Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has appointed Steve Kang, president of the city’s Board of Public Works, as her new Film and Television Liaison, the Mayor’s office confirmed Wednesday during a meeting of her Entertainment Industry Council.

The move comes as City Hall doubles down on efforts to make Los Angeles more film-friendly at a time when productions continue to chase competitive tax credits across the U.S. and abroad.

A Bridge Between Hollywood and City Hall

Kang will serve as the city’s primary point of contact for the entertainment industry, charged with advancing a comprehensive strategy to retain production in Los Angeles. That includes overseeing the rollout of Bass’s Executive Directives 8 and 11, which streamlined permitting and reduced costs for on-location shoots at sites such as Griffith Observatory, the Port of L.A. and the Central Library.

“I have full confidence that President Steve Kang will deliver in his role as City Film Liaison by finding solutions that protect our signature industry and ensure that local filming of TV shows, movies and commercials can successfully continue and expand,” Bass said in a statement. “With the expansion of the California Film & TV Tax Credit and our ongoing efforts to improve local processes, our work continues to keep production jobs here and support small businesses who rely on the industry.”

Industry Support

Kang, who oversees FilmLA contracts and works closely with city permitting agencies, emphasized the importance of his new role: “Local filming is vital to our city’s economy and City departments must prioritize their success. I thank Mayor Bass for entrusting this role to me and will be dedicated to delivering on her vision for how we can best support local production.”

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, chair of Bass’s Entertainment Industry Council and founder/CEO of The Gotham Group, applauded the appointment. “By installing a Liaison to the Film and Television Industry, Mayor Bass is signaling her intention to continue to prioritize, support and fortify the Los Angeles film and television industry. Steve knows the infrastructure of the city, knows the permitting process, knows how our local government works.”

A Role With Precedent

The position of film liaison dates back to 2013 under Mayor Eric Garcetti, who named Tom Sherak as L.A.’s first “film czar.” Ken Ziffren succeeded Sherak following his passing in 2014 and currently serves on Bass’s Entertainment Industry Council. Advocates have long urged Bass to appoint a new liaison, arguing the role is critical to navigating the city’s complex bureaucracy.

The Bigger Incentive Picture

Kang’s appointment comes as California rolls out its beefed-up $750 million Film & TV Tax Credit Program. Earlier this month, the California Film Commission awarded $256 million to 22 scripted series, projected to generate $1.1 billion in spending and thousands of jobs statewide.

The revamped Program 4.0 raises rebates up to 40% and includes bonuses for VFX-heavy projects, filming outside Los Angeles, and hiring locally. The effort is designed to counter aggressive incentive programs in New York, Georgia, and overseas hubs such as Hungary and the U.K.

Bass has repeatedly framed the challenge in stark terms. Speaking after the release of Executive Directive 8, she said: “All these other states once again are beating us and it’s slowing our local industry. L.A. has become unaffordable. This is a problem for everyone. We want people to be able to live in L.A., to work in the entertainment industry and to have a very fruitful life.”

With Kang now in place as film liaison, City Hall is signaling that it intends to back up the state’s tax credit expansion with a more responsive, on-the-ground approach—one designed to keep Hollywood productions shooting in Hollywood.