Dear Friends,
In 2022, our office launched the Griffith Park Safety & Active Transportation Improvement Project to work toward a simple vision: a Griffith Park where there are fewer cars, where the remaining cars are being driven at slower speeds, and where there are more separated and protected spaces dedicated to active transportation. Galvanized by the tragic killing of beloved community member Andrew Jelmert, who was struck by a driver while biking in the park, our community was shaken and demanded action. We partnered with the Department of Recreation and Parks, brought on an expert consultant, and got to work identifying short, medium, and long-term improvements to make the park safer and more accessible for all.
For Phase 1, in partnership with the Department of Recreation and Parks, we permanently closed Griffith Park Drive from Travel Town to Mt. Hollywood Drive – nearly a mile of roadway – to personal vehicle traffic, transforming it into a peaceful corridor for people walking, biking, rolling, or riding horseback. For Phase 2, we implemented movable radar speed feedback signs, which are moved around the park as needed. And now, we are taking the next and most significant step so far.
Today, construction officially began on Phase 3 of the Griffith Park Safety & Active Transportation Improvement Project, the reconfiguration of Crystal Springs Drive from Los Feliz Boulevard to Griffith Park Drive, to create protected active transportation lanes. This is a milestone our community has been working toward, and it is one worth celebrating!
Crystal Springs Drive currently has two auto lanes in each direction. We are reconfiguring that to one lane per direction, with a protected active transportation lane running along the curb and a buffer zone delineated by bollards and rubberized curbs. Decades of research show that roadway reconfigurations like this one lead to a 19 to 47 percent reduction in total crashes by calming traffic, eliminating dangerous passing, and creating shorter crossing distances for people on foot. The project is designed for a targeted operating speed of 25 mph, the existing speed limit on Crystal Springs Drive. And for the first time, people biking will have a separated, protected facility on this sole entry point into one of the most beloved sections of the park.
This project would not have been possible without then-Assemblymember Laura Friedman, who helped secure $4 million in state funding for mobility improvements in and around Griffith Park. Those funds have also enabled speed humps on Zoo Drive near the Ferraro Soccer Fields, a new signalized crosswalk at Harvard and Franklin, and other safety improvements across the area.
While we are breaking ground on Crystal Springs this week, it’s important to note that this project – labeled a “quickbuild” project – was supposed to break ground in 2024. We had the funding and the plans, and yet here we are in 2026, just now beginning construction. The delays stemmed from bureaucratic miscommunication between City departments – plans that needed to be re-approved, bids that had to go out again, coordination that simply took too long. The project is now two years late and more expensive than it needed to be.
This is what happens when we make budget decisions that cut our City’s capacity to the bone. When we don’t invest in the staff and systems needed to actually deliver projects, we don’t just lose time and money, we lose lives, and you see it in the number of people lost every year to traffic violence in Los Angeles. We have to stop treating City staffing and capacity as a budget line to trim, and start treating it as the infrastructure it is. I am committed to fighting for that change.
When construction on Crystal Springs Drive is complete, Griffith Park will be a meaningfully different place. A park that lives up to what it should always have been: a space for Angelenos of all ages and abilities to be outdoors and move freely.
What we build will not bring Andrew back, but it will honor his memory and work at making the world he was taken from a better place.
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- Updates From City Hall — Council Moves To Create Single Citywide Unarmed Response Program, Celebrating Black History Month In Council And Honoring DMA Anderson
- In The District — Bringing New Supportive Housing To Encino, Joining Residents At The Outpost Neighborhood Association’s Annual Meeting, Cheering On This Year’s Griffith Park Run Participants, Sharing The Love At The Los Feliz Library
- Upcoming Events — LADWP Reservoir Walk, Franklin Hills Hike With Charles Fleming
- Resources & Forums — LA County Emergency Rent Relief Program, LARiverWay Expansion Survey, Submit Public Comment On LA City Planning’s Open Space Element, Help Shape LA’s Transportation Future
- Other Helpful Links
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LEGISLATION TO CREATE SINGLE CITYWIDE UNARMED RESPONSE PROGRAM MOVES TO FULL COUNCIL
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I introduced legislation last March along with my colleagues Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson to create a single citywide system of unarmed crisis response that would result in greater usage, more calls being diverted, cost savings to our public safety system, and a safer Los Angeles. A recent study shows that unarmed crisis response teams provided more appropriate care to people in crisis, and freed up thousands of hours of LAPD time to focus on traditional law enforcement work, including impactful investigative work that can target crime rings.
Right now, there are two separate unarmed response programs covering parts of the city: CIRCLE and UMCR – and these programs have demonstrated that they are effective. In this last budget cycle, the City expanded UMCR, however, many parts of the City are still left without this coverage and the City is still operating two similar programs rather than one unified program that operates city-wide. In practice, this means that large parts of the City still have no unarmed response coverage whatsoever, and because these programs are fragmented, many residents don’t even know they exist or how they work!
I am pleased to report that my motion was approved unanimously in full Council last week! The City Administrative Officer, with assistance from the Chief Legislative Analyst, has now been instructed to report back on the optimal pathway to create a single city-wide program for unarmed crisis response, including an evaluation of how a consolidated program could impact emergency dispatch operations, response times, service coverage, and overall system effectiveness, as well as expected budgetary impacts, including potential cost savings.
LA must be a city where, whenever you call for help, someone shows up, and it’s the right person to respond to your issue. That means we need officers available for urgent public safety threats, but also trained crisis responders that can respond quickly to calls in every neighborhood. That is how we build a sense of trust and safety in the City.
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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN COUNCIL AND HONORING DMA ANDERSON
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Black History Month calls on us not just to honor the past, but to recognize the people who are shaping the future in real time, right here in Los Angeles. I had the opportunity in Council to honor someone whose work does exactly that, Council District 4’s very own DMA Anderson.
For more than two decades, DMA has built technology at the intersection of entertainment, education, and civic life, always with a clear purpose: expanding access by simplifying systems that too often exclude.
She created the first fully integrated cloud-based financial platform used for productions across the entertainment industry, and later built college-access and civic engagement tools that helped first-generation students and voters navigate systems that sometimes feel like they are intentionally designed to be difficult.
She saw early on in all of her work, that complexity is not neutral. Whether it was film production, college access, civic participation, or the world of business, fragmented systems created barriers that she worked to address. Her response was to build tools that bring clarity, inclusion, and opportunity wherever they were missing across fields. From supporting independent creators, to helping students navigate college pathways, to expanding participation in modern workplaces, this work centers who gets to participate and who too often gets left out.
DMA reminds us that equity is not just a value we talk about, it is something we can design into our work and into every tool that we use.
It was my distinct honor to present the Hall of Fame Inspiration of Life Award to DMA Anderson during Council’s Black History Month presentation, and I am so grateful to Councilmember Hutt and Council President Harris-Dawson for spearheading this inspiring tribute.
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BRINGING NEW SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO ENCINO
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In January, my Deputy Chief of Staff, Mashael Majid, toured the Oaks on Balboa, a new housing site currently in construction. This unique project is a 100% affordable housing office-to-residential conversion in the Encino neighborhood. The development will provide both permanent supportive housing and senior housing in two buildings for a total of 116 units of high-quality rent-restricted housing. Congratulations to Elysian Housing, Capstone Equities, Las Palmas Housing & Development Corporation, and The People Concern on this spectacular accomplishment!
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JOINING RESIDENTS AT THE OUTPOST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL MEETING
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It was a pleasure to attend the Outpost Neighborhood Association’s (ONA) annual meeting in January and connect with so many engaged and dedicated residents. I took the opportunity to present ONA with a certificate commending their ongoing work to promote public safety, support community beautification, and preserve the natural and historic character of their neighborhood and the surrounding canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains. Their commitment to uplifting their neighbors and to fostering civic engagement is a reflection of community engagement at its best!
We also had a candid conversation about one of the neighborhood’s most persistent frustrations: streetlight outages. As I spoke about in my last newsletter, the City has hobbled its capacity to repair broken streetlights in large part due to fiscally irresponsible budgeting, leading to real safety concerns in our neighborhoods. Functioning streetlights are a basic quality-of-life issue, and residents deserve better and faster results. An update to the Bureau of Streetlighting’s assessment fee that maintains our street lights is working its way toward the June ballot and my office will be sure to keep you posted. But, I want to underscore that our priorities must be the basic services that Angelenos depend on, and I will continue to push for better fiscal decision-making that does not short-change the residents of this City.
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CHEERING ON THIS YEAR’S GRIFFITH PARK RUN PARTICIPANTS
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Every February, the LA Parks Foundation hosts the Griffith Park Run to raise funds to keep our parks beautiful and accessible to all. This year was one of the most attended runs to date with hundreds of runners and walkers joining for a 5k around Griffith Park on a beautiful Sunday morning. I had the exciting task of sounding the blow horn to start the race as families cheered on their runners from the sidelines with heartwarming signs and cheers!
I want to extend my thanks to Amber Martinez, the next Executive Director of the LA Parks Foundation, the entire LA Parks Foundation team, and all of our community members for making this year’s Griffith Park Run one for the books!
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SHARING THE LOVE AT THE LOS FELIZ LIBRARY
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Valentine’s Day was extra special this year as I had the opportunity to spend the morning at the Love is Love: Drag Story Hour at the Los Feliz Branch Library. Hosted by the wonderful Pickle, this was an event full of love and exceptional storytelling that engaged everyone in the room. Pickle’s rendition of “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish Swish Swish” to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus” had kids and parents alike singing along and swaying their hips! Kids were also given the opportunity to ask questions, talk about feelings, and draw their own Valentines cards in an interactive and supportive environment.
Events like these are not only warm and joyous, but an opportunity for learning and building a world rooted in love and empathy. I am so grateful to Pickle for their care and creativity, and to the Los Feliz Branch Library for always creating a safe space for our children.
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Save the date for a walk around the Hollywood Reservoir in honor of Women’s History Month and the anniversary of the Mulholland Dam! Join LADWP for a scenic morning walk on Saturday, March 7 at 7:30am, honoring the 101st anniversary of a historic Los Angeles landmark and the women whose work continues to shape our water and power systems.
DATE: Saturday, March 7
TIME: 7:30am
LOCATION: Hollywood Reservoir, 2900 Lake Hollywood Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90068
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FRANKLIN HILLS HIKE WITH CHARLES FLEMING | MARCH 14 | MORE INFO
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If you were unable to join our New Year’s Hike, don’t fret, we’re hosting another one! Join our office, the Franklin Hills Residents Association, and special guest Charles Fleming on Saturday, March 14th at 10am for a hike through the Franklin Hills! We’ll be exploring the neighborhood’s secret stairs, diving into LA’s rich architectural history, and meeting new friends along the way.
DATE: Saturday, March 14
TIME: 10am
LOCATION: Lyric Hyperion Theater & Cafe, 2106 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Click HERE to RSVP!
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LA COUNTY EMERGENCY RENT RELIEF PROGRAM | MORE INFO
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If you are a tenant or landlord impacted by the 2025 fires or other emergency financial hardships, you may be eligible for financial assistance!
The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has launched the Emergency Rent Relief Program to provide financial assistance to qualifying property owners and tenants impacted by recent emergencies. Tenants can now apply directly for the Second Round of Emergency Relief.
Applications are open now through March 11, 2026 at 4:59PM.
For more information and eligibility requirements, visit lacountyrentrelief.com.
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The City of Los Angeles is working to expand the LARiverWay and create a safe, continuous path for walking, biking, and rolling along the LA River so more people can enjoy healthy, car-free connections between neighborhoods and destinations. To move this project forward and qualify for state Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant funding, LADOT and the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering (BOE) is gathering input on which nearby streets should link to the future LARiverWay. If successful, this grant will fund an off-street bike path along the LA river from Woodman Ave to Coldwater Canyon Ave. These improvements will enhance safety for people biking and walking, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support LA’s Mobility Plan 2035 and Healthy Streets LA policy.
The City has identified these three potential routes and needs your input to decide which one is preferred by the community. Tell us which corridor you prefer – Hazeltine Avenue, Fulton Avenue, or Ethel Avenue – by completing this quick online survey. Your feedback will directly shape what your streets look like!
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SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT ON LA CITY PLANNING’S OPEN SPACE ELEMENT | MORE INFO
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Los Angeles City Planning is pleased to release the Open Space Element Preliminary Draft for public review and feedback. The Open Space Element Update addresses environmental justice, climate resilience and rewilding opportunities in alignment with City priorities and Senate Bill 1425 (2022). The draft goals and policies in the preliminary draft acknowledge and elevate issues identified through our outreach and engagement process. Your feedback on the proposed goals and policies in the draft will help enhance open space policies in the City’s General Plan.
LA City Planning invites you to review and provide your feedback on the Open Space Element Preliminary Draft at the links below by March 31, 2026:
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HELP SHAPE LA’S TRANSPORTATION FUTURE | MORE INFO
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The City of Los Angeles is developing its first Mobility Action Plan (MAP), which will guide how LA invests in streets, sidewalks, transit, biking, and walking for the next 5-20 years. Your feedback will guide how the City prioritizes transportation investments. By sharing your experiences and priorities, you’ll help us plan for a safer, more accessible, and connected transportation system for everyone.
Click HERE to take the survey!
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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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