LOS ANGELES —Mayor Eric Garcetti, in partnership with 100 Resilient Cities — Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation (100RC), today released Los Angeles’ first citywide Resilience Strategy to help the City plan for the opportunities and challenges that the future is sure to bring. Mayor Garcetti also signed a historic executive directive that commits City departments to appoint Chief Resilience Officers who will take the lead in making Los Angeles stronger and safer.
"Resilience is so much more than disaster preparedness; it is a value that guides everything we do in Los Angeles, because we know that today’s decisions shape the lives of our children and grandchildren,” said Mayor Garcetti. “We are grateful to 100 Resilient Cities for their support, and proud to lead with a forward-looking plan that will strengthen our infrastructure, protect our economy, make our institutions more inclusive, and create safer neighborhoods.”
The Mayor’s Office developed the Los Angeles Resilience Strategy with the collaboration, financial, and technical support of 100RC, as well as community and expert input. The comprehensive plan features 96 immediate actions that give residents the tools to plan and prepare for inevitable shocks and stresses — from earthquakes and flooding to homelessness and climate change. Los Angeles joins the ranks of approximately 40 cities around the world, including Paris, New York, and Bangkok, that have implemented similar strategies.
“Resilient Los Angeles is the culmination of a months-long process to cultivate partnerships and develop actions that increase Los Angeles’ resilience,” said Chief Resilience Officer Marissa Aho. “It is also the beginning of a greater citywide commitment to continue to collaborate, form new partnerships, and design new initiatives in a continuous process that will contribute to a safer and stronger Los Angeles.”
“We congratulate Mayor Garcetti, CRO Aho, and the City of Los Angeles for taking this historic step toward creating a lasting resilient future,” said Michael Berkowitz, President of 100 Resilient Cities. “As an inaugural member of the 100RC network, Los Angeles continues to be a leader in resilience building, with urban solutions that can serve as a model for cities around the world. We are excited to continue the next stage of our partnership and to collaborate around implementation of this groundbreaking strategy.”
Resilient Los Angeles is organized around four main pillars, which include 15 goals and 96 actions:
- Safe and Thriving Angelenos: L.A. is building the capacity of individual families and businesses to prepare for and recover from emergency events, including building long-term financial security. The City is also cultivating young Angelenos to grow our future leadership, as well as advance equity and stewardship in our communities.
- Strong and Connected Neighborhoods: When disaster strikes, recovery starts in neighborhoods and networks; L.A. is working to further empower and engage neighborhood organizations to foster stronger social cohesion. These networks play a critical role in L.A.’s most vulnerable communities. The City is also taking action to reduce local health and wellness disparities while increasing economic security for all Angelenos.
- Prepared and Responsive City: L.A. is integrating tools and technology to prioritize the most vulnerable Angelenos in decision-making, and fostering faster and more efficient disaster preparedness and recovery. The City is also modernizing aging infrastructure, and developing ways to provide more safe and affordable housing to improve economic security for Angelenos.
- Pioneering and Collaborative Partner: City leaders recognize the role Los Angeles plays globally, and the leadership it can provide to the region and beyond. The City will continue to uphold principles of climate resilience, and will engage public, private, and philanthropic leadership to be a model through advocacy, infrastructure investment, and partnerships.
About 100 Resilient Cities—Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation
100 Resilient Cities — Pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation (100RC) helps cities around the world become more resilient to social, economic, and physical challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. 100RC provides this assistance through funding for a Chief Resilience Officer in each of our cities who will lead the resilience efforts; resources for drafting a Resilience Strategy; access to private sector, public sector, academic, and NGO resilience tools; and membership in a global network of peer cities to share best practices and challenges. For more information, visit: www.100ResilientCities.org.
For more information, visit lamayor.org/resilience.