Committee to Weigh Citywide Public Toilet Expansion

A Los Angeles council committee will consider a motion that asks city departments to plan expanded public hygiene infrastructure.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Home Cleaning

Plain concrete public restroom block on a sunlit urban sidewalk beside a single palm tree, with a sanitation truck parked in the distance. — The Los Angeles City Council's Homelessness and Health Committee will consider a motion Tuesday asking city departments to plan expanded public restrooms, starting near Skid Row. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Los Angeles spend more city money on public toilets and handwashing stations?

The Los Angeles City Council's Homelessness and Health Committee is scheduled to consider a motion on Tuesday, November 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. The motion, introduced by council members Nithya Raman and Ysabel Jurado, asks that resources initially focus on Skid Row.

Why it matters

Most available restrooms in the city are located in private businesses, placing a burden on business owners. For people experiencing homelessness, using the restroom outdoors may be the only viable option.

Only four replacement toilets are operating, compared with the 14 automated public toilets installed under a 2021 contract that allowed for up to 150. Funding constraints from fiscal year 2025-26 to the present have limited operation, and the 2021 contract required the city to replace 13 units when it expired.

The players

Nithya Raman

Nithya Raman is a Los Angeles City Council member who co-introduced the hygiene infrastructure motion.

Ysabel Jurado

Ysabel Jurado is a Los Angeles City Council member representing Downtown Los Angeles who co-introduced the motion.

Outfront/JCDecaux

Outfront/JCDecaux is the advertising company that entered a 2021 contract with Los Angeles for the Coordinated Street Furniture Program, under which automated public toilets were installed.

The details

Council members Nithya Raman and Ysabel Jurado introduced the motion in October, directing the city administrative officer, Bureau of Street Services, Bureau of Sanitation, Department of Water and Power and Board of Public Works to report within 60 days with recommendations. The motion also asks city staff to consider public-private partnerships and examine public restrooms on city- and county-owned property, including near Metro station entrances.

October 2021: Los Angeles signed the Coordinated Street Furniture Program contract with Outfront/JCDecaux.
October 2025: Council members introduced the hygiene infrastructure motion.
Fiscal year 2025-26 to present: Funding constraints limited operation to four replacement toilets.
Tuesday, November 11, 2026: Committee scheduled to consider the motion at 8:30 a.m.

Market Landscape

The Los Angeles hygiene push builds on the 2021 Coordinated Street Furniture Program, which allowed for up to 150 automated public toilets but produced only 14 installations. Only four replacement units now operate, leaving the city's public restroom capacity well below what that contract envisioned.

If the motion advances, Los Angeles residents may see expanded public restroom options across the city rather than relying mainly on private businesses. The committee outcome will determine whether funding and planning for additional hygiene infrastructure move forward.

The takeaway

Public restroom access affects both residents experiencing homelessness and the businesses asked to serve as default facilities. Tuesday's committee discussion will show whether Los Angeles moves toward a citywide plan or continues relying on limited installations.

What happens next

The Homelessness and Health Committee meets Tuesday, November 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. to consider the motion, and if approved, city departments would report within 60 days with recommendations.