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Committee approves CAO recommendation to transfer funds to Board of Public Works for CleanLA Jobs program
Summary
The committee approved a CAO recommendation to transfer $4.1 million from the unappropriated balance to the Board of Public Works to sustain the CleanLA Jobs program that employs low-income Angelenos for weekly corridor cleanups and job placement supports.
The Public Works Committee approved a CAO recommendation to transfer funds from the unappropriated balance to the Board of Public Works to maintain the CleanLA Jobs program.
Sarah Baron of the CAO summarized the request: the CAO recommended transferring $4,100,000 from the unappropriated balance into the Board of Public Works' contractual services account to cover shortfalls and keep the program operating. The board's CleanLA program places low-income youth and adults facing barriers to employment into one-year crews that perform weekly maintenance on preselected high-visibility corridors. Participants earn $18 per hour plus fringe benefits.
Felicia Orozco Velagarde, CleanLA program manager at the Board of Public Works, said CleanLA operates 12 crews across the Northeast Valley, Central LA, Northeast LA and South LA. Since 2021 CleanLA crews have serviced more than 106,000 locations, removed over 294,000 bags of trash and removed more than 129,000 bulky items. The program has produced 423 total job placements since 2021 (253 adult placements and 170 youth placements), CleanLA reported; 112 participants have graduated from the program and 32 graduates have been hired by city departments (Bureau of Sanitation or Bureau of Street Services). The program currently had 71 active participants (18 adults and 53 youth).
Board staff and the CAO said $512,000 would cover end-of-year needs under the current contract structure, and the larger $4.1 million transfer would allow the board to disencumber surpluses and move funds to contracts with projected shortfalls. Board of Public Works executive officer Elise Mattson said the board requested a slightly smaller amount than in prior years in light of citywide budget constraints and is awaiting final budget deliberations.
Committee members asked about eligibility and transition to permanent jobs; board staff said eligibility targets residents with barriers to employment (formerly incarcerated, unhoused, foster youth, veterans) and that graduates are eligible for referral to city maintenance positions. The committee approved the CAO report by recorded vote (Council members Hernandez, Padilla and Hutt voted yes).
