MOTION -- In 2015, the City Council adopted a comprehensive plan on job creation in the City of Los Angeles (C.F.15-0850). At that time, the City faced major setbacks as a result of the 2008 Great Recession and sought to rebuild its economy by implementing a number of strategies to provide economic growth by way of job establishment This plan resulted in a collaborative effort of multiple departments, implementing programs and policies at City-scale - a plan that for the first time, took a comprehensive approach to job creation. The plan intended to serve as a roadmap for City departments, but also as a guiding policy document to attract investment thereby creating more jobs. At this time, five years later, the City has successfully implemented roughly 80% of that comprehensive jobs plan. At present, the City faces a new economic landscape. Los Angeles has experienced roughly 50% higher unemployment rates in the last three months. These impacts will continue to devastate the local economy and decimate the workforce if the council does not leverage federal and state resources to its advantage and strategically plan for rebuilding lost jobs.
Given the changing economic landscape and the near completion of the existing multi-tiered jobs plan, the City should reevaluate its job creation incentives, strategies, tools and frameworks and identify new forward-looking goals and plans. The comprehensive jobs plan must be adjusted to address the changes in the job market, capitalize on the emergence of new industries, and create programs and policies that align with the future needs of the job market due to new needs in day-to-day operations for so many of our sectors from hospitality to entertainment.
The revitalized jobs plan and the mission of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Comprehensive Jobs Creation Plan must evolve, in the same way the economy has evolved.
In drafting the new plan, the Ad Hoc Committee and the Council should consider:
1. The programs and policies implemented as a result of the first jobs plan, their effectiveness, and how they may need to be reevaluated or changed;
2. New needs that have arisen in the job markets given increased at-home presence, dependency on a strong wi-fi connection and operational standards at brick and mortar places of business;
3. The status of financial support or lack thereof from both the state and federal government, and potential budgetary needs for jobs creation subsidies and incentives;
4. Rebuilding the low to medium skilled workforce and mitigating the Impacts on those whose jobs are still at high risk of termination; and
5. Evaluation of current and future market demand to understand where the major employment gaps exist and how the City can subsidize or support job preparation creation in those positions.
I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council instruct the Economic Workforce Development Department and the Office of the Chief Legislative Analyst, with support from the Information Technology Agency, Chief Procurement Officer, the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, the Mayors Office of International Affairs and the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, to make recommendations to the Ad Hoc Committee regarding a new comprehensive jobs plan, including relevant policies from the existing jobs plan pursuant to CF 15-0850, that seeks to address major changes in the job market and local economy.