Supervisor Kathryn Barger holds a gavel at the start of her term as Board of Supervisors Chair last year (File Photo – Diandra Jay)
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger today marked the end of her year-long tenure as Chair of the Board of Supervisors, reflecting on a period defined by historic challenges, unprecedented wildfire recovery, and major fiscal pressures across County services.
By News Desk
Delivering her closing remarks at the Board’s meeting, Barger praised the resilience of County departments, community organizations, and residents. “When I took the gavel a year ago, I acknowledged I didn’t know what the year ahead would hold,” she said. “That turned out to be an understatement, to say the least. What I did know, and what this year reaffirmed, is that whatever 2025 brought our way, we’d get through it together.”
Historic Wildfire Recovery
Much of 2025 was shaped by the aftermath of the January Los Angeles Wildfires, one of the most devastating disasters in County history. Within days, Disaster Recovery Centers were established to provide displaced residents with housing, food, clothing, medical care, and access to federal, state, and local assistance.
- Over $27 million in emergency relief grants were distributed to residents, workers, small businesses, and nonprofits.
- The County partnered with FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a massive debris-removal mission, enabling rebuilding efforts to begin within months.
- More than 2,550 residents filed rebuilding permits in Altadena and the Palisades, with over 800 permits already issued.
County staff continue to support survivors through One-Stop Centers, offering rebuilding guidance, employment assistance, and financial resources. Some households are nearing completion of construction and may spend the holidays in their rebuilt homes.
“As we enter the next phase of recovery, my commitment is unwavering,” Barger said. “We must equip residents with every resource available. I’m determined to keep this momentum going.”
Addressing Fiscal Pressures
Beyond wildfire recovery, Barger acknowledged the extraordinary financial challenges facing the County:
- Nearly $5 billion in pending child sexual abuse settlements
- More than $800 million in wildfire-related costs
- Federal funding reductions reshaping essential programs
- Added strain from the federal government shutdown
Despite these pressures, the County reached a tentative agreement on salaries and benefits with labor partners. Barger expressed gratitude to the County’s workforce for maintaining critical services and improving efficiency during a difficult fiscal climate.
Strengthening County Services
Barger highlighted several initiatives that advanced the Board’s priorities:
- Creation of the Department of Homeless Services and Housing, streamlining the County’s homelessness response system.
- Thousands of individuals placed into interim and permanent housing, with new supportive housing sites opening across the County.
- Launch of a new Arts and Veterans Center to support veterans and their families.
- Expanded spay and neuter services, increased staffing of veterinarians and animal care officers, and stronger enforcement against illegal breeding operations.
- Efforts to reduce overcrowding in care centers and boost pet adoptions.
- Arts and cultural programming that helped residents heal and preserve cherished family heirlooms.
Looking Ahead
Throughout her remarks, Barger emphasized collaboration and perseverance as the driving forces behind the County’s progress. “None of this happened overnight, and none of it happened in isolation,” she said. “Each person on this dais, and each member of our 100,000-strong County workforce, played a pivotal role.”
As she steps down from the Chair role, Barger will continue representing the Fifth Supervisorial District as the Board enters 2026.
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