Budget JusticeCare first budget
About the campaignRe-imagining how l.a. Invests
A Care First Budget prioritizes the services and resources that actually keep communities safe.
For too long, L.A. County has invested heavily in systems of punishment while underfunding the services that prevent harm. The Care First Budget campaign works to change that.
What is a Care First Budget?
It’s a vision for how public dollars should be spent—prioritizing housing, healthcare, mental health services, youth development, and community-based solutions over incarceration and policing.
The Care First Budget builds on the mandate voters passed in 2020, ensuring resources are directed toward care and alternatives to incarceration.
By advancing investments in housing, mental health services, youth development, community-based violence prevention, and economic opportunity, the Care First Budget addresses the root causes of harm before they escalate into crisis.
Through advocacy, public education, and coalition-building, we have helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars for community-led programs that keep people safe, healthy, and connected to support.
This work demonstrates that public safety is strongest when communities have the resources they need to thrive—creating a long-term vision that prioritizes care, prevention, and accountability over punishment and incarceration.
This is not a one-year fight. We are working to transform the County’s budget over time so that every dollar reflects our values and supports community well-being.
For decades, public resources have been disproportionately directed toward systems of punishment and incarceration while communities have remained underinvested. We are organizing to change those priorities and build a budget that invests in what people need to thrive.
Through sustained advocacy, coalition-building, and community engagement, we are creating the conditions for lasting change—expanding investments in housing, healthcare, youth opportunities, economic stability, and community-based safety.
Our goal is simple: a future where public dollars are aligned with community needs, and where care, prevention, and opportunity are the foundation of public safety across Los Angeles County.
WHY IT MATTERS
L.A. County’s budget decisions shape daily life for millions of residents.
When resources are directed toward systems of punishment, communities are left without the support they need to thrive. A Care First Budget shifts those priorities.
Investments shapes outcomes
Funding decisions determine whether communities have access to housing, healthcare, and opportunity—or face cycles of harm and instability.
Prevention is real safety
Investing in services that meet people’s needs reduces harm before it happens and builds safer, more stable communities.
Our Solutionshift resources toward care
We are organizing to realign the County budget with what communities actually need.
Through advocacy, research, and community engagement, we push for increased funding for Care First services, reduced investment in carceral systems, and a transparent budget process that centers community voice.
The progressThe impact
Our work is already shifting resources and building momentum.
InvestmentMore than $1 billion shifted to care
Advocacy efforts have helped move significant funding into housing, mental health services, youth programs, and alternatives to incarceration.
AccountabilityIncreasing budget transparency
We are pushing for clearer, more accessible information so communities can understand and influence how public dollars are spent.
EngagementThousands mobilized
Community members across L.A. County are engaging in the budget process through town halls, public comment, and direct advocacy.
Power buildingGrowing a Care First movement
A broad coalition is working together to demand a budget that reflects shared values of care, dignity, and opportunity.
Stay involvedWhy engagement matters
The budget is decided every year—and so is our opportunity to shape it.
We need continued public pressure to ensure the County follows through on Care First commitments, expands investments in community-based solutions, and moves away from systems that cause harm.
Stay informedResources
Get the tools and information you need to understand and influence the budget.
Explore reports, explainers, and action opportunities to stay informed and take part in building a Care First future.
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We didn’t come this far to only come this far
Measure J was successful because of the outpouring of support from advocates, community members, and the public who believed deeply that we address racial injustice by investing in health, housing, and jobs.