Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a $24 million investment aimed at aiding Los Angeles’ economic recovery following the devastating firestorms in January. This announcement was made during the seventh stop of his statewide Jobs First tour, where he introduced California’s Economic Blueprint and the Los Angeles County Jobs First Regional Plan.
The funds are designated to strengthen infrastructure and support small businesses and workers in the region, including disaster response efforts. The financial allocation includes $10 million in partnership with LA Rises, Maersk, and APM Terminals for the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund. This fund is a grant program managed by the City and County of Los Angeles to provide direct financial assistance to businesses and nonprofits affected by the fires.
Additionally, $3 million will be directed towards the Los Angeles Jobs First Collaborative for recovery efforts, which include public-facing campaigns to promote small business support. Another $11 million will go towards High Road Training Partnerships with workforce training organizations based in Los Angeles.
Local leaders have expressed their support for these initiatives. Senator Sasha Renée Pérez highlighted that “the Governor’s Jobs First Economic Blueprint will create good-paying jobs” while Assemblymember Mike Fong emphasized that “cultivating one of the best economies in the world starts with our communities.”
Los Angeles County Chair Kathryn Barger appreciated “Governor Newsom‘s plan to invest in our local workforce,” and Supervisor Hilda L. Solis noted that this funding would be crucial for accelerating economic recovery.
City leaders also voiced their approval. Mayor Karen Bass thanked Governor Newsom for his continued support during LA’s recovery process, while Vinh T. Ngo, Mayor of Monterey Park, expressed excitement about the new economic jobs plan.
Business leaders like Stephen Cheung from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation applauded Governor Newsom’s leadership in supporting economic recovery efforts. Maria Salinas from the LA Area Chamber of Commerce praised the initiative as an exciting step forward.
Tracy Hernandez from BizFed & New California Coalition commended Governor Newsom for delivering real-time funding to boost rebuilding efforts after the firestorm. Alysia Bell from UNITE-LA acknowledged his leadership in driving progress across economy, equity, and environment sectors.
Judy Matthews from Altadena Chamber of Commerce supported Governor Newsom’s announcement for its potential impact on Southern California through job apprenticeship programs and small business support.
For more information on California’s response to LA firestorms and resources available for recovery, visit ca.gov/LAfires.
