In my last message to you, I reflected on the release of the leaked tapes and how, along with several recent FBI indictments on the Council, Angelenos’ faith in their government has been rightly shattered.
As we recover from the fallout of this shameful incident, we are moving forward with making real, concrete changes to our governing structures to rebuild trust between the Council and the constituents that elected us. In this last week, we did two things that I hope will move us in that direction.
First, I introduced a motion to make long overdue updates to the City of LA’s Municipal Lobbying Ordinance in order to provide greater transparency about those who are attempting to influence City decisions. Over six months ago, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission conducted a review of the ordinance and presented its findings to the City Council, but the item was never formally agendized for a vote either in the Rules Committee or in full Council – a power that lay with the former Council President. In fact, the Ethics Commission has provided three separate reviews of the ordinance after it was adopted in 1994 – in 2008, 2016, and in 2022 – and the Council has *never* taken action. I am hopeful that in a moment where all eyes are on Council governance, that we will move quickly to finally adopt these much needed changes.
The Council also adopted my motion to create an Ad-Hoc Committee on Governance Reform, charged with implementing reforms to increase transparency and limit corruption on the Council. Establishing a separate committee that is explicitly focused on governance reform and tasked with making real, concrete changes to our governing structures will help to rebuild trust between the Council and the constituents that elected us.
We will continue to do the work of improving LA’s government – building safer, healthier communities through mutual support and accountability, not racial division.
However, these recent events have underscored how important your voice is in ensuring that we have City leadership who is responsive to your needs. From NOW until November 8th, you have the opportunity to vote in critical elections for Mayor of Los Angeles, City Attorney, LA County Supervisor, and Congress.
If you are already registered, you can vote in person or drop off your mail-in ballot at any Voting Center. If you’re an unregistered eligible voter, you can still register AND vote at a Voting Center near you. Check your registration at lavote.gov/vrstatus, find a Voting Center at bit.ly/la-vc, and visit lavote.gov for more information.
I urge you to use your voice to vote for leaders and policies that will shape the Los Angeles you want to see.
In solidarity,
I. Public Meetings & Comment Period — Sepulveda Bus Lane Project (Line 234), Wildlife Ordinance II. Upcoming Events — Panel on City Council’s Future, Encanto Movie Night, Emergency Preparedness Fair, Corita Day III. Resources & Updates — Fentanyl Facts & Safety, Webinars on Allowable Rent Increases, Request For Mural Proposals, Free Pet Food IV. Open Positions — CalTrans District 7 Hiring Fair, Hollywood United NC Board Opening V. Other Helpful Links
VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR THE SEPULVEDA BUS LANE (LINE 234) BUS LANES PROJECT | NOVEMBER 10 @ 6 PM | REGISTER Join Metro for a virtual community meeting to learn more about the Sepulveda Blvd (Line 234) Bus Lanes Project, how it can benefit over 12,000 transit riders in the community, and to provide your input!
The project is an important step toward building a safer and faster multi-modal transit network in Los Angeles. Bus lanes are being proposed for Metro Line 234 along a 5.5-mile segment of Sepulveda Bl from Ventura Bl to Rayen St, and a 0.9-mile segment along westbound Ventura Bl from Vesper Av to Sepulveda Bl. For more information on the project, visit metro.com/sepulvedabus
WILDLIFE ORDINANCE COMMENT DEADLINE + COMMISSION HEARING | NOVEMBER 14 & 17 | MORE INFO The Department of City Planning has announced that the proposed Wildlife Ordinance is expected to be heard by the City Planning Commission (CPC), the next decision-making body for this process, during their meeting on November 17.
While an official CPC agenda will be released no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting date, City Planning has prepared materials for public review in advance:
City Planning has revised the ordinance following the staff-level public hearing in July to incorporate constituent feedback — key changes to the proposed ordinance are provided in the Summary of Ordinance and Revision. The Staff Report details these changes, and includes information regarding the background of the project, the basis for the proposed regulations, summary of outreach and engagement activities, and more.
Comments on the revised draft ordinance can be emailed to cpc@lacity.org by 4 PM on November 14, 2022.
TONIGHT! ZOCALO SQUARE X KCRW “DO WE EVEN NEED A CITY COUNCIL?”| NOVEMBER 3 @ 7 PM | RSVP | Flyer Join Councilmember Raman and fellow panelists Public Access Democracy director Leonora Camner, California 100 executive director Karthick Ramakrishnan, and Weingart Foundation president and CEO Miguel Santana for a conversation for a discussion on the history and missteps of the LA City Council, and how we can imagine new futures going forward.
WATCH ENCANTO AT HUNC MOVIE NIGHT | NOVEMBER 11 @ 3:30 PM TO 7:35 PM| INFO + RSVP | Flyer Join Hollywood United Neighborhood Council, in partnership with Councilmember Nithya Raman, Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, and Atwater Village Neighborhood Council, for a free screening of Disney’s Encanto at Friendship Auditorium on Saturday, November 12th!
The event will begin at 3:30 with snacks and giveaways. There will also be a presentation by Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Urban Ecologist Courtney McCammon before the movie. Friendship Auditorium has free parking off of Riverside Drive. We look forward to seeing you there!
GREATER LA SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS FAIR | NOVEMBER 13 @ 10 AM-4PM| MORE INFO | Flyer Join the 4th Annual Greater Los Angeles Safety and Preparedness Fair at Exposition Park to be educated and empowered to navigate a potential emergency situation. With information booths, activities for kids, and the opportunity to learn hands-only CPR, basic First Aid, how to use a fire extinguisher, and more, attendees will learn important steps for safety and preparedness, and will have fun doing it!
CORITA DAY | NOVEMBER 19 @ 1 PM-4PM | RSVP Join the Corita Art Center for their first in-person gathering in over three years, to celebrate and help support the Center’s work! They have envisioned Corita Day as a day in service to the community, centering joy and togetherness — with tours, interactive art making, art kit assembly, and more. For more information and to register for tickets, click HERE.
THE “REAL DEAL ON FENTANYL” — LEARN THE FACTS AND HOW TO REDUCE RISK | MORE INFO More Americans are dying of drug overdoses than ever before, because fentanyl is making drugs more deadly. In response to this rise, Snap and Youtube developed the Real Deal on Fentanyl campaign, with the primary aim of educating young people living in the U.S. on the dangers of fentanyl and its prevalence in counterfeit prescription pills and illicit drugs.
Visit the campaign website to learn the basics about fentanyl and how it can affect you, how to reduce risk and help yourself and others, and to access materials to help spread the word.
LAHD ALLOWABLE RENT INCREASE WEBINARS | WEDNESDAYS @ 3 PM | More Info Join the Los Angeles Housing Department for a November webinars (dates available in English and Spanish) to learn about the current rent freeze in rental units subject to the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) due to the ongoing Emergency Declaration. The webinar will also provide information on rent increases allowed under State law AB-1482, the Tenants Protection Act of 2019, which became effective on January 1, 2020, and applies to properties that are 15 years and older. The one-hour sessions include a Q & A period. To see the full list of webinars, click HERE.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR MURAL CONSERVATION CONCEPTS | DEADLINE TO APPLY: NOVEMBER 13 | More Info The Department of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Division is seeking muralists and muralist teams to propose historically significant murals located in the City of LA that need conservation! Mural Works encourages muralists to submit mural conservation proposals that include a paid youth apprenticeship opportunity for young people from the mural’s local neighborhood. The deadline for initial concept proposals is November 13 — for more information and to apply, click HERE.
FREE PET FOOD PANTRY EVERY SUNDAY | MORE INFO If you or someone you know needs a bag of pet food to feed your furry family member, LA Animal Services is here to help! Get your free bag of food at an upcoming Pet Food Pantry, held every Sunday from 1 PM to 4 PM (by appointment only) at locations in Van Nuys and North Central LA. Make an appointment, or learn how to support the pantry program by volunteering or donating, at laanimalservices.com/petfoodpantry.
CALTRANS DISTRICT 7 HIRING FAIR | MORE INFO | Flyer Caltrans District 7 is hosting an In Person Career Fair on Wednesday, November 9 from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM at Caltrans Plaza in Downtown LA. There are multiple vacancies available, for positions including technician, engineer, and mechanic. For more information, click HERE.
APPLY FOR HOLLYWOOD UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL’S BOARD| MORE INFO| Flyer The Hollywood United Neighborhood Council (HUNC) is looking for qualified stakeholders to fill currently open board seats! HUNC is dedicated to helping the community achieve its goals through information, engagement and empowerment. If you are interested in being considered for one of these seats, please send an email inquiry to: openseats@myhunc.org. Submissions are due by Friday, November 25 at 5PM! Learn more about HUNC HERE.
ONGOING PROJECT OCT-NOV 2023: LOS FELIZ WATER MAINLINE REPLACEMENT | Fact Sheet Date/Time: Mon to Fri 9 AM to 6 PM | Oct 2022 – Nov 2023 Location: Castilian Drive & La Presa Drive Details: LADWP construction crews will install the mainline from Castilian Drive to La Presa Drive in five phases to minimize traffic impacts to the community. The first phase will include La Presa Drive from Outpost Drive to Castilian Drive and Cantata Drive. Local road closures will be required and vary according to work location throughout the duration of this project. Parking will be restricted during construction hours and will be made available as the crew completes street restoration.
StayHoused LA — Workshops and resources to help renters stay in their homes.
Workers First App —An app for California workers! Get in touch with a worker organizer in real-time to get the information you need to feel safe and respected on the job.
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,
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.
If you are already registered, you can vote in person or drop off your mail-in ballot at any Voting Center. 
