The City of Los Angeles announced a nearly $18 million commitment this fiscal year to expand critical services for survivors of domestic violence—marking a significant step toward addressing a long-standing gap in support.
The Community Investment for Families Department (CIFD) joined Los Angeles City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Eunisses Hernandez at City Hall for a Domestic Violence Awareness Month press conference, followed by a City Council presentation that detailed the enhanced services.
The increased funding support for survivors of gender-based violence, including domestic and intimate partner violence and human trafficking, will help mitigate the potential adverse effects of the federal government shutdown on service providers.
“Domestic violence has a far-reaching impact on our communities—1 in 3 women will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Many of these women make up 41% of the unhoused population across the city, according to the latest Homelessness Point-in-Time Count,” said CIFD General Manager Abigail R. Marquez.
"We will continue strengthening our support system for domestic violence survivors, reaffirming that here in the City of Los Angeles, Domestic Violence Awareness is more than a campaign — it's a call to action.”
Councilmember Yaroslavsky has been a leader in DV prevention and played a critical role in shaping and expanding services.
She authored legislation that created the Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) Enforcement Task Force, and also supported efforts to increase the number of available shelter beds for survivors.
These efforts are focused on improving enforcement, removing firearms from abusers, and ensuring survivors have access to shelter, legal support, and housing assistance.
The City also received a $1 million grant to strengthen protections for domestic violence survivors and enforce laws requiring abusers to surrender firearms. The grant will fund the hiring of an administrative coordinator within the City Attorney’s Office to oversee compliance across the Los Angeles Family Court, the Los Angeles Police Department, and domestic violence service providers.
As part of the City’s bolstered services, CIFD has expanded its network of community-based partners from 10 to 16 organizations, added two shelter-based programs, and continued to strengthen Survivors First—one of the region’s first permanent housing initiatives dedicated to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
With additional funding for shelter providers, the number of shelter beds funded by the city increased by 32 percent.
Councilmember Hernandez has long been an advocate for survivors and understands the deep connection between domestic violence, poverty, and homelessness. Her Council District includes the expansion of Survivors First, which has three new providers.
"In a time when cruelty is being used as a political weapon — when immigrants are hunted, when survivors are shamed, when women’s rights are rolled back — choosing care is an act of resistance,” Councilmember Hernandez said.
“Since its launch, Survivors First has helped more than 3,000 Angelenos rebuild their lives. That’s 3,000 people who got a key instead of a shelter bed. 3,000 people who no longer had to choose between safety and homelessness. We have a long way to go, but I believe in what we’re building together: a city where people are safe not because they hide, but because we show up for one another and where care comes first, every time."
DV service providers from across the city joined Friday’s events, as well as the Domestic Violence Alliance, a coalition of community-based domestic violence experts - a clear message of solidarity for survivors and the growing services that protect them.