LA City Climate Emergency Mobilization Office (CEMO)

A new office, created in 2022 after extensive organizing from advocates, aims to advise leaders on equitable climate policy for LA city. The office includes the Climate Emergency Mobilization Commission, a 19-member body appointed by the mayor of LA with 7 members representing the top 10 percent of pollution-burdened communities. The commission is directed by Marta Segura, the Director of CEMO, and the city’s first-ever Chief Heat Officer.

LA City Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners (RAP board)

The five-member board is appointed by the mayor of LA to manage the Recreation and Parks Fund which includes Quimby fees. The board also oversees the budgets of existing programs, maintenance and repair, and acquisition or leasing of new recreation property, including the opening of schoolyards (which RAP has done through a handful of joint-use pilots). It’s currently chaired by Renata Simril, CEO of the LA 84 Foundation.

LA City Office of City Forest Management

Created in 2019, so also a new-ish department, the office is currently headed by LA’s first-ever city forest officer, Rachel Malarich. The office, which is under Public Works, needs a real budget to maintain our urban canopy in the same way we maintain streetlights. Residents of LA can also join the Community Forestry Advisory Council (CFAC), which has one representative per council district and advises the city on trees and greening policies.

California Natural Resources Agency

At the state level, urban greening money comes to cities and counties through grants and bonds issued through the various departments and commissions of the Natural Resources Agency. These programs, which include everything from heat mitigation to improving access to open space, are overwhelmed by applications with very little money to distribute, so advocates must make sure climate interventions aren’t zeroed out from the state budget, as they often are.