Additional funds will support enhanced and equitable services and programs
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 26, 2021)—Thanks to a revived economy and cautious light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, the Department of Public Works will receive significant funding in the new City Budget for Fiscal Year 2021-22. Across the Department, critical infrastructure and environmental justice services and programs will be restored, maintained and expanded, and exciting new projects initiated.
From increasing the CARE+ teams for extended attention to the cleaning of and hygiene services provided at homeless encampments, to the expansion of the cool pavement program, closing the Digital Divide, completing the 6th Street Viaduct, and ensuring fair wages are being paid within the City, the FY 21-22 budget will allow the women and men of the Department of Public Works to continue to connect all Angelenos to world class infrastructure offerings.
“We’re incredibly excited about the next fiscal year and all the initiatives this budget will enable us to take on,” said Greg Good, President of the Board of Public Works. “The funding coming our way will result in new positions, filled vacancies and technology investments that will ensure our role as a leader in “building back better” for all Angelenos.”
Highlights of the new funding include:
Bureau of Contract Administration
Funding will enable the Bureau to assist in recovery efforts and service delivery that will provide long term benefits to the City through the performance of expert construction inspection and labor compliance enforcement. This includes permit and construction review for public right-of-way projects and housing initiatives, minimum wage enforcement, and provision of technical assistance to small businesses.
Bureau of Engineering
One-time funding was provided for the implementation of a cloud-based Content Knowledge Management System to modernize digital file storage infrastructure and transition from obsolete storage systems, and for survey equipment and technology.
LA Lights
The Bureau received funding and support needed to combat Copper Wire and Power Theft throughout the City. The resources received will allow BSL to respond to the growing number of vandalism outages, make preventative corrections, and bring response times down to two weeks. Importantly, funding was also provided to help close the digital divide - a crucial investment given that one in ten Angelenos lives in a household without internet.
LA Sanitation and Environment
Fifty new positions will be funded to support new CARE and CARE+ teams for cleaning homeless encampments areas and providing hygiene and other support services to unhoused individuals. Additionally, 11 new regional facilities will be established for the storage of personal belongings of those individuals, and 1,000 Automated Litter Bins purchased and deployed throughout the City.
StreetsLA
The Budget funds growing the urban forest with as many as 3,800 additional tree plantings and ensures sufficient staff resources to continue to expand tree planting, watering and care for street trees throughout the City. $4 million will make street repairs specifically on bike lanes, to help ensure rider safety. StreetsLA’s innovative response to climate change was supported with an additional $2 million for “cool pavement,” across the City, being paired with trees, bus shelters and other possible installations to create shade and build “Cool Neighborhoods.”
Additionally, a number of Board Offices will significantly benefit from this Budget, including new graffiti abatement strike teams and job training; the establishment of the Clean LA youth employment program; establishment of a program to ensure operator compliance with oil and gas well regulations relative to their operations in Los Angeles; and staffing and funding for the newly established Climate Emergency Mobilization Office and Workforce Equity Demonstration Project.