General Manager's Update 

 

I hope this newsletter finds you well. Earlier this week, I was lamenting over how much hair I seem to pull out every day in frustration dealing with department issues and fast approaching deadlines when I came across this amazing book - Valley Village Architectural Design Standards. The Valley Village Vision Committee of Neighborhood Council Valley Village created this book to help guide site planners and designers about the type of architecture they'd like to see in their community for multi-family and commercial development. Their thoughtful efforts, which they kindly shared with me, re-energized (in a moment when I really needed it!) and reminded me again of the inspiring work Neighborhood Councils are doing across the City.

 

I had another reminder at the Harbor Alliance of Neighborhood Councils on Wednesday where the Harbor area leaders discussed strategies on how to work with the LA Port more effectively in regards to their advocacy for clean air and a say in Port development. Tomorrow, at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils Coalition, there'll be more inspiration as they host Councilmembers Wesson and Buscaino to discuss issues affecting us citywide. Next week, the South Los Angeles Alliance of Neighborhood Councils will hold a Mayoral/City Attorney Candidates Forum to move their community to become more involved.

 

As I see Neighborhood Councils across the City speak up and weigh in on the budget and other important matters to them, I get excited all over again. So thank you to all the Neighborhood Councils who continue to motivate and uplift not only me, but our staff with your wonderful work connecting City Hall to your small part of an Empowered LA!  

  

Best,

 

 

Grayce Liu,

General Manager

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment  

 

Empower Yourself.

Empower Your Community.

Empower LA.

    

The Mayor's Proposed Budget was presented by Deputy Mayor Monique Earl who referred to it as "a commitment to the delivery of City Services" and CAO Miguel Santana who says he gets nervous when municipal revenue is down and he gets nervous when revenue is up. The highlights of the $7.7 billion budget are:

>>> continue reading 

We Need Your Input on the
New Neighborhood Council Funding Program!

After much hoping, dreaming and hard work, the new Neighborhood Council Funding Program checking accounts are finally on the horizon. Many thanks to Barker Khorasanee, the newly minted LACERS Commissioner, for his leadership and guidance in helping us to set this system up. Without the wonderful collaboration with the Office of the Controller, CAO, Councilmember Parks, Office of Finance, City Attorney's Office and Wells Fargo, we would not have been able to get to this point...

>>> continue reading 

Big Sunday

Everybody has some way that they can help somebody else and Big Sunday is the time to build community through community service.

The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council is teaming up with the Los Feliz Improvement Association and the Franklin Hills Residents Association on Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., starting at the Masonic Lodge at Franklin and Vermont. Join them as they work in small groups to clean up around the Greater Griffith Park area...

>>> continue reading

NCs Can Help Fund Their
Budget Advocates' Efforts 

The City Council voted, and the Mayor approved in April, a new permanent City account to help fund the outreach efforts of future NC Budget Advocates and the expenses of the annual Congress of Neighborhoods held every September. It is a single account (47J220) capped at $100,000 to benefit both activities but NCs must earmark the amount for each purpose, which will be tracked by the Department...

>>>continue reading

LA's Summer Night Lights is an innovative gang reduction and intervention program that operates in 32 parks across the city, resulting in reductions in gang related violence while providing community engagement and employment opportunities for youth as well as adults...

>>>continue reading

South LA welcomes
Citywide Candidates

Last week, at the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils Candidate Forum, the Mayoral Candidates indicated that they had participated in 50 debates, forums, and town halls. They joked that they could now finish each others sentences, and they often did. With less than three weeks until election day, the candidates may be clear on their opponents positions and policies and vision for Los Angeles but the polls indicate that there is a significant percentage of the voting public that is unaware of the issues, unsure of the candidates, and undecided on who they will support, if anyone, at the polls on May 21...

>>>continue reading

When Arts4LA went to City Hall, their visit had all the elements of a great story, at least as defined by Aristotle who wrote in Poetics that all great stories have the same basic elements. Arts4LA had a Plot, the City of LA faces many threats and the Hero is positioned to fend them off, delivering the City of LA it's rightful place as a prosperous, well educated, culturally rich, vibrant City...

>>>continue reading

We are nearing the end of this fiscal year, and it is time for NCs to start planning and approving their budgets for Fiscal Year 2013-2014. Based on the Mayor's Proposed Budget, we will be sending out a budget packet to NCs to plan for their yearly allocation, which is currently set at $37,000. Approved budgets must be received by June 21, 2013 or access to FY 2013-2014 funds will be delayed...

>>>continue reading

As you may know we are moving full steam ahead to close out this fiscal year. We have many important funding deadlines and I hope all of you are paying close attention to them. Now more than ever, it becomes very critical for you to submit complete financial paperwork so that we can help you pay your outstanding financial responsibilities by the end of the fiscal year, using current monies. We are coming close to the end of our Leadership Academy, Board Development Series and we are happy to report that the sessions on Advocacy have been well received by all of you...

>>>continue reading