City of LA spent nearly $1 billion during the pandemic, city controller reports

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles city departments have spent nearly $1 billion on coronavirus-related programs, LA Controller Ron Galperin announced Thursday.

Since March 2020, City departments reported nearly $1 billion in expenditures — mostly for programs and supplies, homeless housing, staffing and overtime, rental assistance, and testing and vaccines.

Galperin's office released an online COVID-19 spending tracker for the public to track the $984.8 million that the city has thus far spent on pandemic-related expenses, including:

  -- $843 million for supplies and programs;

  -- $118 million for Project Homekey housing;

  -- $176 million for staffing and overtime pay;

  -- $94.5 million for emergency rental assistance; and

  -- $73.9 million for testing and vaccinations.

"Over the last year, the pandemic disrupted our lives and forced us all to adapt to a new reality,'' Galperin said. "The city of Los Angeles met this challenge by pivoting to support residents in need, while also continuing its normal operations. My goal in tracking and reporting on all pandemic- related city expenses is to show residents what their local government prioritized during this time to ensure maximum public accountability.''

The city spent the most money in December 2020, with $273.6 million; followed by July 2020, with $173.6 million; then September 2020, with $90.4 million, according to Galperin.

The City Administrative Officer spent the most money of all departments, with $491.9 million, which includes spending for Project Homekey and other reimbursed pandemic costs. The Housing and Community Investment Department spent the second most, with $120.3 million, then the General Services Department, with $116 million.

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According to Galperin, most of the $984.8 million spent on the pandemic was paid for from the CARES Act and other federal funding, which totaled $745 million. The city also used funding from the state and the city's general fund.

Funding from the American Rescue Plan, which is allocating $1.34 billion to Los Angeles, was not represented in the tracker because the city has not yet received the funds. It expects to get half this month and the rest in a year, Galperin's office said.

People can explore the COVID-19 spending tracker at lacontroller.org/covidspending.