Bass’ first 100 days in office

By Joe Bowers

Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES — On her first day in office, last Dec. 12, Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness, giving her administration expanded powers to help people gain access to permanent housing.

As she marks 100 days in office this week, Bass estimates that around 4,000 Angelenos will have been housed since she took charge of City Hall. She points out that most of the people are housed due to Proposition HHH and programs already in place when she took office, but about 1,000 of them have found housing due to her Inside Safe program.

“My top priority from day one to day 100 of my administration has been confronting the homelessness crisis with the urgency it requires, and that won’t stop,” Bass said in a statement March 22. “Together, we will work to make Los Angeles safer and more livable in every neighborhood.”

According to Bass’ office, within the first 100 days of her administration, an estimated 3,873 Angelenos have been housed through various strategies including declaring a state of emergency and implementing Inside Safe, a city-wide program to bring people inside from tents and encampments.

Bass has also issued executive directives to accelerate building of housing and unlock public land for housing. According to her office, the city reported 360 qualifying projects under review to be expedited, totaling 8,238 affordable housing units, and is analyzing more than 3,300 parcels of city-owned land to determine what can be used to develop permanent affordable housing or interim shelters.

Her administration also secured $60 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing and supportive services through the city, and an additional $196.2 million from the state for multifamily and infill developments for the city and across Los Angeles County.

One of the major challenges for Bass in getting people into permanent supportive housing has been navigating bureaucratic red tape. 

“Well, it did take a long time because of the red tape, but it’s finally coming to fruition in a big way,” she said. 

She expects to see a significant increase in the number of people in permanent housing over the next 100 days.

According to Bass, probably the most controversial decision of her administration in the first 100 days was agreeing to give Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore a second term. That decision has potentially long-range consequences for the mayor and her record on crime.

“We have the World Cup coming up in 2026 and the Olympics coming up in 2028,” Bass said. “He [Moore] has said he has no intentions of staying five years. I have no intention of a five-year contract. But we are going to begin a community process citywide to ask Angelenos what they want and need to see in order to be safe. And that will provide a roadmap for how we select a chief, but it is important that we have a chief in place.”

The mayor laid out several public safety priorities including hiring and increasing of police officers, and support training for officers to respond to mental health crises.

She established the Office of Community Safety, which will support non-punitive strategies that reduce crime, including civilian first responders, violence interruption, re-entry services and youth diversion programs. The gang reduction and youth development program, which the Office of Community Safety oversees, has responded to 153 incidents to reduce community violence and tension throughout the city.

Yet another issue that the city government needs to address that has Bass’ attention is its current inability to prevent homelessness “now.” Speaking to Black journalists, Bass said, “Here’s where you guys can all help us, and we desperately need your help. I’m very worried that we’re going to have another spike in homelessness because of evictions that are kicking up now, because of the eviction moratorium going away.

“The City Council passed tenant protections, and where you could be helpful, and we could be helpful to you is we need to get the word out,” Bass added. “

When asked by California Black Media what best prepared her for taking on the responsibilities of the mayor, Bass said, “I think it’s been my life’s work.”

“I don’t think it’s been one thing,” she continued. “There are the 14 years at Community Coalition, but that’s always been my foundation. Of course, being in the state house and Congress is very helpful. I know that was why the government alignment happened so quickly because I was building on many, many, many years of relationships. 

“I think what’s always driven me is my commitment to the issues and my purpose is to stop the suffering of our people on the streets.”

As she has been dealing with the homelessness crisis, Bass has been building her City Hall team. Members of her senior leadership team include Chris Thompson, chief of staff, and Mercedes Marquez, chief of housing and homelessness solutions. 

Filling many of the open deputy mayor positions, she has hired Rachel Freeman, deputy mayor for business and economic development; Karren Lane, deputy mayor of community empowerment; Brian K. Williams, deputy mayor of public safety; Randall Winston, deputy mayor of public work; and Nancy Sutley, deputy mayor of energy and sustainability.

The deputy mayors are tasked with hiring based on an assessment of the personnel needs of their department. Currently many departments are understaffed and that is affecting the city’s ability to deliver essential services, Bass said.

Joe Bowers is a writer for California Black Media. City News Service also contributed to this story.