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Downtown residents urge council to fund LA Live recovery, tree canopy; council approves related motions
Summary
Residents and downtown stakeholders urged the City Council to approve beautification and recovery investments for Downtown Los Angeles, including tree canopy repairs and funding to support businesses; the items were recorded as approved in the council's roll call.
Downtown residents and business advocates told the Los Angeles City Council that investments in beautification and public safety are needed to revive the downtown economy, support small businesses and restore the area’s tree canopy.
Residents who signed up to speak on Items 32 and 33 described lost businesses, vandalized trees and ongoing public-safety concerns in Downtown Los Angeles. Cassie Horton, identified in the record as a co‑founder of the Downtown LA Residents Association, told the council "we're speaking on items 32 and 33, which are part of broader downtown economic recovery investment at LA Live, also supporting our tree canopy after vandalism in downtown." Horton said 700 residents had weighed in on recovery priorities and urged council leadership to work with downtown residents on a recovery plan.
Deborah Shrout, a South Park resident, said the two items support downtown's economic engine and stressed that residents already pay business improvement district fees for continued clean-and-safe services. "We need your support. We need to make sure we have a vibrant downtown," she said.
Josh Grammer, who told the council he has lived in downtown for 22 years, asked the council to "please support our council member's motion to get beautification funds for our neighborhood" and urged support for the convention center expansion under consideration later in the meeting.
Why it matters: Downtown generates tax revenue for the city and houses major employers, visitors and cultural venues. Speakers told the council that investments in visible cleanliness, trees and public safety are critical to encouraging business and residential return to the core.
Council action: Items 32 and 33 were included in the set of items the clerk brought to roll call after public comment and were recorded in the transcript as approved in the council’s roll announcement (clerk announced the group result as "14 o."). The transcript records multiple public commenters urging the council to invest in downtown recovery and tree canopy restoration.
What remained unsaid in the record: The transcript captures public appeals and the clerk's roll-call announcement; it does not include detailed funding amounts or program implementation plans in the spoken public comment excerpt. Those details appear in the posted motions and departmental reports accompanying each agenda item.
Next steps: Departments assigned to the approved motions are expected to implement or report back according to the adopted motions posted with the council. Downtown residents asked for continued collaboration and a more comprehensive downtown recovery strategy.
