DISTRICT 4 Newsletters

Celebrating all that we’ve accomplished so far this year!  

Dear friend, 

Our summer recess is over and Council is officially back in session! As we head into the second half of this year, we’re taking a moment to reflect on all we’ve accomplished in the last few months! 

From creating safer streets to expanding opportunities for small businesses, upgrading our public transit infrastructure to supporting community events, protecting renters to meaningfully addressing homelessness, we’ve taken major strides to build a Los Angeles for everyone. Read our top ten highlights below! 

1. Across our district, we worked with our partners across City departments to make our streets safer: we installed new traffic signals, speed humps, safety signage, and more! In Los Feliz, we activated three new protected left turn signals at the intersection of Los Feliz Blvd and Vermont Ave. In Silver Lake, we funded the upcoming construction of four new speed tables along Hyperion Avenue. In Reseda, we reconfigured a 3 mile stretch of Reseda Blvd to include a protected bike lane as part of the Reseda Complete Streets Project, in partnership with Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. In the Hollywood Hills, we installed six new speed humps (for a total of ten since November!) on Mulholland Drive and unveiled new “No Stopping, No Standing” signs along Mulholland Drive to keep tour buses from creating safety issues on the roadway. In Sherman Oaks, we upgraded an existing old style yellow beacon on Ventura Blvd to a full HAWK, which will enhance the safety of pedestrians crossing this busy intersection. And, of course, we’re not done! 

2. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy, and we know that many of them are still dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our office teamed up with the Valley Economic Alliance to establish a dedicated Council District 4 Small Business Assistance Fund and was able to secure $25,000! This support includes free consultations, guidance, and resources to improve access to capital, increase contracting and procurement opportunities, and become more sustainable and cost-efficient. If you are a local Valley business in need of assistance, we encourage you to reach out to Greg Martayan at gmartayan@economicalliance.org to take advantage of these invaluable resources.

3. We officially began installing 3,000 new bus shelters across the City! Thanks to the RAISE LA program, which I created in partnership with CM Blumenfield, advertising revenues generated through the City’s new Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program (STAP) contract are going to be directly reinvested into sidewalk improvements. This means that for the very first time in Los Angeles, we have a dedicated source of funding to build new bus structures. To put this effort into perspective: in just the first year of this contract, we are going to build more bus structures than we’ve built in the last 20 years here in Los Angeles! Read more HERE!

4. Providing spaces and opportunities for people to gather in community is one of the greatest joys of being your councilmember. In the last six months, we’ve hosted three outdoor movie nights, a rocking concert in Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park, a joyful Drag Story Hour at the library, and more. Staff and I also joined you at neighborhood block parties, pride parades across the city, tree plantings, trash clean-ups, and so much more! Be sure to join us at our final summer movie nights in the Valley in August – find details in our ‘Upcoming Events’ section! 

5. Ensuring the community is prepared if and when a natural disaster strikes is one of my top priorities. In May, we partnered with the Sherman Oaks and Encino Chambers of Commerce to host a disaster preparedness drill to help equip residents with the tools needed in an emergency, including how to shut off gas lines and where to evacuate. To continue our public information campaign, our office will be hosting a Wildfire Safety Fair with MySafe:LA in Los Feliz on Saturday, September 14th from 11am to 2pm – find details in our ‘Upcoming Events’ section! 

6. We are continuing our work to decarbonize our building stock here in LA, by beginning to regulate embodied carbon in construction. Embodied carbon is defined as the emissions associated with building construction — the material extraction, transportation, manufacturing, and construction processes which account for up to 13% of all CO2 emissions worldwide. This motion is part of a greater effort across the country to implement net-zero building requirements and will help the City comply with upcoming state requirements on construction. 

7. Our office has always taken a proactive approach to renter protection: we know that keeping people in their homes protects neighborhoods against gentrification and is critical to stopping the inflow of people into homelessness. Ahead of the February 1st deadline for back-rent owed during COVID and RSO rent increase, our team knocked on hundreds of doors of vulnerable tenants to share critical information about upcoming deadlines, available resources, and who to contact for additional support. LAist reporter David Wagner accompanied us on one of our outreach days in Encino, which you can read more about HERE! 

8. The City of LA saw its biggest reduction in street homelessness since we first started gathering this data in 2013 – more than 10% citywide! And, in Council District 4, we saw an approximately 38% drop in unsheltered homelessness as well as the lowest raw numbers of cars, vans, RVs and tents in the entire city. My staff and I are very excited and grateful to see so much improvement in just one year – especially because our district does not simply push people from neighborhood to neighborhood. Our focus has always been on bringing people indoors into shelter and into safety, and it’s wonderful to see that approach getting results. The lessons are clear: when you create places for people to shelter and to live, you have fewer people on the streets.

9. As part of our ongoing efforts to support our unhoused neighbors, we’ve hosted eight Neighborhood Support Days so far this year! By partnering with service providers from across the district, we are able to connect people experiencing homelessness to vital resources like healthcare services, legal support, personal hygiene support, and so much more, from a warm meal to a hot shower to haircuts. Through these Connect Days, we build trusting relationships with our unhoused neighbors as we help guide them through the process of getting off the street and indoors. 

10. We secured federal funds for critical projects across the district! While this year’s budget is still being held up in Congress, we were able to secure funds from our Congressional partners for Fiscal Year 2024. For our Valley Traffic Safety Improvements initiative, we were awarded $1M from Congressman Brad Sherman, which will go toward installing four signalized crossings in the Valley. And, we secured almost $900K from Congressman Adam Schiff which will help to fund the Griffith Park Pool, South Griffith Park Master Plan, and road repairs in the area. 

Looking back, there is so much to be proud of. And I am excited to continue advocating for a thriving city!

With hope, 

Nithya 

I. In The News — Keeping Encino Safe, Bringing Permanent Supportive Housing To CD4

II. In The District — Joining The Valley Indian Seniors Association Monthly Meeting, Installing New Signage In Reseda, Distributing Smoke Alarms In Reseda, Speaking At VICA ‘After Dark’

III. Upcoming Events — Summer Movies In The Valley, CicLAvia Hollywood, Wildfire Safety Fair 

IV. Resources & Forums — Al Fresco Permit Application Deadline Extended, LAPL Student Success Card, Survey: Sherman Oaks Van Nuys Park

V. Construction & Closures — Thrasher Ave Resurfacing, Devlin Drive Resurfacing, Wetherly Drive Resurfacing

VI. Other Helpful Links 

KEEPING ENCINO SAFE

Our office is deeply alarmed by the recent cluster of residential break-ins in Encino. It is our top priority at this time to bring together the full capacity of the City to prevent this string of crimes from continuing and to ensure residents are safe. 

LAPD has been providing additional patrols in the area, which will be supplemented with support from the volunteer reserves. Additionally, LAPD’s Commercial Crimes Division – responsible for investigating property and financial crime – has partnered with the West Valley Division, which means increased investigative resources focused on these incidents as well as sustained interjurisdictional communication, including with the Sheriff’s Office. 

We urge residents to visit the LAPD’s website for crime prevention tips for your home, your business, yourself and your family, HERE. 

Our office will be hosting a virtual information session with residents on Thursday, August 8 at 6PM. We invite you to join representatives from our office, Council District 3, LAPD, and the Mayor’s Office to discuss crime in the area and provide residents with the tools they need to stay safe and secure. To RSVP and submit any questions in advance of the meeting, please click HERE. 

No one should have to live in fear in their own home, and my office is committed to ensuring the safety of all our residents. 

BRINGING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO CD4

We talk a lot about getting people off the streets and into interim shelter, but less about what comes next. So, what comes next? Permanent housing. My office is excited to announce that after operating as a critical interim shelter site in Council District 4 for years, The Sieroty is now being converted into much-needed permanent supportive housing. 

As part of the transition, LA Family Housing has been working tirelessly to pair current Sieroty residents with permanent housing. And, as of the end of June, 28 participants have been moved into their new homes, with 24 more pending lease signing – including Nancy. Stories like hers serve as a reminder that with dedicated resources and services, we *can* solve our city’s homeless crisis and help people navigate their journey off the streets and into housing. 

JOINING THE VALLEY INDIAN SENIORS ASSOCIATION MONTHLY MEETING

It was a delight to join the Valley Indian Seniors Association (VISA) for their monthly meeting a few weeks ago, along with my colleague in the California State Senate, Caroline Menjivar. 

Our office deeply values making our older adult community feel seen and heard. Their wisdom and life experiences help inform the policy decisions we make to create a better, more intergenerationally inclusive Los Angeles. Along with Senator Menjivar, we used this opportunity to speak with VISA about the ways that we’re fighting for increasing affordable housing production, expanding mental health care throughout the entire city, and extending the city’s funding for the Everytable meal delivery program to continue caring for our seniors.

Thank you to Nishtha Goel, head of VISA, for putting this meeting together – and for the delicious samosas and chana masala! We look forward to continuing to learn from and grow with our senior community.

INSTALLING NEW SIGNAGE IN RESEDA 

Earlier this year, our office led a community cleanup with MTO Shahmaghsoudi where we picked up trash on over 5 miles of streets in Reseda. On our route we were able to identify areas where illegal dumping was persistent and where extra signage around proper trash management would be beneficial. 

Thanks to our office’s advocacy, we recently installed six “No Dumping” signs in Reseda – positioned along the southern median on Sherman Way and at the intersection of Hart Street and Baird Ave. Each sign is paired with information instructing residents how to properly dispose of larger items by initiating a 311 request. Together, these signs will allow us to better maintain the cleanliness of our neighborhood, keeping our sidewalks clean and clear! 

Thank you to MTO for always being a proactive community partner and LASAN for helping us get our residents the information they need to keep Reseda beautiful!

DISTRIBUTING SMOKE ALARMS IN RESEDA 

Properly installed and functioning smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are known to save lives. Working smoke alarms can even double your chances of safely escaping a home fire. 

My team spent a Saturday out in the field with LAFD and MySafe:LA to knock on doors and distribute these life-saving devices to households who needed them. Together, they went door-to-door to over 100 households in Reseda, educating residents on the importance of emergency preparedness and fire safety. One resident lived in their home for 51 YEARS without a smoke alarm. Thankfully, our fire safety teams were able to help by personally installing detectors for anyone in immediate need!

Thank you to our partners at LAFD, MySafe:LA, and our firefighters at Station 73 for helping us empower our at-risk communities with the tools and resources they need to stay safe. By proactively preparing for a disaster and ensuring that safety devices like smoke alarms are regularly checked and replaced, we can build a more resilient Los Angeles. 

To learn more about fire safety and how you can have a smoke alarm installed in your home for FREE, be sure to visit mysafela.org/firesmartla.

SPEAKING AT VICA ‘AFTER DARK’

This week, I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the Valley Industry & Commerce Association’s (VICA) annual ‘After Dark’ event, which gathers influential leaders, businesses, and officials for crucial discussions on how we can uplift the community and enhance the economic vitality of the Greater San Fernando Valley. For over 72 years, VICA has been servicing the San Fernando Valley and been a leading voice for business through public policy, legislative advocacy, grassroots efforts and community engagement at all levels of government. 

In a space full of people who care deeply about the Valley, I took this opportunity to advocate for increased support for housing development to continue to meaningfully address our homeless crisis. One way to do that is by getting involved in the City’s process to update our community plans. The City is currently updating three community plans in the Valley, meaning we have the opportunity to advocate for zoning changes and new housing construction to meet the city’s needs. By supporting new development, improving our mobility infrastructure, and building stronger local economies, we can build a city where residents can thrive and businesses can flourish. This is an exciting time and I encourage anyone who is interested to get involved in shaping the future of the Valley, and Los Angeles! 

Thank you to VICA Board Chair Lupita Sanchez Cornejo for hosting this wonderful event and for being an invaluable resource for our Valley communities. 

SUMMER MOVIES IN THE VALLEY | AUGUST 10 & 17 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem at Encino Park

Join our office and the Encino Neighborhood Council for a FREE screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem at Encino Park on Saturday, August 10th! 

  • DATE: Saturday, August 10
  • TIME: 6PM – 10PM
  • LOCATION: Encino Park – 16953 Ventura Blvd. 

Spiderman: Into The Spider Verse at VNSO Park 

Join our office and the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council for a FREE screening of Spiderman: Into The Spider Verse at VNSO Park on Saturday, August 17th! Bring a blanket and picnic to enjoy sunset in the park before the film begins at dusk. 

  • DATE: Saturday, August 17
  • TIME: 6PM – 10PM
  • LOCATION: Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park – Hazeltine Fields

CICLAVIA HOLLYWOOD | AUGUST 18 | MORE INFO

Join CicLAvia for their 54th Los Angeles Open Streets Event: CicLAvia—Meet the Hollywoods! Enjoy the pop-up park for the day in your favorite people-powered way, whether that’s walking, jogging, biking, roller skating, skating, or simply spectating! All ages and abilities are welcome. Use the CicLAvia digital map to plan which businesses, local gems, activities along the route, and Hubs to check out during the event on August 18!

  • DATE: Sunday, August 18
  • TIME: 9AM – 4PM
  • LOCATION: Connecting East and West Hollywood.

WILDFIRE SAFETY FAIR | SEPTEMBER 14 | MORE INFO

Our office has partnered with MySafe:LA to host a one-day wildfire safety fair in Los Feliz on Saturday, September 14th from 11AM – 2PM. 

With wildfire season officially upon us, we hope you’ll join us to learn about wildfire preparedness and prevention from expert speakers, and ask your questions to representatives from organizations including MySafe:LA, LAFD, LAPD, LADWP, LA’s Emergency Management Department, and the California Department of Insurance. 

  • DATE: Saturday, September 14
  • TIME: 11AM – 2PM
  • LOCATION: Lycée International de Los Angeles, 4155 Russell Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Click HERE to RSVP! 

AL FRESCO DEADLINE EXTENDED TO DECEMBER | MORE INFO

This week, Mayor Bass announced that the deadline for business owners to apply to continue offering outdoor dining through the Al Fresco program has been extended! The new deadline is December 31, 2024. 

Business owners can receive assistance completing their applications in-person and virtually at no-cost at BusinessSource Centers across the city – see full list of locations across the city and operations hours HERE. For additional help, The Mayor’s Office Business Concierge is available via email at businessconcierge@lacity.org.

Resources are available online through departments recorded webinars that can be viewed HERE. Business owners can also review the Online Al Fresco Guide, which outlines requirements, anticipated costs, and answers to frequently asked questions.

LAPL STUDENT SUCCESS CARD | MORE INFO

Get ready to go back to school with the Los Angeles Public Library! All LAUSD students receive access to all of our online resources while also being able to borrow up to five books, get online homework help and much more for FREE with their Student Success Card.

LAUSD students are automatically assigned a Student Success Card! That means they can use their cards to access ALL our online resources. They don’t need the physical card, just the library card number and PIN! 

SURVEY: VAN NUYS SHERMAN OAKS PARK & REC CENTER | MORE INFO

VNSO Park and Recreation Center is a jewel of our Rec and Parks system, and of the South Valley in particular. Our office is working with the Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) to make this space an even greater asset for the community and we need your input! 

The proposed improvements will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 includes improvements to the ballfield, the demolition of a dilapidated shack on the north side of the park, the restoration of a concession building and public restroom, a stormwater management area, and the addition of six new pickleball courts to be built between the basketball courts and the aquatics center. 

Please fill out our survey HERE to provide your feedback and vision for the future of VNSO Park and Recreation Center!

HOLLYWOOD 

Thrasher Avenue, Resurfacing

  • DATE/TIME: July 26, 2024 – August 5, 2024, 6:30AM – 4:00PM 
  • LOCATION: Thrasher Ave. from Rising Glen Road to Oriole Drive / July 29 – Aug 5
  • Thrasher Avenue, Oriole Drive to Dead end west of Oriole Drive / July 26 – Aug 5

Devlin Drive, Resurfacing

  • DATE/TIME: August 2, 2024 – August 9, 2024, 6:30AM – 4:00PM 
  • LOCATION: Devlin Drive, Dead end north of Devlin Place to Clark Street / Aug 2 – Aug 9
  • Devlin Drive, Dead end east of Devlin Drive to Devlin Drive / Aug 5 – Aug 9

Wetherly Drive, Resurfacing

  • DATE/TIME: August 8, 2024 – August 12, 2024, 6:30AM – 4:00PM 
  • LOCATION: Wetherly Drive, Dead end north of St. Ives to St. Ives Drive

DETAILS: The first phase will require the preparation of the existing roadway by cold milling the street. The final phase will require the paving of the existing roadway and resurfacing the street. If the project length is delayed, you will be notified of the reason for the delay and of the revised completion date.

While the project is in progress, “Temporary No Parking Signs” will be posted on the street. The signs will be posted at least 24 hours before the actual work begins to provide notice to residents and business owners. Please have all vehicles removed from the street to protect them from damage by construction debris and to prevent interference with the planned work. When work is not in progress between the preparation and resurfacing phases the signs will be reversed to allow for vehicular parking. 

Vehicles will have access during the cold milling of the project. However, it is requested that driving be limited within the project area to avoid possible damage to your vehicle. The only time that access will be restricted within the project area is when the street is coated with liquid asphalt, prior to the resurfacing of the street.

When the crews are working, there will be construction equipment and trucks in the area. This equipment may be of interest to children. Remind residents to be careful and ask children to avoid the equipment and work-site area.

Thank you for your understanding and patience during this project. Persons with mobility impediments and their caregivers can request assistance if the scheduled street work limits their use (including ingress or egress) of the public right of way. If you have questions or need to request an accommodation, contact the supervisor on the project site or call (213) 485-5561 or (213) 847-3200.

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.