Mayor Karen Bass, delivering the first of two State of the City speeches scheduled for this year, urged Angelenos Monday to come together ahead of the 2028 Olympics as she announced a campaign to clean up Los Angeles’ congested streets ahead of the Games.
The mayor spoke at the Expo Center in Exposition Park in front of hundreds of city officials and politicians. A second address is scheduled for April.
After both the UCLA and USC marching bands played to welcome the mayor, he duly participated in the theme of unity as the region prepares to host the World Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Super Bowl, among other events. He also said that Angelenos need to unite against immigrants, the housing crisis and the fires that burned the city last year.
“Even in this difficult chapter in our history, great events – moments of unity – can happen. And they do,” Bass said.
“As we prepare for … the biggest Olympic and Paralympic games in history — we will continue to focus on the things that matter, the things that shape the way the city feels to the people who live here and the millions who will visit,” Bass said.
Preparations will include continuing to focus on cleaning up the camp through Bass’ signature program, Inside Safe, he said. Bass also announced a new clean streets initiative called Clean Corridors, which he said will “accelerate the repair” of highways across the city ahead of the Olympics.
“We will fight against any illegal dumping, those who cut corners, avoid dumping fees, and leave trouble for workers and neighbors,” he said.
The announcement comes a few months after the head of the city’s Bureau of Sanitation resigned.
During the speech, the mayor also announced 100 free World Cup watch parties throughout the city, $14 million in rental assistance for Angelenos and the relaunch of the city’s House Our Vets program, which helps veterans find stable housing.
The mayor also focused on the Trump administration’s attacks that have led to protests in the city of Los Angeles and across the country. He talked about the shooting of Keith Porter Jr. is a state agent in Northridge.
“Silence or minimizing what is happening is not an option. These managers do not care about safety. They do not care about order. And they do not care about the law,” he said.
The mayor also talked about the Palisades renewal, saying that he and Councilwoman Traci Park will be heading to Sacramento next week to call for more money to be invested in rebuilding Pacific Palisades. Currently, 400 homes are under construction there and hundreds more have been approved and are ready for construction, he said.
“We don’t just rebuild – we rebuild smarter, faster and safer,” he said. “Families are coming home.”
The announcement came a week after President Trump criticized the city’s slow pace of rebuilding and said he would rein in his authority to issue rebuilding permits after the Palisades fire. The president announced in an executive order that victims using federal aid money can certify to federal authorities that they comply with local health and safety standards.
The mayor decided to bring two districts to the City this year. Traditionally, he and other mayors have held a joint speech in April before releasing the proposed budget for the new fiscal year.
The mayor said that the first of the two speeches will be part of the World Cup games that will have eight games at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood. His second City District is likely to focus more on budget issues.
Last year the mayor and the City Council had to close a budget deficit of one billion. During his time at City Hall last April, the mayor announced possible layoffs for city employees in order to produce a balanced budget.
The city ultimately avoided making layoffs through other cuts and agreements with city unions. But the city may be facing another tough budget in the coming fiscal year.
