GENERAL MANAGER'S UPDATE

 

I hope our newsletter finds you well and enjoying our warm weather.

 

We have the dates of Mayor Garcetti and the Pat Brown Institute's upcoming Civic University for Neighborhood Councils! It'll be held in the downtown area on April 2nd, April 8th and April 15th from 6 pm - 9 pm. We're excited to partner with the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners to join in on providing this amazing educational opportunity to Neighborhood Councils. For more information, click here.

 

The Education & Neighborhoods Committee met on Tuesday, and they've sent the draft grievance ordinance (CF-15-0067) to City Council for action. In addition, the subdivision policy (CF- 12-1681) for Neighborhood Councils was sent back to the Department for further report back on the history and fiscal impact. Only 3 Neighborhood Councils have weighed in on the ability of existing Neighborhood Councils to subdivide into new Councils. Thank you to Arroyo Secco, Los Feliz and Glassell Park! This is an important issue for all Neighborhood Councils to weigh in on so please submit a Community Impact Statement in the next month. We're at 121 for the fiscal year thus far, and our goal is 200 for the year.

 

I stopped by the LA Area Chamber of Commerce's Government & Fiscal Affairs Council met on Thursday to hear Deputy Mayor Rick Cole and Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates Co-Chair Jay Handal speak on the City budget. The conversation turned to the role of Neighborhood Councils in the City, and there was general agreement in the room that Neighborhood Council influence has grown and continues to grow in City government. So thank you to our hardworking Neighborhood Council leaders for making it so!

 

 

Just a reminder that the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners will be holding a special meeting next Wednesday, February 25th, in East Los Angeles as they continue to review the Neighborhood Council elections online voting contract with Everyone Counts. More info below on online voting.

 

Tomorrow is a busy Neighborhood Council meetings day. The Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates will be meeting, and we've moved our 2016 Neighborhood Council Elections Townhall to follow them in the same location at noon. Then, I'll be heading over to the launch of the new Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance meeting at 2pm. I hear they have 80 RSVPs thus far and not much room for more, so please make sure you get your RSVP in asap. If I don't see you tomorrow, have a fantastic weekend!

 

 

Best,

 

Grayce Liu,
General Manager
Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (aka) EmpowerLA 

 

 

Empower Yourself, Empower Your Community, EmpowerLA

 

Team Updates
Armando Ruiz
Leyla Campos
Stephen Box
Jeffrey Brill

     
Mayor's Message

On Tuesday, February 17, Mayor Eric Garcetti launched LA Mobile, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation's (LADOT) app that lets riders buy tickets on their smartphones for LADOT operated DASH and Commuter Express buses. The launch makes LADOT the first transit agency in California to create a system-wide mobile ticketing app. Mayor Garcetti demonstrated LA Mobile during a ride on a downtown DASH bus.


 

"My back to basics agenda is about improving the daily lives of our residents, and technology is an important tool in our efforts to fight traffic and make city government more customer friendly," said Mayor Garcetti.

                  >>> read more

LA Stormwater Program Takes Multi-Pronged Approach to Conservation

In 2011, the City of Los Angeles passes a Low Impact Development ordinance, which requires development and redevelopment projects to mitigate runoff in a manner that captures rainwater at its source utilizing natural best management practices such as rain barrels, permeable pavement, storage tanks and infiltration swales...

 

Be an informed voter this March 3rd! Attend one of these upcoming candidate forums to learn more about the candidates and the issues at stake.

Know of any forums we missed? 
Email [email protected] and let us know!

Keep LA Clean with Neighborhood Cleanup Events

 

Almost every weekend, a Neighborhood Council or community group is gathering their neighbors to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, and clean up their neighborhoods. A cleanup event is a great way to bring the community together, get to know your neighbors, and, of course, clean and beautify your neighborhood.

 

This Sunday, February 22...

Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance Hosts First Workshop This Saturday

 

This Saturday, February 21, join the brand new Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance for their inaugural forum. The event will be held at TreePeople's facility in the beautiful Coldwater Canyon Park. NCSA has a wonderful program planned, including discussions with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, TreePeople, and the Mar Vista Community Council Green Committee. The focus...

 

City Attorney Files Lawsuits Against "Problem Properties"

In an effort to clean up crime ridden properties that pose a threat to the surrounding neighborhood, City Attorney Mike Feuer announced that his office has filed two nuisance abatement lawsuits against owners of properties in South Los Angeles and Hollywood. "As we've seen today, a single property can endanger an entire neighborhood. Each property....

Neighborhood Council Coalition Says NO to L.A. Charter Amendments


T
oday the L.A. Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC) announces its opposition to Charter Amendments 1 and 2, now facing voters citywide. The measures would eliminate stand-alone elections for city offices and school board. On Saturday, following a debate of the issue, LANCC voted 14 to 3, with 9 abstentions, to oppose both measures....

 

Alliance of River Communities Meeting Summary


At its February meeting, the ARC was joined by Los Angeles Department of Transportation General Manager Seleta J. Reynolds, who shared highlights from the department's 
2015 Strategic Plan and spoke about some of the broader issues and projects that LADOT was focused on, including the Mayor's Great Streets program...

Animal Services Commission Meets Next Tuesday


You are invited and encouraged to attend the next meeting of the Board of Animal Services Commissioners and provide input on critical issues to ensure the protection and welfare of the animals in the City of Los Angeles.

The Board of Animal Services Commissioners oversees and sets policy for the Department of Animal Services...

 

Trail City LA: Interpretive Walks in Historic Neighborhoods Kicks Off This Sunday


This Sunday, join the Interpretive Media Laboratory as they kick off a series of free, monthly guided walks around the historic neighborhoods surrounding the Los Angeles State Historic Park (also known as The Cornfield). Led by UCLA Professor Fabian Wagmister, the Interpretive Walks are an opportunity for IMLab to share its research and images about
.
...

Venice Neighborhood Council Endorses Additional Beach Parking, Bike Path Improvements, and Superintendent to Oversee Operations at Venice Beach

In a series of resolutions and endorsements, the Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) approved the addition of thirty (30) automated car lifts at the Windward Circle while endorsing the appointment of a full-time superintendent to manage and operate Venice Beach, as well as calling for the County of Los Angeles to illuminate and widen...

 

2016 Neighborhood Council Elections - Online Voting Facts

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment is thrilled to announce the selection of Everyone Counts as the proposed online voting vendor for the 2016 Neighborhood Council elections. This fact sheet provides information on the online voting process up to now and how it could be incorporated into the 2016 Neighborhood Council elections...

Neighborhood Council Voting Facts


With the various ways that Neighborhood Councils can take action, there is often confusion in cases where the count is close on whether an item has passed or not. To ensure consistency, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment is providing information on how Neighborhood Council voting is interpreted by the Department and the Office of the City Attorney. Here is a breakdown of what to look for to make sure every vote is counted correctly.
...

 

Empower Yourself. Empower Your Community. Empower LA.

Stay Connected
Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
200 North Spring Street, Suite 2005
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel - (213) 978-1551
Fax - (213) 978-1751