Mayor Bass delivers State of City Address at City Hall

Mayor Karen Bass delivered her State of City Address from City Hall on Monday morning, discussing homelessness, rebuilding efforts, crime and the budget crisis.

Bass said following the fires, the main concern is getting residents back into their homes and rebuilding the city stronger than before.

She recognized residents from Pacific Palisades who have helped lead the charge toward rebuilding and even saved lives and homes during the firestorm. Bass also took a moment to honor Councilwoman Traci Park for her work in making sure there is no red tape for the community.

She emphasized that the recovery process is on track to be the fastest in California history. Bass said that although the road toward completely rebuilding is still far away, the city is committed to making sure residents don't face unnecessary obstacles.

She announced three new actions to expedite the permitting process:

• Establishing a self-certification program to reduce redundancy in the permitting process
• Launching an initiative to start using innovative AI technology to accelerate and support the City's Plan Check Review process
• Calling on the City Council to pass an ordinance to waive all plan check and permit fees so that Angelenos can rebuild in the Palisades.

Bass said since the beginning of her administration, public safety has been at the core of her work.  She said violent crime and property crime are down in LA, which she is a direct result of a comprehensive approach to public safety.

"Last year homicides fell by 14%, gang-related homicides in communities most impacted fell by 45% and the number of shooting victims fell by 19%," Bass said.

She told the crowd that Angelenos are turning the page on crime in LA and the city won't be going back.

Bass began addressing homelessness by saying it is a humanitarian crisis. She said one way to make progress is by fixing the broken system and making changes to old and outdated policies.  

"We are taking action and making change, and after years of increasing homelessness, we are finally reversing that trend – homelessness is down," Bass said. "We are moving thousands more people from the streets than before we took office, and more Angelenos are being moved into permanent housing than ever before. All of this comes as, nationwide, homelessness went up 18% – but not in Los Angeles."

She said the city must invest in long-term interim housing for homeless individuals.

Bass stated that the city is currently facing a deficit of more than $800 million. She said personnel costs, the wildfires, the COVID-19 pandemic and backed up lawsuits have all contributed to the budget crisis.

"I want to be straight with you. My proposed budget, unfortunately, includes layoffs, which is a decision of absolute last resort," Bass told the crowd.

She said the city will move to consolidate departments to help rebuild financial stability.

Bass said her office is focused on building a city that's ready to lead and it will fight for every Angeleno. She explained, tariffs and trade wars will only continue to increase the cost of living and make things more expensive.

"And make no mistake – we will protect every Angeleno, no matter where you are from, no matter when you arrived in L.A….. Because we know how much immigrants contribute to our city in so many ways. We will always stand strong with you," she said. 

Use this link to read the mayor's full 2025 State of City Address or watch the full address on KCAL's YouTube page.