Page 14 - FY 2021-22 Proposed Budget

commitment of $791 million to combat homelessness — an investment we will build
upon together through State and Federal advocacy. And that means over $300 million
in equity and justice initiatives, from piloting a new guaranteed basic income program to
providing direct relief to small businesses in low-income communities and expanding
our Gang Reduction and Youth Development program to include ambassadors and
community intervention workers.

Each of these actions addresses immediate and long-term needs for families, workers,
employers, and communities across Los Angeles. Yet this budget also takes steps to
ensure our long-term fiscal health. Because as we saw with COVID-19, our City can
only respond swiftly and effectively to unexpected threats to life and property if we
invest in our fiscal resilience and financial sustainability whenever we can. That’s what
we did in the years leading up to this pandemic. That’s what we are doing once more,
establishing a healthy reserve and giving ourselves a solid safety net to respond to
future emergencies or economic downturns.

This is a budget designed to keep Los Angeles safe, strong, secure, and thriving. This is
a blueprint for building back better — and a roadmap for reaching a better future,
together.

Sincerely,

ERIC GARCETTI
Mayor