Dear Friends, Over the past month, the federal government has continued to attack our immigrant community across Los Angeles. Many of these raids have been led by agents in plain clothes, wearing no identification, refusing to show a badge, and even covering up their faces. Earlier this week, my office received reports of multiple flower vendors being rounded up and taken away by masked agents in unmarked cars outside of Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood. All of their belongings were left behind, strewn on the side of the road along with their flower buckets. My staff responded to the scene and spoke with witnesses who asked whether the unidentified officials were ICE agents or bounty hunters – because without any identification, they are simply kidnappers taking people from our streets. We know that at least one of the individuals detained was a U.S. citizen. For a federal administration set on removing “criminals,” they have become criminals themselves. It is a basic tenet of any democratic society that law enforcement must be visible and accountable to the public. I joined Congresswoman Laura Friedman on Tuesday morning in support of the No Masks for ICE Act, legislation she is leading at the national level to ban ICE agents from being able to hide their faces and conduct operations without identification. At the state level, CA Senators Scott Weiner and Jesse Arreguín have introduced the No Secret Police Act, which would prevent police at all levels from covering their faces with masks or balaclavas while working — and would require them to be identifiable via uniform. And, in Council on Tuesday, my colleagues Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Bob Blumenfield, introduced legislation to draft a city ordinance which would require LAPD officers to verify the identity of any individual claiming to be a law enforcement officer – including those from federal agencies like ICE and CBP – when a person subject to enforcement requests assistance from LAPD, particularly in cases where the officer is masked, lacks visible ID, or otherwise cannot be clearly identified. Public safety depends on public trust – and there’s no trust when agents with guns and handcuffs are allowed to operate without a name or a badge. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to demand transparency, accountability, and basic safety for everyone in our community. These attacks on our community are not just disruptive, they are cruel and, frankly, unconstitutional. I want to express my deepest sympathy to the families harmed by these raids. These raids need to end. In solidarity, | As we approach the Fourth of July weekend, we want to make sure you have the resources you need to celebrate the holiday safely! With much of Council District 4 located in a high fire severity zone, including the Hollywood Hills, we’re taking every precaution this year to ensure our neighborhoods are safe. Our office, in partnership with our City departments, has coordinated increased deployment for improved traffic and parking management throughout the Hollywood Hills and neighboring communities. Many of our hillside parks and overlooks will be closed early this weekend to minimize traffic congestion for the safe passage of emergency vehicles. We will have white glove traffic officers, parking enforcement officers, and LAPD motor division officers deployed throughout the hills to ensure smooth traffic flow and enhance safety for everyone during this busy holiday period. To protect our communities and natural spaces, please take note of the following safety measures: -
Runyon Canyon Park will close at 5pm Friday, July 4th through Sunday, July 6th. -
MRCA overlooks will close at 6pm, Friday, July 4th -
There will be NO parking along Mulholland Drive from Multiview Dr. to Wrightwood Dr. -
LAPD and LADOT will have an increased presence in the area. For a detailed breakdown of our plan and who to contact if you have any issues, please visit our July 4th Resource page HERE! As a friendly reminder, there will be no fireworks shows at Griffith Park or the Griffith Observatory. Fireworks are strictly illegal in the City of Los Angeles and pose a serious fire hazard to our hillsides, wildlife, and parks. Let’s keep our communities safe by celebrating responsibly! Thank you all for your cooperation and wishing you a very happy 4th of July from Council District 4! | -
Updates From City Hall — Cutting Red Tape To Greenlight Housing, Ensuring Quality Medical Services Continue For People In LAPD Custody, Funding Overtime To Fix Broken Streetlights -
Upcoming Events — Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, City Aquatics Summer Pool Party -
Resources & Forums — Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project Community Meetings, New Metrolink Fares, Apply To The Hollywood Design Review Board -
Other Helpful Links | CUTTING RED TAPE TO GREENLIGHT HOUSING In the midst of a nationwide housing crisis, the City of Los Angeles has continued to underbuild year-over-year, resulting in a severe shortage of available housing at all income-levels for residents and the largest unsheltered homeless population in the country. A range of factors have contributed to the City falling further and further short of its state-mandated housing goals, including bureaucratic red tape and a culture that has for too long rewarded politicians and departments for saying “no” to housing. This week, I introduced a set of motions as a first step to cut the red tape, greenlight production, and build a culture of saying an emphatic “yes” to more housing. This legislation will address some of the key procedural hurdles preventing housing from being built, including addressing permit delays for State-approved small-scale housing, strengthening the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP), streamlining the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)’s engagement with new development, developing a local ordinance to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to be sold separately or conveyed from the primary residence as condominiums, and overhauling our plan check and permitting process to eliminate delays, reduce unnecessary complexity, and resolve conflicts between departments. Everyone in Los Angeles agrees: we need more housing. This legislation aims to kickstart a much needed culture-shift in Los Angeles, moving us from a city notorious for unnecessary bureaucracy and arbitrary delays to one that embraces a better, more affordable future. To learn more about our motions, be sure to read our press release here! And stay tuned for more to come as we work toward building a Los Angeles that is open for business! ENSURING ACCESS TO MEDICAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN LAPD CUSTODY During a challenging budget process for the city, cuts to the City’s Personnel Department included a proposal to suspend medical services at two of the City’s three detention centers. There are three city detention facilities: 77th Street, Van Nuys, and Metropolitan, each of which has 24-hour medical staff provided by the Personnel Department’s Medical Services Division. Of the over 40,000 individuals placed into custody every year at these city detention facilities, 70% require the treatment of medical professionals. The ramifications of shutting down two out of the three operating medical clinics cannot be overstated. Thousands of individuals who rely on receiving care from medical professionals at these detention centers would be at risk of reduced quality of care and increased wait times at the remaining facility. Shutting down these facilities would also pull sworn officers off the street for extended periods to transport individuals across the city to the one remaining clinic or to private clinics for care, which would result in increased costs for the city for both overtime and clinic visits. I introduced a motion, along with my colleague Councilmember Tim McCosker, to ensure that these facilities are not consolidated into one and that quality medical services continue for people in LAPD custody. I am pleased to report that last week, Council adopted our motion. Continuity of care is essential for the health and safety of detainees, and for maintaining the basic promises we make of upholding a just and human public safety system for all. As we’ve heard from the workers themselves: “These services are not optional—they are critical to the wellbeing of the individuals in custody and to the effective operation of our City’s public safety infrastructure.” FUNDING OVERTIME TO REPAIR BROKEN STREETLIGHTS Due to decades of under-investment in the Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL) and a sharp rise in copper wire theft across Los Angeles, average repair times for broken street lights have now swelled. In order to alleviate the prolonged impact on public safety and the accessibility of our neighborhood streets, my office introduced a motion last week to allocate almost $200,000 of our district’s discretionary funds to help fund overtime and additional resources needed for BSL personnel to complete repairs of key stretches of lights. While this is not a permanent solution, I am hopeful we can make BSL sustainable financially by undertaking an update to the BSL Assessment, which has not been raised since 1996. An updated assessment will finally properly resource BSL to deal with deferred maintenance, theft and vandalism, and to continue their innovative work in community lighting, smart city infrastructure, and public charging. I expect the proposal to come to Council later this summer, and my office will be sure to keep you posted! | GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL | JUNE 25 – AUGUST 31 | MORE INFO It’s officially summer, which means it’s time for FREE Shakespeare in the park! Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare June 25 – July 27 (no performance July 4) Wednesdays-Sundays @ 7:00 pm Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe August 6 – August 31 Wednesdays-Sundays @ 7:00 pm CITY AQUATICS SUMMER POOL PARTY | JULY 10 The Department of Rec & Parks invites you to join their upcoming summer pool party at VNSO Park! | DATE: Thursday, July 10 TIME: 5PM – 7PM LOCATION: VNSO Park, 14201 Huston St, Van Nuys, CA 91423 | SEPULVEDA TRANSIT CORRIDOR PROJECT COMMUNITY MEETING | JULY/AUGUST | MORE INFO Metro has a plan to make it easier to get around by creating better transit options between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. The natural barrier created by the Santa Monica Mountains makes traveling between the Valley and the Westside challenging – and will require innovation and multiple solutions. Metro is working to evaluate alternatives for a high-quality, reliable transit service option connecting the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. The Sepulveda Transit Corridor project is currently in the planning phase, which began with scoping meetings held in late 2021 and early 2022. Metro has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The DEIR analyzes a range of rail transit modes, alignments, and station locations to address the transportation needs of the Sepulveda Corridor. Upcoming public information sessions to provide an overview of the Draft EIR and accept written public comment will be held at the following date in Council District 4: DATE: Monday, July 21
TIME: 5:30-7:30pm, Presentation will begin at 6pm LOCATION: Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center, 5056 Van Nuys Bl, Building B, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 Public hearings to accept verbal and written public comments will be held at the following dates and locations: DATE: Wednesday, August 6 TIME: 11:30am-1:00pm VIRTUAL: ZOOM Link Webinar ID: 827 5651 8473 Call In Number: 213.338.8477 DATE: Monday, August 18 TIME: 5:30-7:30pm, Presentation will begin at 6pm LOCATION: Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center, 5056 Van Nuys Bl, Building B, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 NEW METROLINK FARES Metrolink is making it easier and more affordable to ride! Starting July 1, 2025, Metrolink is piloting a new, simplified fare structure with fewer ticket types, lower prices on monthly passes, and expanded everyday discounts for more riders. Learn more and discover the fare that is right for you: www.metrolinktrains.com/new-fares. APPLY TO THE HOLLYWOODLAND DESIGN REVIEW BOARD The Hollywoodland Specific Plan mandates the composition of a Design Review Board that provides the City Planning Department with recommendations for approval based on the Hollywoodland Design Guidelines for the Community Specific Plan. The Review Board helps ensure building design, including shape, materials, open space, colors, signs, and façade appearance, are compatible with the character of the neighborhood and consistent with the guidelines in the specific plan. If you reside, operate a business, or are employed within the Hollywood Community Plan Area, and want to help shape the future of Hollywoodland, we encourage you to apply! Interested applicants should contact Yasmin Diaz at yasmin.diaz@lacity.org with a statement of interest and resume. For more information on the Hollywood Specific Community Plan, visit bit.ly/hwdland-plan. | Our Office: Services + Resources -
Food Pantry Locator — Get connected to food resources near you. -
StayHoused LA — Workshops and resources to help renters stay in their homes. -
MyLA311 — Submit a request for services including graffiti removal, pothole repair, and bulky-item pickup. -
LA-HOP Homeless Outreach Portal — Assist or self-input an outreach request from the LA Homeless Services Authority to unhoused residents. -
LA City Sanitation — Submit a service request for metal/household appliance disposal. -
MyChildCarePlan — Free resource website for childcare providers and families listing every licensed provider in California. -
Adopt or Foster A Shelter Pet— Find pets for adoption and a list of local shelters. -
Gas Assistance Fund – The Gas Assistance Fund (GAF) offers a one-time grant to help customers pay their natural gas bills. -
Ready Your LA Business Workbook – City of LA’s FREE workbook to help business owners prepare their business for any emergency. Available in English and Spanish. Alerts -
NotifyLA — Sign up to receive urgent notifications about local emergencies by phone, email, and/or text message. -
LAFD Alerts – Sign up for alerts on fires and evacuations in your area. -
LADWP Outage Info — Sign up for outage alerts in your area. -
StreetsLA Street Sweeping — Register for notifications about sweeping in your neighborhoods. | |
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