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L.A. REPAIR Participatory Budgeting

The Los Angeles Reforms for Equity and Public Acknowledgment of Institutional Racism (L.A. REPAIR) is the City of Los Angeles's first participatory budget pilot program. L.A. REPAIR will distribute roughly $8.5 million directly to nine city communities, called REPAIR Zones. 

The Vote Results Are In!

With over 5,500 ballots cast, your voice has been heard loud and clear! The vote results are now available, revealing the projects that the community has chosen to receive City funding. The selected proposals address the most pressing issues identified by you, the residents. L.A. REPAIR is committed to giving real power to real people over real money.

Explore the Projects by REPAIR Zone

What is Participatory Budgeting?

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. 

PB started in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989 as an anti-poverty measure that helped reduce child mortality by nearly 20%. Since then, PB has spread to over 7,000 cities around the world, and has been used to decide budgets from states, counties, cities, housing authorities, schools, and other institutions. Click here to learn more about how Participatory Budgeting works.

The L.A. REPAIR Participatory Budgeting pilot program dedicates $8.5 million of City funding to nine underserved communities to decide how it should be spent on programs that serve the community. It is being administered by the LA Civil Rights Department.

Overview of the 6 steps in the participatory budgeting process.
Map of REPAIR Zones

 

The REPAIR Zones

The L.A. REPAIR pilot program is in the following nine communities:

  1. Arleta - Pacoima
  2. Boyle Heights
  3. Harbor Gateway - Wilmington - Harbor City
  4. Mission Hills - Panorama City - North Hills
  5. West Adams - Baldwin Village - Leimert Park
  6. Westlake
  7. Skid Row
  8. South Los Angeles
  9. Southeast Los Angeles

Participatory Budgeting is Designed To:

Deepen Democracy

Increase the volume, quality, and longevity of residents’ engagement in city governance.

Expand Transparency

Improve trust in government and accountability in budgeting decisions.

Emphasize Public Ownership of Government Resources

Direct available resources in a manner which residents feel is most urgently needed; trust grassroots groups to manage projects.

 

Build Stronger Communities

Connect funding to community based organizations and local context by incorporating on-the-ground community knowledge ー improving chances of successful and sustained outcomes that matter most to people.