Public Bank LA (PBLA) is volunteer-led organization founded in 2017 to create a transparent, community-accountable public bank owned by the City of Los Angeles. We led the organizing that resulted in the LA City Council’s unanimous vote to begin the process of establishing a city-owned bank. We also spearheaded Measure B, the first public banking ballot initiative in the country.

PBLA is a founding member of the California Public Banking Alliance (CPBA), which passed the landmark California Public Banking Act (AB 857), making California the first state to allow cities to charter public banks. In 2021, we helped pass the California Public Banking Option Act (AB 1177), also known as CalAccount, to expand access to basic financial services for unbanked and underbanked Californians. Once implemented, CalAccount will be the nation's first universal banking services program. 

We’re currently working on implementation of both the Los Angeles Public Bank and CalAccount. Most recently, we helped secure funding for LA’s public bank business plan and viability study, a major step toward making the bank a reality.

Join us and help build a bank that serves the people, not Wall Street.

If you have questions or want to get more involved, including possible collaboration, email us at publicbankla@gmail.com.