Mayor Karen Bass, delivering the first of two State of the City speeches scheduled for this year, called on 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 a crowd of hundreds of city employees 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. But he also said Angelenos need to unite in the face of immigration raids, the homeless crisis and the fires that ravaged the city last year.
“Even in this difficult chapter, in our history, great events – moments of unity – can happen. And they are coming,” said Bass.
“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 a continued focus on cleaning campsites 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.
The mayor also focused on the Trump administration’s attacks that have led to protests in Downtown Los Angeles and across the country. He talked about the shooting of Keith Porter in Los Angeles by federal agents.
“Silence or minimizing what is happening is not an option. This administration does not care about security. They do not care about order. And they do not care about the law,” he said.
The mayor also addressed the issue of the Palisades fire, saying that he and Councilwoman Traci Park will be heading to Sacramento next week to ask for more money to be invested in rebuilding the Palisades. Currently, 400 homes are under construction in the Palisades 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 the president criticized the city’s slow pace of rebuilding, saying he would undermine the city’s ability to issue rebuilding permits after the Palisades fire.
The president announced in an executive order that fire victims using federal aid funds 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 the first of the two talks will be part of the 2026 World Cup, which will have eight games at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood.
His second City District is likely to focus more on city budget issues.
Last year, the mayor and City Council had to close a $1-billion budget deficit. During his term at City Hall in 2025, the mayor announced possible layoffs of city employees to produce a balanced budget.
The city ultimately avoided making any layoffs in other cuts and agreements with the city’s unions. But the city is likely to face another tough budget year in the coming fiscal year.
