Committee approves Dept. of Aging FY26–27 area plan update; members flag unmet needs and funding gaps

The committee approved the Los Angeles Department of Aging's FY2026–27 Regional Area Plan update, which the department said is required under the Older Americans Act and the California Older Californians Act and is the third update to the city's four‑year plan.

Veronica McDonnell, assistant general manager for the Community Investment for Families Department, said the update reflects feedback gathered at six public hearings and outlines ongoing priorities such as nutrition programs, health promotion, caregiver support, Ombudsman services and elder abuse prevention. McDonnell reported that the department currently operates more than 65 meal sites and served over 650,000 congregate meals and nearly 800,000 home‑delivered meals in the past year.

Why it matters: Councilmembers emphasized persistent service gaps for older Angelenos. Committee members discussed high demand for rental and emergency assistance through the LA Assistance (ULA) program: staff reported about 2,900 applicants in an initial round and funding to assist approximately 1,000 households from that round, with some households eligible for one‑time lump sums up to $19,000 depending on household size. Staff also noted additional planned funds (the transcript references roughly $42 million planned to be distributed this year in addition to amounts already discussed).

Members urged the department to address unmet caregiver needs and transportation shortfalls. McDonnell said the department will seek to leverage workforce development funds, include navigators in pilot WorkSource centers and issue an RFP for aging services that will incorporate community feedback. On transportation, staff cited a long‑running funding level of about $3.78 million per year for the last decade and said the department is exploring vehicle replacement and collaboration with DOT and Metro to expand rides for older adults.

The committee voted to approve the plan update. Recorded votes in the transcript show Councilmember Martinez Yes; Councilmember Nazarian absent; a second councilmember recorded as Yes in the transcript line without a name; Councilmember Rodriguez I; Councilmember Padilla absent. The clerk announced the item approved.

Next steps: The department will release an RFP for aging services that incorporates stakeholder input, pursue state and workforce funding levers, and return with further details on unmet needs and proposed funding strategies as part of implementation and RFP design.