Members of the African American Mayors Association Friday convened in the city of Los Angeles for a glimpse at some housing and homeless strategies, and to further efforts to address challenges in their respective cities.
Friday morning the delegation of mayors are expected to visit the Hilda L. Solis Care First Village where mayors will discuss homelessness and see first hand new housing initiatives and strategies. Later in afternoon, the mayors will participate in a panel discussion, called “Leading Change in Communities in 2024…Affordable Housing, Homelessness, and the Economic Impact of the Entertainment Industry.”
“Los Angeles is an amazing city filled with history and culture,” AAMA said in a statement. “We’re grateful to Mayor Bass for hosting our delegation this week and appreciate her leadership.”
Bass announced members of AAMA would be arriving throughout the afternoon for a weekend convening.
“I am thrilled to welcome members of the African American Mayors Association to Los Angeles this weekend,” Bass said in a statement issued Thursday.
“I want to thank AAMA President and Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard and all of the other mayors for coming to Los Angeles to discuss our rich and diverse culture, social and economic accomplishments and challenges, and how policy makers and cultural leaders can come together to solve the challenges that cities face,” she added
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, Culver City Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Gardena Mayor Tasha Cerda, Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes and Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles are expected to attend the meeting.
Several out-of-state mayors are expected to join as well, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, among others.
A representative for AAMA said the “issues these mayors are discussing did not happen overnight, so they won’t be fixed overnight.”
“By looking at housing and homelessness best practices, it allows cities to understand how to possibly leverage their dollars through public private partnerships,” AAMA said in a statement. “Seeing new innovative ideas allows mayors to go back to respective cities and share how they can collaborate with their city council, constituents, and business community to figure out to implement portions of these innovative best practices in their cities.”
According to Bass’ office, the convening of mayors is expected to end sometime Sunday.
AAMA members will continue their discussion at their 10th Annual Conference in April. This year AAMA will host the convening in Atlanta, Georgia, where mayors will discuss and promote actions that empower the future of “forward-thinking leadership, growth, and development” in cities across the country.
“The 2024 Annual Conference is an occasion to converse with decision-makers in the public sector and an opportunity to share successful strategies and new ideas on the most pressing issues facing our nation’s cities,” AAMA said in a statement.