Brief

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, seconded by John S. Lee and Katy Yaroslavsky, introduced a motion to reorganize and provide stable funding for Los Angeles's urban forest goals. The motion proposes bringing tree management operations in-house and streamlining the city's structure to achieve long-term sustainability. The Energy and Environment Committee approved the motion on August 4, and the Budget and Finance Committee approved it as amended on August 18.

Full summary

In May 2026, Councilmember Bob Blumenfield moved to address the city's urban forest management by restructuring how the city funds and operates tree planting, maintenance, and related programs. The motion's subtitle indicates three key components: in-sourcing operations (bringing functions currently contracted out back under city control), establishing sustainable funding mechanisms, and streamlining the city's organizational structure to better serve urban forest goals. The motion was referred simultaneously to the Budget and Finance Committee and the Energy and Environment Committee in May 2026. The Energy and Environment Committee, the policy lead, reviewed and approved the motion on August 4 before transmitting it to Budget and Finance for fiscal consideration. The Budget and Finance Committee scheduled the item and approved it as amended on August 18. The amended approval by Budget and Finance represents the most recent action. With both committees now having approved the motion—albeit with amendments—the file is positioned to move toward City Council consideration. The motion does not expire until August 2028, allowing time for implementation planning and any additional council steps. No vote counts or specific amendments are detailed in the activity log, but the dual committee approval signals alignment on the substance of restructuring and sustainable funding for the city's tree canopy and related programs.

Activity (6)

• 2026-08-18 Budget and Finance Committee approved as amended .
• 2026-08-14 Budget and Finance Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 18, 2026.
• 2026-08-04 Energy and Environment Committee transmitted Council File to Budget and Finance Committee.
• 2026-08-04 Energy and Environment Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-07-31 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 4, 2026.
• 2026-05-21 Motion referred to Budget and Finance Committee; Energy and Environment Committee.

Documents (3)

• 2026-08-18 Communication from Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, Third District - Amendment · other
• 2026-08-17 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-05-20 Motion · motion