In her year in review message to constituents, Los Angeles County Supervisor and Board Chair Kathryn Barger recapped her Top 10 accomplishments as representative of the county’s Fifth District, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley.

Her message follows.

Dear Friends,

It’s been such a memorable year. As we gear up for 2020, I can’t help but overflow with gratitude for the incredible opportunities we’ve had to make a difference in L.A. County.

Throughout 2019, we made it our priority to become better connected with our neighbors, to serve those in need, and to charge forward with a mission of making every day brighter than the last.

There were so many special events and people to celebrate throughout the year, and I’ve chosen 10 of my favorite moments and initiatives that were especially meaningful.

I am so immensely proud to serve our beautiful Fifth District communities and to collaborate with you to make our county stronger for the next generation. I look forward to a prosperous and healthy new year with more exciting opportunities to grow.

Best wishes,

Kathryn Barger
Supervisor, Fifth District
Chair, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

10: Helping Veterans
This year, we dedicated ourselves to serving veterans. We’ve expanded hours for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs service officer to meet one-on-one in my East San Gabriel Valley Field Office to help local veterans navigate their benefits and access resources. We’ve hosted 629 veterans in our office this year!

I also fostered collaboration between the VA and the county to maximize access to mental health care. Additionally, we began hiring people for the Veteran Peer Access Network to allow former service members to better connect with one another.

As always, we hosted our Tribute to Veterans event in Arcadia, which brought together 3,000 community members to thank the Greatest Generation. Our veterans risked everything for us, so it’s the least we can do to provide them with the services and respect they’ve earned.

9. Serving Seniors
In April, the long-awaited new Santa Clarita Senior Center opened. This community hub, named Bella Vida, has allowed for residents to spend time together in a facility worthy of their legacies.

This project has been years in the making, and it was an honor for my office to match the city of Santa Clarita’s generous contribution of $3.5 million to help make this dream into the gorgeous facility our residents deserve.

8. Protecting Land
We announced in November that the 200-acre Hidden Creeks property in Porter Ranch has been permanently preserved as open space. This is a victory for our neighbors in the Northwest San Fernando Valley and I was proud to allocate $1.6 million to assist with the purchase. I’m grateful to Senator Henry Stern and L.A. City Councilmember John Lee for their advocacy and partnership in this effort.

7. Expanding Transit
This year, we partnered with our local cities to fund hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation improvements throughout the Fifth District. Our Metrolink Antelope Valley Line study identified several projects that will lead to more frequent and reliable service.

We collaborated with the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, and Lancaster to allocate more than $100 million to implement projects that will benefit North L.A. County and the San Fernando Valley. As a result, we’ll add new late-night weekend service next year, and once the projects are completed, we’ll reach our goal of running trains every half hour to every hour.

We also successfully funded nearly $300 million in additional projects in the San Gabriel Valley to ease congestion from the 710 gap in cities including Pasadena, South Pasadena, Alhambra, San Gabriel, and San Marino.

6. Unveiling ChapCare
In May, I was excited to celebrate the opening of ChapCare’s new center on Lake Avenue in Pasadena. After the program, their team surprised me by unveiling the name of the health center. I was speechless and humbled, especially to be associated with a cause that’s so close to my heart.

Health care is multifaceted, and to ensure our communities are truly healthy and strong, we need well-rounded physical, behavioral, and mental health care. ChapCare’s new clinic is tailor-made for those in need of care in our community.

5. Bolstering Business
To bring much-needed resources closer to home, we launched Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) resources in my East San Gabriel Valley field office. Twice a month, we’re offering one-on-one expert help from DCBA counselors for small business and consumer protection. These sessions will help community members access invaluable services to protect themselves and their businesses.

4. Ensuring Mental Health
In November, our Board of Supervisors approved construction of a state-of-the-art Mental Health Urgent Care at the High Desert Regional Health Center in Lancaster. The $14.3 million project will provide Antelope Valley patients with services around the clock and much closer to home.

Mental health resources in North County can often be hard to reach, and we recognize that our communities need support 24/7. We will break ground on the new facility this January and expect it to be completed by September 2020. I’m eager to provide residents with the care they need.

3. Breaking Records
L.A. County hired 1,070 talented Sheriff’s deputies in 2019! This year, we saw the most diverse class of deputies ever, with more women and people of color joining the department. Much of this hiring has been done in our North County communities. Because of increased efforts to host local recruitment fairs, we’re seeing a lot of Fifth District deputies celebrating their graduations from the Sheriff’s Academy.

2. Combating Crises
The homelessness crisis is at the forefront of many of our minds and touches so many other areas in the county from public safety to public health. This year, I was proud to take action on this issue in new, innovative ways that address the different root causes of homelessness and provide those on the street with much-needed mental health, housing, and job resources.

Among these efforts was my Urgent Housing Initiative, which streamlines the development of homeless housing by partnering with private sector experts. We realize that coupled with services, housing is crucial, whether in the form of the hundreds of Kensington Campus units in the Antelope Valley, reimagined mobile home parks, or expanding temporary housing during cold winter months.

1. Looking Forward
This year, my biggest privilege was becoming Chair of the Board of Supervisors. When I took the gavel, I announced my vision for my term: Our County, Our Children, Our Commitment. In this role, I’m dedicating everything we do to making life better for the next generation.

I challenged all of our county departments to think up new initiatives that focus on serving and uplifting youth, ranging from the Department of Mental Health to the libraries, to be creative and intentional in their service to youth.

This will naturally tie into our work with the Department of Children and Family Services in our collective mission to protect the most vulnerable kids in our foster care system as they grow and become self-sufficient.

The photo below was taken at our annual Foster Youth Christmas Party, where hundreds of kids had the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season. I know this excitement and momentum will carry on because of our shared vision to make our county better together.