LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Kathryn Barger focused on increasing access to County departments, programs, and services for the over 120 unincorporated areas that rely on Los Angeles County as its primary source for municipal services. The motion directs the Chief Executive Office to report back within 90 days with a plan for launching a comprehensive website to access all County services and Departments, accompanied by multi-lingual printed materials and an outreach strategy for unincorporated areas. 

“The absence of a city government structure in our unincorporated communities often creates confusion for the residents who live there on what local services are available. This motion builds on the work the County is doing to ensure our residents are aware of and able to get the services they are entitled to,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “Equipping our unincorporated communities with the resources to more easily navigate the vast County system of services, departments, and initiatives is our ongoing responsibility.”

“Our unincorporated communities rely on the County for local representation and essential services such as zoning enforcement, sanitation, and public safety but many don’t know how to access that help,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “This motion is about making it easier to contact the County. We owe it to our tax-paying constituents to be accessible and responsive.”

The County of Los Angeles is the most populous and complex county system in the nation, responsible for setting policies and delivering services to meet the needs of 10 million residents, out of which 1 million are living in unincorporated areas – communities outside of city jurisdictions, that have no local mayor or city council. These areas look to the County and their County Supervisor for local government representation and services, including sanitation, public libraries, public safety, environmental protection, emergency response, code enforcement, homelessness crisis response, and other critical services and initiatives.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell provided the following statement in response to the closure of the privately-owned, Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery located in the City of Carson.

“Worrying about having access to the loved ones you have laid to rest is deeply troubling and something no one should have to experience. This is the current challenge many Carson residents are facing due to the owner abandoning Lincoln Memorial cemetery. I share the concerns of the families and Carson community that are impacted by the closure of this historic and sacred space. My office has been at the table with the State Cemetery and Funeral Bureau, which has the power to administer licensing to a potential new owner and manages the endowment for this cemetery. We are also working with the City of Carson with this being within its city lines.”

“It is my expectation that the Bureau, City of Carson, and County do all we can that we are uniquely positioned to do, to help address this issue so that this space remains operable and that there is a long-term plan in place. While we are committed to assisting the state and the Carson community in finding immediate answers, including the search for a new owner, I want to uplift the need for a long-term solution in light of the fact that the County is not legally required to assume responsibility for privately owned cemeteries that cease operations within any of the 88 cities that together with our unincorporated communities constitute LA County.”

“This is why I have asked for County Counsel to look into potential annexation or the creation of a cemetery district. This challenge has magnified the need for a system that allows for a privately-owned cemetery to change owners without jeopardizing access to the cemetery for the larger community. My office will remain committed to working with all the stakeholders involved in identifying solutions that honor the sacredness of this deeply personal and historic space.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Lindsey P. Horvath’s motion to adopt a unifying countywide vision for prevention and to establish the infrastructure to achieve it, through the Prevention and Promotion Systems Governing Committee – an inaugural Brown Act body comprised of County department leaders working together to significantly improve the conditions necessary to foster well-being for Angelenos and solve for risk factors throughout a person’s life that lead to engaging in government systems like foster care, justice, and public social services.

This motion meets the urgent call for a shared and coordinated commitment to prevention that charts new paths for residents to be able to avoid the County’s safety net and closes the gaps within our current prevention strategies so that residents are no longer falling through the cracks that perpetuate poverty and trauma and are instead supported with the resources to truly thrive” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

“While many programs and services offered by LA County are intended to prevent people from losing housing, a job, food assistance, or custody of a child, there’s so much more we can and must do to strengthen delivery and impact of our services,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “Building a prevention infrastructure has the power to redefine the County’s role in people’s lives, moving from the safety net system we have today, to a system of care that prevents harm and promotes individual and family wellbeing by focusing on front end investments. I proudly join Supervisor Mitchell in this bold plan to bring our County departments and stakeholders together to shake up how we do business to do better by the people counting on us to protect them.”

The motion dedicates an initial investment of $5 million to establish the infrastructure committee that will include Los Angeles County Departments of Public Social Services, Child and Family Services, Homeless Initiative, Mental Health – and other relevant departments and partners – tasked with aligning the County’s numerous prevention strategies into a well-coordinated model equipped to: catch residents before they fall into the county’s safety net, lessen the time and negative effects residents experience within government services and programs and demonstrably improve outcomes for communities through a transparent process for public input and accountability.

Dr. Jackie Contreras, Director of the Department of Public Social Services and inaugural Chair for the Prevention and Promotion Systems Governing Committee, shared “this is an incredible opportunity to come together as one County family to realize the achievable vision of a system of care that works upstream to support individuals and families, holistically and equitably. Building on the strong work of the Prevention Services Task Force, and in partnership with and service to our most marginalized communities, I’m confident our actions and results will bring to life our shared commitments.”

A Prevention Services Task Force was assembled in 2021, through a Board of Supervisors directive calling for bold recommendations to address racial disparities and prevent harm within the County’s government systems – which account for the largest foster care and jail system in the world. Today’s motion to establish a shared prevention vision and infrastructure model is one of the key calls-to-action provided by the taskforce along with additional recommendations reflected throughout the ten directives of the motion.

“I am honored as a community member and someone with lived experience to be part of the Prevention Services Task Force that contributed the recommendations to make this important moment possible” said Fran Sereseres, Resident and Prevention Services Task Force member. “We are relying on the leadership of LA County to make our community informed recommendations real. This will help strengthen collaboration and ensure that we get the services we need to create a LA County with fewer hardships.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell provided the following statement in response to the release of bodycam footage today by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“The body cam footage Sheriff Luna released of a male deputy using excessive force during an interaction with a Black woman and her infant in Palmdale, CA is shameful. This footage, along with the most recent display of excessive force by deputies from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station, are further indication of the need for a culture shift that ends the long history of brutality directed towards Black people and communities of color by law enforcement. Simply put, these acts of violence cause immeasurable harm and I expect zero tolerance for this behavior.”

“I want to thank Sheriff Luna for working towards increased transparency and accountability in the department. If our goal is to end excessive force and the trauma it causes, then this level of transparency is necessary for rebuilding public trust and must be paired with investigative measures to help prevent it from happening again.”

“After hearing Inspector General Huntsman’s oversight recommendations during this week’s public Board of Supervisors meeting, it is my expectation that the LA County Sheriff’s Department will join other local law enforcement entities in changing its policies to permit internal investigations to proceed concurrently with criminal investigations in order to expedite justice and increase transparency for the public. It is also my expectation that this department, along with every County department, fully embrace its role in helping to achieve our inaugural Racial Equity Strategic Plan so as we work to deliver public service to 10 million residents, we are preventing harm and creating more just, safe, and thriving communities.”

“I look forward to the outcomes of the investigation into these matters and will continue to work with the Office of the Inspector General, the Civilian Oversight Commission, and the Sheriff’s Department to address the systemic issues that are at the root of this issue and can only be solved by working together.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In a landmark vote, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Hilda L. Solis to establish a Right to Counsel ordinance and universal access to legal representation through the Stay Housed L.A. initiative. The motion calls for the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), County Counsel, and other impacted County departments to return before the end of next year with eligibility requirements, sustainable funding sources, and an ordinance to codify that will make available, for the first time, legal representation at no-cost for qualified tenants facing eviction in unincorporated communities.

“Legal representation is often unaffordable and inaccessible for many working people, especially when hit with an eviction notice. Right to Counsel allows us to remove these barriers and helps thousands of residents maintain their housing” said Supervisor Mitchell, representing the Second District. “This is a necessary part of our strategy to end homelessness and sets us on a path to provide universal access to legal representation – a resource that every Angeleno deserves.”

“No one, absolutely no one, should ever have to face eviction without the opportunity to be legally represented. Having a right to counsel will help level the playing field for tenants in court with landlords,” said Supervisor Solis, representing the First District. “This is about justice. This is about equity. This is about cementing Los Angeles County’s guiding principle—serving as a safety net for our most vulnerable.”

According to national data from The Center for American Progress, an estimated 10 percent of tenants facing eviction in the County have legal representation compared to 90 percent of landlords. In 2020, $2 million in Measure H Funds along with additional investments from the County and philanthropy, launched Stay Housed L.A.- the County’s comprehensive eviction defense program, that provides a full range of critical services, including short-term rental assistance and legal aid to stem the tide of residents becoming unhoused. The County’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs projects that within this year alone, over 15,000 residents who live in unincorporated communities and cities outside of Los Angeles, will seek SHLA’s services.

Currently, SHLA’s capacity to serve residents is outnumbered by the growing demand for its homelessness prevention services. To help ensure the eviction protections provided by SHLA can reach more residents regardless of their income, the motion also calls for the County’s Chief Executive Office to allocate $5,000,000 to help supplement SHLA’s budget and for Department of Business and Consumer Affairs to work with cities throughout the County to develop funding models that will allow SHLA to quickly stand-up services.

“Renters make up the majority of every part of Los Angeles County. To achieve housing justice, we must ensure that renters have the resources to assert their rights when facing the loss of their homes. We applaud the leadership of Supervisors for their work on supporting tenants and Right to Counsel,” said Sasha Harnden, Senior Public Policy Advocate at the Inner-City Law Center and a member of the L.A. Right to Counsel Coalition.

To read the full motion, click here.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. —The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion in a 4-0 vote, authored by Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Kathryn Barger that builds on the success of professional mentors in preventing at-risk youth from entering Los Angeles County’s foster care system. The motion directs the Department of Mental Health in collaboration with the Department of Children and Family Services to extend the County’s partnership with the non-profit, Friends of the Children – Los Angeles, to provide paid, full-time mentors for over 170 Black girls countywide starting at ages 4 to 6 that will remain throughout their teenage years.

“This is an opportunity to expand a mentorship model that has proven to be effective to reach Black girls – a population that continues to be disproportionately represented in our child welfare and justice system” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “I look forward to the positive outcomes that some of our most vulnerable youth and their families will experience as a result of having a dedicated support system committed to their success.”

“Undoubtedly, mentorship and positive relationships can make a transformational difference in the lives of vulnerable children,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “The pilot that the County implemented in the Antelope Valley has delivered results and kept young children at home with their families. This expansion will help this mentorship program reach 100 young girls so they can meet their full potential. Friends of the Children has done a fantastic job and I’m a proud co-author of this motion, which will expand their services. This program works.”

To date all of the children that participated in the Antelope Valley pilot program have successfully not had to enroll in the County’s foster care system. This is due to the two-generation approach that assigns a paid, professional mentor that supports the well-being of the child and the capacity of that child’s caregiver. Today’s vote builds on an extension presented by Supervisor Mitchell that passed by the Board of Supervisors in 2021 to include Black male youth in South Los Angeles.

“Six years ago, Los Angeles leaders invited us to become part of the effort to reduce the number of children and families impacted by foster care in the county. Our children, caregivers – and our data – tell us that our long-term, 2Gen mentoring model is doing just that – strengthening whole families while building skills that will set children on a lifelong path of opportunity,” said Jorie Das, Executive Director of Friends of the Children LA. “This contract reflects the ongoing commitment of the County Board of Supervisors, the Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Children and Family Services, to building a prevention continuum that will protect and support the well-being of children and families. We feel a sense of belonging in–and a deep responsibility to–this community as a result of the county’s support.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell directing Los Angeles County’s Chief Executive Office to report back in 30-days with an implementation plan for providing eight weeks of Paid Family Leave (PFL) starting in January 2024 to all County workers who qualify for the benefit.

“Having to take time-off to focus on raising a newborn child or caring for a loved one should not put hard working families at risk of falling into poverty. Paid Family Leave is a necessity that all workers deserve the right to” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “I’m thankful for the Board’s support of this motion and look forward to a plan that can equitably and sustainably offer Paid Family Leave to the County’s workforce. This is about investing in our values and the people who help us serve millions of residents every day.”

Currently, the County only offers protected leave as it relates to a person giving birth or for a disability, but the leave is unpaid, unless that person has sufficient sick or vacation time to cover the time off. Los Angeles County employees receiving Flex or Megaflex benefits who take leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, or California Family Rights Act can put together a package of time utilizing available benefits and accrued time, but it may not cover 100 percent of employee pay while they are on leave.

For all union represented employees – who account for 85 percent of Los Angeles County’s workforce – family leave is considered a fringe benefit and legally must be bargained for as part of labor negotiations with the County’s Chief Executive Office (CEO). This is why the motion also calls for the CEO to work with the joint labor management committee to potentially add PFL as a benefit for union represented County employees. The implementation plan from CEO would impact the 15 percent of the County’s 110,000-person workforce who are not represented by unions.

Economic studies have shown that access to PFL significantly increases employee retention and is an effective tool for poverty alleviation and gender equity. The report back will include a plan for tracking the impact of PFL, including the cost of attrition. 

To read the full motion, click here.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA ) held its inaugural meeting where the LACAHSA board unanimously approved the appointment of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell as Chair. Supervisor Mitchell provided the following statement:

“I am honored to serve as the inaugural Chair for LACAHSA. The Los Angeles region is at a pivotal point where we can build on the progress made in our homelessness response with increased attention and resources towards housing solutions. LACAHSA addresses two key contributing factors to the homelessness crisis – the need to prevent vulnerable residents from becoming unhoused and the need to scale up affordable housing options. With elected leaders from the county and multiple cities being joined by advocates and experts at one table, we have an opportunity and responsibility to make a real impact in getting more people dignified housing.” 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — This June, Los Angeles will host the U.S. Open Golf Championship for the first time in 75 years. As part of the U.S. Open partners’ commitment to expanding access to the sport in the host community, the U.S. Golf Association (USGA), Southern California Golf Association (SCGA), and the Los Angeles Country Club have joined together to create the Fore Youth Foundation and contribute an initial donation of $7 million to the Maggie Hathaway Golf Course in South Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s motion to accept the donation and direct the Department of Parks and Recreation to create a plan with Fore Youth Foundation and partners, for investing money raised towards improving the golf course and expanding access to diverse communities in South Los Angeles and neighboring areas.

“Maggie Mae Hathaway broke barriers to bring the joy and excitement of golf to Black people and communities of color. I am proud that this investment helps further the vision of this golf course that is a treasured community asset in the heart of South LA. I want to thank the Fore Youth Foundation and all our U.S. Open Community Legacy Project partners involved, for working to create a truly lasting and impactful legacy—one that invests directly in people and communities that were once excluded from the game” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

“The Los Angeles Country Club worked with the USGA and SCGA to launch the FORE Youth: 2023 U.S. Open Community Legacy Project to ensure that the impact of this year’s championship is felt long past this spring through improvements at the County’s Maggie Hathaway golf course in South Los Angeles and expanded youth programming across the County,” said Gene Sykes, President of the Los Angeles Country Club. “We are grateful for Supervisor Mitchell’s support and are excited to work with the County Department of Parks and Recreation to build on its strong commitment to diversify and grow the sport of golf, and to provide recreational opportunities that improve social, academic and professional outcomes for young people.”

“As an organization committed to expanding diversity and access to golf, we’re excited to see this level of investment in a course that is perfect for learning the game. Maggie Hathaway is a community gem, and once renovated, it will be able to serve an even broader community” said Glen Porter, CEO Southern Area Youth Programs, Inc (SAYPI) & WSGA Southern Area Vice President. “We’re proud to continue to work with the project partners, County Parks, and Supervisor Mitchell’s office to make a lasting impact for future generations of golfers.”

Maggie Hathaway Golf Course, first opened in 1962, it is a 9-hole, 1,008-yard, Par-3 located next to Jesse Owens Park near the intersection of Western Ave. & Century Blvd that hosts an annual average of over 20,000 rounds of golf. The scope of the Legacy Project is anticipated to include a new practice pitching area and putting green, reconfiguration and renovation of the driving range, restoration of existing buildings, youth development partnerships and maintenance of the improved amenities over time.

“The U.S. Open Community Legacy Project at Maggie Hathaway Golf Course, highlights that investing in public golf courses ensures affordability and access for youth and players of all levels,” said Norma E. García-González, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. “The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is thrilled by this dynamic public-private partnership aimed at creating a legacy of greater access and inclusivity to the sport of golf, especially among communities of high need, youth of color, and women and girls.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell provided the following statement on the reported death of a teen in LA County’s Juvenile Hall. 

“I want to extend my deepest condolences to all those impacted by this tragic loss of life. This is the heartbreaking manifestation of the crisis within our juvenile justice system. From preventing drugs from entering our system to limited staffing that impacts the safety of the young people in our juvenile halls and the women and men that work there – we must contend with every contributing factor to this crisis to prevent any more lives from being taken. It is inexcusable for a young person to die of an overdose within the care and custody of Los Angeles County’s juvenile halls.  

I am in full support of a thorough investigation of this tragedy that is followed by swift and substantive action from the Probation Department to ensure that the young people in its care are provided with the appropriate programs, services, as well as stronger measures to prevent harm.”