funding to support ongoing preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including for traffic improvements, infrastructure projects, energy upgrades around key Games venues, public safety and security support, mobility and safety access improvements, and more.
Mayor Bass met with a number of State legislators and officials, including:
- Governor Gavin Newsom
- Senate Pro Tem Monique Limón
- Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas
- Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
- Senator Laura Richardson
- Senator Christopher Cabaldon
- Assemblymember John Harabedian