Progress & Priorities

  • Katy is fixing the budget to fix city services

    Residents expect the basics to work. Streets maintained. Trees trimmed. Streetlights fixed. Right now, the gap between what residents reasonably expect and what the city delivers is too wide.

    The condition of city services comes down to one thing: the city’s finances. When the budget is unstable, services fall behind. Repairs take longer. Infrastructure costs more. Departments struggle to keep up.

    Delivering better services requires long-term fiscal stability and a city that operates more efficiently.

    Katy became Chair of the City Council’s Budget Committee at one of the most difficult moments the city has faced in decades, and was soon staring down a $1 billion budget deficit. Through difficult choices, she helped close that gap while avoiding deep cuts to core services and preventing large-scale layoffs.

    But avoiding the worst is not enough. Los Angeles needs to move from short-term fixes to long-term stability. That is how the city delivers the level of service residents reasonably expect.

    That has been Katy’s focus as Budget Chair and will continue to guide her work.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Closed a $1 billion budget gap while protecting services: The adopted budget rejected major cuts to sidewalk repairs, street resurfacing, and public safety staffing. It restored funding for essential services, added $50 million for the Fire Department, $15 million for LAPD, and preserved more than 150 civilian positions that support public safety operations.

    • Took a fiscally responsible stand on the Convention Center: Katy was one of two votes against the $2.6 billion Convention Center expansion. The project carried significant financial risk and would have committed up to $160 million annually from the General Fund, limiting the city’s ability to fund core services.

    • Advanced new revenue without raising taxes on residents: Katy led the process to place three measures on the June 2026 ballot to strengthen the city’s revenue base. If approved, they will generate an estimated $200 million annually to support city services.

    • Created an independent Budget Advisory Group: Katy authored the creation of an advisory group to bring outside financial expertise into city budgeting and improve long-term planning and accountability.

    • Invested in fixing streetlights at scale: With one in ten streetlights out due to copper wire theft, Katy funded repair crews in the district and authored a $65 million citywide plan to install solar-powered streetlights, eliminating the underlying issue and improving reliability.

    • Improved coordination of infrastructure spending: Katy co-authored the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan framework to better coordinate infrastructure work across departments and reduce delays and costs.

    • Directed funding to safer, more walkable streets: Katy authored the Measure M First and Last Mile policy to invest $182.5 million in safer streets, sidewalks, and bike infrastructure around transit stations instead of leaving those funds uncoordinated.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Fix the city’s contracting system: Los Angeles overpays for everything we buy. Katy will push to simplify contracting, increase competition, and reduce delays so the city can deliver projects faster and at lower cost.

    • Move to a two-year budget cycle: The current one-year budget cycle limits long-term planning. Katy supports transitioning to a two-year budget to improve stability, align spending with long-term priorities, and give departments more certainty to deliver services.

    • Create a long-term capital infrastructure plan: Street repairs, sidewalks, and major projects are too often reactive and uncoordinated. Katy will continue building a multi-year capital plan so infrastructure work is planned, sequenced, and delivered more efficiently.

    • Use city assets to generate revenue: Los Angeles owns billions of dollars in real estate. We should put it to work. Katy will advance a more strategic approach to managing those assets, including creating a dedicated entity to develop public/private partnerships, generate ongoing revenue, and reinvest in city services.

    • Reduce costs and delays in infrastructure projects: Katy will continue identifying operational bottlenecks across departments that slow projects down and drive up costs, and push reforms to deliver work faster.

    • Improve financial accountability: Strengthen oversight of city spending, reduce avoidable costs like legal settlements, and ensure taxpayer dollars are tied to results.

  • Create neighborhoods people want to live, work, and spend time in

    Los Angeles has an opportunity to create neighborhoods that people want to spend time in, not just pass through. Places with active and shaded streets, thriving local businesses, and public spaces that are an integral part of daily life.

    That kind of neighborhood does not happen by accident. It requires consistent city services, strong commercial corridors, and thoughtful planning that brings housing, transportation, and public space together.

    As a former land use and climate attorney, Katy’s focus has been on connecting those pieces. Improving how the city delivers basic services, supporting local businesses, and investing in the public realm so neighborhoods feel active, safe, and well cared for.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Improved basic neighborhood services: Funded a dedicated CD5 clean team to address trash, illegal dumping, and day-to-day maintenance issues.

    • Invested in safer, more reliable street lighting: Directed funding to repair streetlights across the district and advanced a $65 million citywide plan to transition to solar-powered lights to reduce outages.

    • Expanded the urban tree canopy: Led efforts to plant hundreds of trees across Westwood, Melrose, Miracle Mile, Palms, Hancock Park, and Crestview to improve shade and walkability.

    • Activated new transit stations as community spaces: Brought programming like farmers markets, dance classes, and local vendors to new Metro stations in Miracle Mile so they function as neighborhood destinations and increase public safety.

    • Supported local business corridors: Hired dedicated staff to coordinate closely with current and nascent business districts across CD5 to address safety, cleanliness, and economic challenges.

    • Invested in walkable streets: Advanced policies to direct funding toward sidewalks, crosswalks, and streets around transit so neighborhoods are easier and safer to navigate.

    • Strengthen neighborhood services: Improve reliability of core services so neighborhoods are consistently clean, safe, and well-maintained.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Support and expand Business Improvement Districts: Lead the creation of new Business Improvement Districts and strengthen existing ones to provide sustained support for commercial corridors.

    • Revitalize Westwood Village: Advance a focused effort to bring new energy to Westwood Village ahead of the 2028 Olympics, supporting local businesses and improving the public realm around UCLA.

    • Plan for walkable, mixed-use communities: Ensure the West LA Community Plan supports housing and zoning that create active neighborhoods with strong local businesses and accessible public spaces.

    • Activate public spaces across the district: Expand programming in parks, plazas, and transit areas so they are used and connected to surrounding neighborhoods.

    • Invest in streets that support daily life: Prioritize sidewalks, shade, lighting, and street design that make neighborhoods easier and more pleasant to move through.

  • Reliable response, smarter deployment, and safer neighborhoods

    Public safety is one of the most important and basic responsibilities of city government. When something goes wrong, people need to know that the right person will show up to respond, and that the system will work to hold criminals accountable.

    Los Angeles needs a public safety system that is reliable, accountable, and built to handle different types of situations. That includes a well-staffed police department, but it also means recognizing that not every call requires an armed response.

    Safety is also shaped by the condition of our neighborhoods. Poor lighting, unsafe streets, and neglected public spaces create conditions where crime is more likely to happen.

    Katy’s approach has been to focus on what actually improves public safety. That means making sure the system responds when people need help and using resources in ways that reduce risk in the first place.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Protected and strengthened LAPD staffing: Katy rejected proposed budget cuts that would have eliminated hundreds of LAPD civilian positions, including crime scene investigators and DNA technicians. The final budget restored more than 150 positions and supported continued hiring to keep pace with attrition.

    • Directed resources to keep officers on the street: Katy has consistently used discretionary funds to support LAPD overtime across the district, helping maintain coverage and response capacity, and to surge additional resources with spikes in crime and around houses of worship during religious holidays.

    • Expanded alternative crisis response: Katy supported the expansion of the city’s unarmed crisis response program from a pilot to a permanent, citywide program, which now handles thousands of calls each year and reduces the need for police involvement in non-violent situations.

    • Improved enforcement of domestic violence protections: Authored a coordinated effort across agencies to enforce firearm relinquishment for individuals subject to restraining orders, addressing a key gap in public safety.

    • Protected funding for victim services: Led efforts to secure historic increase in funding for domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and other victim support programs when federal cuts threatened services.

    • Strengthened wildfire preparedness: Co-authored new citywide protocols for high-risk fire conditions to improve coordination and response across departments.

    • Increased Fire Department resources: Helped secure additional funding for fire equipment, staffing, and emergency response capacity.

    • Invested in fixing streetlights at scale: With one in ten streetlights out due to copper wire theft, Katy funded repair crews in the district and authored a citywide plan to install solar-powered streetlights, eliminating the underlying issue and improving reliability.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Improve emergency response times: Response times are too slow in too many parts of the city. Katy will focus on improving deployment and staffing so when people call for help, someone shows up in a timely way.

    • Update the Basic Car Plan: The current deployment model does not reflect how the city has changed. Some patrol areas are too large, making it harder for officers to respond quickly. Katy will push for an updated Basic Car Plan that better aligns staffing with current population, call volume, and geography.

    • Fix 911 call center staffing and performance: Too many residents are placed on hold when they call 911. Katy will prioritize hiring and retaining dispatchers, improving call center operations, and reducing wait times so emergencies are handled immediately.

    • Align resources with highest-need areas: Ensure staffing and deployment reflect where calls for service are highest, so neighborhoods are not left waiting for help.

    • Fully fund a balanced public safety system: Public safety depends on having the right resources in the right places. As Budget Chair, Katy will focus on growing the city’s revenue base so core services are fully funded. That includes expanding alternative crisis response, which handles calls more efficiently, investing in civilian staff so officers can stay in the field, and rebuilding the police force to reduce reliance on costly overtime.

  • We have to build more housing faster, and do it right

    Los Angeles is too expensive for too many people. Rents are high. Homeownership is out of reach. Families are being pushed out of the communities where they want to stay.

    The core issue is supply at price points people can actually afford. The city does not have enough housing. And we certainly don’t have enough opportunities for Angelenos to become homeowners.

    We need to build more at every level. Affordable housing. Middle income housing near jobs. Smaller multi-unit housing like duplexes and fourplexes that fit into existing neighborhoods. Real opportunities for ownership so people can put down roots.

    Los Angeles has an opportunity to grow in a way that creates neighborhoods people want to live in. That means focusing the most density along transit and major corridors, while allowing more gradual, neighborhood-scaled housing in residential areas. It means walkable communities, thoughtful design, and buildings that fit their surroundings.

    That also means updating outdated rules that limit good design, allowing mid-rise housing common in other cities, and making it easier to build well-designed housing without unnecessary costs or restrictions.

    At the same time, one major barrier remains. It takes too long to build housing, and time is money. Projects that follow the rules still face years of delays across zoning, permitting, and approvals. That drives up costs, makes new housing unaffordable, and limits what gets built.

    Fixing that system is how we build more housing. As a former land use attorney with experience navigating a broken City approvals system, Katy has made this a focus of her first term and will continue that work moving forward.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Added capacity for hundreds of thousands of new units, and streamlined approvals citywide: The Citywide Housing Incentive Program created by-right approvals for hundreds of thousands of new units of housing across Los Angeles

    • Made affordable housing approvals permanent: Katy authored the policy to codify Mayor Bass’ Executive Directive 1 into law. This keeps fast-track approvals in place for 100 percent affordable housing, cutting approval timelines to an average of 37 days.

    • Unlocked faith-based land for housing: Before state law changed, Katy led the effort to identify and prepare faith-owned properties for housing. That work became a permanent incentive category under the city’s housing program.

    • Reduced barriers for building on city-owned land: A requirement to replace parking had blocked housing on 99 city-owned parking lots. Katy co-authored the policy change that removed that barrier. All 99 sites are now available for housing.

    • Created a faster, clearer zoning and entitlement approval process: Katy co-authored the creation of the Development Services Bureau. Projects now go through a single intake process with a required determination on approvals within 10 days.

    • More Beautiful Buildings: Katy co-authored efforts to allow single-staircase buildings up to six stories. This change would make more small and mid-sized housing projects with larger units for families financially feasible across the city.

    • Thoughtful implementation of SB 79: Katy helped shape how Los Angeles will add housing near transit. She pushed for a phased approach that allows new housing now while giving the city time to plan where future growth should go.

      The plan allows new 3 to 4 story housing near transit across dozens of locations, including areas that have not allowed this type of housing in decades – or ever. It also protects lower-resource communities, high fire severity zones, and historic districts in the near term.

      Katy introduced motions to fix the rules that have made these projects difficult to build, so new housing is financially feasible and actually gets constructed. She also advanced a clear strategy to focus growth along transit corridors with a gradual transition into surrounding neighborhoods.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Set clear timelines for approvals: Establish firm deadlines for housing approvals so projects do not sit in the system for months or years. Create a process where applicants know when they will get an answer and what that answer will be.

    • Fix coordination across city departments: Require early coordination between planning, building and safety, and LADWP so requirements are clear from the start. Eliminate conflicting guidance and last-minute changes that slow projects down and increase costs.

    • Create a more accountable inspection process: Move toward a consistent inspection model so projects are not delayed by changing requirements at different stages. Improve accountability and reduce rework during construction.

    • Expand fast-track pathways for straightforward projects: Build on existing by-right approvals to create faster pathways for projects that meet zoning and affordability requirements. Focus city resources on more complex projects while allowing simpler ones to move quickly.

    • Align utilities with housing production: Ensure LADWP timelines match housing timelines. Reduce delays tied to power connections, equipment requirements, and outdated standards that limit what can be built.

    • Expand opportunities for homeownership: Support policies at the local and state level that make it easier to build and buy entry-level homes. This includes smaller units, condominiums, townhomes, and new pathways for first-time buyers.

  • Katy is focused on results, accountability, and moving people indoors

    Los Angeles continues to face a homelessness crisis that affects every neighborhood. There has been real progress in recent years, but too many people – many with significant mental health and addiction challenges – are still living on the street, and too many communities are still dealing with its impacts.

    The city, working in partnership with County and State partners, has to do two things at the same time: Move people into housing faster and stop more people from falling into homelessness in the first place. That requires a system that is focused, accountable, and built around results.

    Angelenos have stepped up repeatedly and approved significant funding to address homelessness. For lawmakers, that comes with a responsibility to be transparent and accountable for how every dollar is spent. Especially as federal and state funding becomes less reliable, the city has to make better use of the resources it already has and ensure funding is tied to real outcomes.

    Maintaining access to public spaces also matters. Sensitive locations like schools, parks, libraries, and sidewalks should be safe and accessible, and Katy has been consisten in enforcing no-camping laws in these locations. But enforcement without housing is not a solution. If the city asks people to move, there has to be a real place for them to go.

    Katy has focused on what delivers results and worked to change what hasn’t. That approach has led to measurable progress, and it will take sustained effort to build on it.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Reduced street homelessness in CD5 by 27%: Street encampments are down 27 percent since Katy took office. Nearly every major encampment that existed at the start of her term has been resolved and has not returned.

    • Expanded interim housing by taking on tough projects: When Katy took office, there were no interim housing beds for general population adults in the district. This means that we had zero options in district for adults between the ages of 18 and 55 who weren’t veterans or didn’t have a minor child. She moved forward with new interim housing sites, including converting a city-owned parking lot at Pico and Midvale into interim housing. The proposal faced significant opposition, but she pushed it forward because the district needed real housing options. Today, the district has opened two new sites and is on track to triple its interim housing capacity during Katy’s first term.

    • Set a new standard for encampment enforcement: Katy established a clear approach: enforcement must be tied to housing. Every new no-camping zone in the district is paired with documented outreach and verified housing availability before any action is taken. This prevents a no camping zone from simply shifting an encampment down the street.

    • Improved how housing placements actually happen: Katy co-authored reforms to address long delays in filling supportive housing units, creating a single accountable entity and earlier planning requirements. She also created new tools like the Master Lease program and the R.E.A.C.H. portal to expand the pool of available housing and connect property owners with the city.

    • Invested in survivors of domestic violence: Katy secured the largest year-over-year increase in city funding for domestic violence survivors, including dedicated shelter beds, vouchers, and support services for people at high risk of homelessness.

    • Brought accountability to homelessness spending: Katy co-created the Homelessness Bureau within the Los Angeles Housing Department and required regular public reporting and cost analysis so the city can track how funds are spent and what results they deliver.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Make the system work faster and more efficiently: Identify bottlenecks that slow housing placements and fix them so people move from the street into housing more quickly, and from that interim housing into permanent housing faster, thereby freeing up an interim bed for another unhoused person.

    • Focus funding on results: Use data to evaluate programs and direct resources toward approaches that are working, while addressing inefficiencies that waste time and money.

    • Expand housing and pathways off the street: Continue growing interim housing and strengthening connections to permanent housing so people do not get stuck in the system.

    • Improve coordination across agencies: Strengthen alignment between the city, county, and service providers so efforts are not fragmented and people do not fall through the cracks.

    • Invest in prevention: It is much less expensive and much more humane to keep someone housed, than it is to wait until an individual is on the street before attempting to connect them to housing and services. By expanding rental assistance and targeted support to keep people housed and reduce the number of people entering homelessness, we save money and people’s dignity.

    • Maintain a clear and accountable approach to encampments: Ensure that any enforcement is tied to real housing options, with clear documentation of outreach and outcomes.

  • The best way to prevent homelessness is by keeping people in their homes

    The most effective way to address homelessness is to prevent it. Yet too many Angelenos are at risk of losing their housing because costs are rising faster than incomes. For many families, a single unexpected expense or life event can put them at risk of eviction.

    Once someone loses housing, it becomes much harder and more expensive to help them regain stability. Preventing that from happening in the first place is one of the most effective tools the city has.

    Keeping people housed protects families, reduces pressure on the homelessness system, and helps maintain stable communities.

    Katy’s approach has focused on strengthening protections, closing loopholes, and making sure the system works as intended.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Passed the strongest tenant protections in decades: Katy supported and helped pass the largest expansion of tenant protections in more than 40 years, closing loopholes that were being used to push tenants out of their homes.

    • Closed eviction loopholes: Co-authored reforms to prevent misuse of renovation-related evictions and require clear standards before tenants can be displaced.

    • Protected rent-stabilized housing: Supported policies that preserve existing affordable units and require replacement when rent-stabilized housing is removed.

    • Invested in homelessness prevention: Backed programs that provide rental assistance and financial support to keep people housed before they fall into homelessness.

    • Addressed tenant harassment and enforcement gaps: Advanced policies to strengthen enforcement and ensure tenants have real protection when laws are violated.

    • Made domestic violence prevention part of the housing system: Katy secured the largest year-over-year increase in city funding for domestic violence survivors, recognizing that many people lose housing because they are fleeing abuse. The funding created dedicated shelter beds, vouchers, and support services so survivors have a safe path to stable housing instead of falling into homelessness.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Strengthen enforcement of existing protections: Focus on making sure tenant protection laws are enforced consistently so renters are not left navigating the system on their own.

    • Expand homelessness prevention programs: Increase investment in rental assistance and targeted support for households at risk of eviction.

    • Protect and preserve affordable housing: Continue efforts to prevent the loss of rent-stabilized units and maintain long-term affordability.

    • Create more pathways to stable housing: Support policies that help renters transition to long-term stability, including pathways to ownership where possible.

    • Align housing and homelessness strategies: Ensure prevention efforts are fully integrated into the city’s broader homelessness response. Focus on making sure tenant protection laws are enforced consistently so renters are not left navigating the system on their own.

    • Expand homelessness prevention programs: Increase investment in rental assistance and targeted support for households at risk of eviction.

    • Protect and preserve affordable housing: Continue efforts to prevent the loss of rent-stabilized units and maintain long-term affordability.

    • Create more pathways to stable housing: Support policies that help renters transition to long-term stability, including pathways to ownership where possible.

    • Align housing and homelessness strategies: Ensure prevention efforts are fully integrated into the city’s broader homelessness response.

  • Turn climate goals into real, measurable progress

    Climate and environmental policy is where Katy began her career. Before joining the City Council, she spent years working on climate, water, and energy issues in Los Angeles, including leading the development of Measure W, which now generates hundreds of millions of dollars each year for local water and parks infrastructure.

    Climate change is already shaping how the city operates. It is increasing wildfire risk, driving more extreme heat, and putting added pressure on public health and energy infrastructure.

    The city has a responsibility to lead in a way that is practical, grounded, and focused on outcomes. That means reducing pollution, preparing for climate impacts, and ensuring the transition to cleaner energy works for residents, businesses, and workers.

    Katy has focused on turning policy into implementation, with clear goals, systems that can deliver, and progress that is measurable and accountable.

    What Katy Has Done

    • Advanced a citywide climate plan: Katy directed the creation and funding of Los Angeles’ first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which will codify clear timelines and sector-specific targets to reach carbon neutrality, local water supplies, and clean energy production.

    • Advanced the phase-out of urban oil drilling: Katy supported and is helping rebuild the city’s policy to end oil extraction in residential neighborhoods after legal challenges, and pushed enforcement action at sites like the West Pico drill site.=

    • Expanded building decarbonization efforts: Advanced programs to help property owners transition away from gas systems, including incentives and technical assistance.

    • Reduced harmful air pollution: Supported regional standards to phase out high-polluting gas appliances that contribute to poor air quality and public health impacts.

    • Strengthened water security planning: Advanced efforts to increase local water supplies and prepare for disruptions to imported water sources.

    • Secured long-term funding for climate infrastructure: Led the development of Measure W, which generates $300 million annually for stormwater capture and water and parks infrastructure projects.

    What Katy Will Focus on in a Second Term

    • Finish the phase-out of urban oil drilling: Complete the re-adoption of the city’s oil drilling ban and ensure it holds up legally so extraction ends in residential neighborhoods as soon as legally permissible.

    • Hold LADWP accountable on the clean energy transition: Ensure the transition to clean energy is reliable, affordable, and not used to extend reliance on fossil fuels. Katy will push for clear plans on future power generation that meet climate goals without backtracking.

    • Implement the city’s climate plan: Move from planning to execution by turning the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan into real projects with measurable progress.

    • Strengthen climate resilience: Invest in fire prevention, water reliability, and infrastructure that protects communities from extreme weather and long-term climate risks.

    • Expand access to clean energy and building upgrades: Make it easier for residents and businesses to transition to cleaner systems by improving incentives, technical support, and coordination across programs.