Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and city make it easier to install a solar energy system Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Thursday that the Department of Building and Safety has developed a streamlined procedure to issue permits for residential solar systems, including making permits available online and having building inspectors verify the systems. "My back-to-basics agenda for Los Angeles is about...

Last week, City Attorney Mike Feuer unveiled a comprehensive City Attorney Neighborhood School Safety Program that applies a vast array of resources to keep kids safe. The groundbreaking program (a pilot project focusing on four neighborhoods throughout the city) tackles a wide range of issues, including assuring safe passages to school, combating truancy, protecting the neighborhood environment...

City Controller Ron Galperin is on the road, visiting Neighborhood Councils and Alliances throughout the city to talk about his vision for transparent and effective governance. This past week he spoke at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition where he discussed the three areas of focus in his office: modernization, management, and metrics. The City Controller is scheduled to speak at these...

On October 11, 2014 the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates will be hosting their regional Budget Day from 8:30am - noon. The locations for each region are as follows: Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4: Van Nuys City Hall 14410 Sylvan St. (at Van Nuys Blvd.), Van Nuys, CA 91401 Regions 5 and 6: Hollywood City Hall 6501 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles CA 90028 Regions 7 and 8: Glassell Park Community Center 3650 Verdugo...

Have you registered for this Saturday's 2014 Congress of Neighborhoods? The 2014 LA Congress of Neighborhoods is coming to City Hall on Saturday, September 20, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event is free, and it includes breakfast and lunch, workshops, networking, and more. Register Now The Congress of Neighborhoods is designed by council leaders so that there is something for everybody, from...

So you're now a Neighborhood Council board member and suddenly you have a flood of emails coming in from your board, your committees, EmpowerLA and beyond. What do you do with all this information? How do you keep track of it? Attend the TUX Team's "Amplify Your Klout" workshop at this Saturday's Congress of Neighborhoods to find out! This workshop will give you resources and tools to better...

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council approved what began as "the good neighbor ordinance," allowing officials to give out the equivalent of traffic tickets for nuisance infractions such as barking dogs, gas-powered leaf blowers and other quality-of-life issues. The Administrative Code Enforcement program, originally proposed five years ago by former City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and former...

What: 7th Annual Valley Disaster Preparedness Fair When: Saturday, September 27, 2014, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Where: Fire Station 87, 10124 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills (between Devonshire St. and Lassen St.), in the REAR of the station Why: Disaster and emergency preparedness information, demonstrations, exhibitors, activities for kids, free food (while supplies last) Cost: It's all free Would you like...

On Wednesday, October 8 schools across the city and the nation will partner with parents and community leaders to encourage walking to school and remind students and adults alike of the simple joys of walking and bicycling. For many local schools and communities, Walk to School events can lead to Walk to School days or other walking activities all year long. It also builds important support for creating...

We never think a disaster will strike our neighborhood - or at least we hope it won't! However, it is not a question of if one will happen, but when. Find out what you can do to help make your neighborhood better able to meet disasters head on and bounce back afterwards. Join us for a workshop that will give you the resources and tips that you need to create a Neighborhood Disaster Plan for your...

Did you know.. Angelenos spend collectively 490 million hours in traffic Traffic congestion costs nearly $10 billion each year 38% of Greenhouse Gas emissions in California are due to transportation Biking and walking 24 minutes a day on average has been found to reduce heart disease and diabetes by 14% while decreasing greenhouse gases by 14% Decreasing exposure to heavy traffic and long commutes...

As of Tuesday September 16, California drivers must now give a 3-foot buffer zone to cyclists sharing the road with them when passing. California is the 24th state to pass such a law. This effort to increase cyclist safety aims to decrease the number of car-cyclist accidents and fatalities and raise driver awareness of bicycles on the road. More than 150 cyclists were killed in car collisions in California...

On Friday, September 19, the annual celebration of Park(ing) Day LA hits the streets as Park-itects throughout the city step up to the curb, put a quarter in the meter, and proceed to transform metered curbside parking into urban parks, just for the day. PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. The...