Background

Founded in 1781, the City of Los Angeles is home to over 4 million within the city limits and almost 19 million in the greater MSA. The elected government is composed of the Los Angeles City Council with 15 city council districts and the mayor of Los Angeles, which operate under a mayor–council government. There are numerous departments and bureaus and 51 oversight commissions, which are mostly volunteer positions appointed by the Mayor.

• Meet your government: Directory 
• Commissions: List
• Departments: Summaries

Housing and Homelessness

In 2019, Los Angeles had the nation’s 2nd highest population of people experiencing homelessness – 36,300 (and 52,765 in the County), with 75% living in unsheltered conditions. In Los Angeles County, it is estimated there are almost a million people (10% of total County population) living in “precarious living conditions”, on the verge of homelessness. (LA Times source)

You can read about the Mayor’s latest efforts in confronting the crisis here.