Captain Mo Smith reports from Northeast Division that violent crimes are down 15%, property crimes are down 6%, and overall crimes are down 7% from this time last year. We have had a slight uptick in reports of "gunshots fired" in the area, but we have had no fatalities reported. Coming on top of the good news about crime levels falling in Hollywood that I reported last month, this is welcome news indeed.
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Testifying to the Supervisors
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This week, I visited the Board of Supervisors twice with representatives of over forty-four of the county’s cities to urge the Supervisors to put the Public Safety and Homeland Security Initiative on this fall’s ballot. I am co-chairing this initiative with Sheriff Lee Baca and working closely with Chief Bratton and fellow councilmembers to keep our options open for a city initiative should the supervisors reject a countywide one. At press time, it was not certain whether or not four supervisors would vote to put our initiative on the November ballot, but momentum seems headed that way. More next month.
Message: Don't pirate movies. |
Rampart Police made an arrest this week that resulted in the confiscation of boxes upon boxes of pirated DVDs. As I mentioned at the press conference, this kind of activity takes a double toll on L.A.'s economy: not only does it hurt the movie industry, but all the ancillary businesses that depend on it take the hit as well.
Budget
Two weeks ago, I was invited to represent the city in presentations to the Wall Street bond rating companies that assess the fiscal strength of the city. For the last three years, our fiscal standing has been the highest-rated of any big city in America. We have worked hard to tighten our belts, to do more with less and to create a more efficient government, and we have lived within our means. This has resulted in an excellent fiscal footing for the City of Los Angeles, preserving taxpayer money while continuing to provide critical city services to the residents of Los Angeles. Bill Fujioka, our City Administrative Officer, told me that based on this year’s discussions, he expects our top rating to be renewed by Wall Street.
The public deserves clean, accessible buildings in which to conduct city business, and in my role on the Information Technology and General Services committee, I am often charged with helping make decisions about the city's investment in its own infrastructure. Two recent decisions have attracted some attention. Last month, I called for an outside consultant to review the city's process in bidding on the Transamerica Building. The consultant approved of our work, and we purchased the building just before competing, "sweeter" offers started coming in to the property owner. Secondly, we decided to locate the new headquarters of LAPD at the site of the old CalTrans building, across from City Hall. The alternative was to locate the new site in Little Tokyo, where community advocates feared the effect a large, fortified police building would have on a flowering neighborhood. The price was right, and the decision will be healthy for the urban character of Downtown as well as for the pocketbooks of the taxpayers.
Housing
The 90-day discussion period about inclusionary zoning will draw to a close in August, and we will have a much more nuanced and thoughtful housing policy as a result. Over the next ten years, Los Angeles will grow by a population equivalent to the entire state of Washington, and we have two choices: we can make policy changes to accommodate this growth, or we can ignore it and watch as the infrastructure that strains under today's population collapses entirely. I have been impressed at the understanding of this principle demonstrated by all sides in this issue, and the willingness by all to work out the details to come up with a plan that works.
Economic Development
The City Planning Commission unanimously approved the Superstores Ordinance that Councilmember Ed Reyes and I have developed. The ordinance, which requires the developers of big-box grocery stores to analyze their economic impacts as they move into Los Angeles neighborhoods, was crafted very narrowly, which I believe accounts for its wide support. We hope to hear it next month in committee and council.
Business owners in Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Historic Filipinotown will be excited to learn about the opportunities provided by the proposed new Hollywood Empowerment Zone. Empowerment Zones are designated by the state and can result in tax credits and rebates for businesses that locate in or hire from within poor neighborhoods. The official establishment of the Zone should come later this year, and I will let chambers of commerce and other groups know how to take full advantage of this.
The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Industrial and Commercial Association have issued an ultimatum to the city: Business tax reform by the end of October or else! (OK, they didn't say "or else," but it was definitely an ultimatum). As someone who has seen the difference the cumbersome L.A. gross receipts tax makes to a business considering locating here, I applaud their vigilance, and I look forward to getting a real reform package on the books soon.
Open Space and the Environment
It's been a great month for fighting pollution and promoting a sustainable Los Angeles. In June, I joined with my colleagues on the council in promoting adoption of a Renewable Portfolio Standard at the Department of Water and Power. DWP has committed to generate 13% of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2010 and 20% by the year 2017. The cost of this will be minimal (less than a 5% increase and only after 2007) and will result in cleaner air throughout the American West.
Clean the air, skip the meter |
With Mayor Hahn, I proposed a policy that would encourage more people to buy hybrids: free metered parking for hybrid vehicles. The city already offers free parking to Zero Emissions Vehicles, like electric cars, but very few people have them. Since hybrids pollute less than one tenth the amount of even the cleanest cars coming off assembly lines today, greater use of them by Angelenos will help us shed the unwanted mantle we currently hold (regained from Houston) of America's Worst Air. We expect to start the program in September. Note to hybrid drivers: once it starts, you still have to obey the time limits. Note to everyone else: have you thought about driving a clean, green vehicle?
Along with Councilmember Jack Weiss, I led the City Council's vote to place a $500 million bond on the November ballot to clean up the water that runs to our beaches, bays and ocean. The city of Los Angeles is subject to 67 different Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs, that limit the amount of pollutants that we can allow to flow to the sea. There are TMDLs for trash, for bacteria, and for different environmental toxins. In the past, the city sued the EPA to get out of its responsibility to keep its waterways clean; I'm proud to say that we've turned the corner, and, using innovations like ecological parks and good-old fashioned storm drain catchers, we're going to clean up our act. The ballot measure will help fund the many projects we need to protect L.A.'s invaluable, celebrated beaches. I especially commend the work of Andy Lipkis from TreePeople, Scott Wilson from North East Trees and the many people who contributed to moving this measure towards reality.
Lastly, in August we will begin our free, multi-family recycling program. This 2-year pilot program will provide recycling for 100,000 multi-family units. That means that 1 in 6 apartments in Los Angles will get free recycling services! This program will decrease disposal cost and diversion rates, and potentially will be the harbinger of free recycling for all of Los Angeles. Your current hauler may already be participating in this program. If you have questions, please call to Michael Crossley at (213) 473-8160 or TJ Knight at (213) 473-8227.
Defining the agenda |
Neighborhood Empowerment
The morning before the June 19th UNTAG summit, I gathered at Micheltorena Elementary School with about forty activists from the Neighborhood Council movement for CD13's first-ever Neighborhood Council Summit. Using "open-space technology", they determined their agenda and broke into small groups to discuss the issues that they wanted to tackle and bring back to their individual NCs. The morning was filled with brainstorming about interacting with the Planning Department, making better use of technology, pooling resources and fighting traffic. Thanks to everyone who showed up on a Saturday morning. In City Hall, the air is fresher because of the motion stirred up by the councils.
There's a new sheriff in town...actually, it's a new Senior Lead Officer. I welcome Officer Ray Rangel, who will be the new SLO for Atwater Village beginning August 1st, when you'll be able to reach him at (213) 793-0713. He was formerly the SLO for the Cypress Park and Glassell Park areas. Robert "Red" Falconer remains in Northeast and can be reached at (213) 793 0758, but he will transfer over to the Cypress Park area; and Sam Salazar, (213) 793-0762, and Al Polehonki, (213) 793-0763, will continue to be our temporary SLO's in Atwater Village. Thank you, officers.
2,000 people visited the Atwater Village Street Fair. I was one of them. Were you? Congratulations to event planners and all of Atwater. You throw a good party!
I've been working with Tom LaBonge's office and the City Planning Department to officially zone into existence an equestrian-keeping district along the Los Angeles River in northern Atwater Village. This area is currently zoned agricultural, which allows horses, but many horse-keeping residents of this area have asked for more specific equestrian zoning. Now that we've got the ball rolling, the process should be done next year.
It's not too early to get your tickets for Friends of Atwater Village's Red Car Fundraiser on September 10th. Buy them here!
Work continues on the new "Village at Atwater" development. Expect new businesses to open up this October.
With Sheriff Lee Baca, I joined the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council general monthly meeting on July 8th at New Hope Chapel on Los Feliz Boulevard. The Sheriff and I spoke about the measure proposed for this November's ballot. It was a lively meeting, as always, and I hope to be back. For more on public safety, see the notice about National Night Out under Glassell Park.
For years, Fletcher Drive has been neglected with little attention given this once-thriving, business-lined corridor to Northeast Los Angeles. My office is joining concerned residents to envision what the future of Fletcher Drive could be, from Glassell Park through Atwater Village and on into Silver Lake. Have some ideas for this valuable corridor? Let Field Deputy James Omahen know about them.
Glassell Park
It's swimming time! The Glassell Park pool is open. See the Hollywood item for details on lessons.
Tree trimming along Verdugo Road between Avenue 33 and Eagle Rock Boulevard was completed last week. You can see the difference as you drive Verdugo.
George Brauckman of the Glassell Park Improvement Association led a team of volunteers to clean the Crestmoore Place steps and paint out graffiti at the same time. It only took them one hour, and their work has made a tremendous difference. Thanks to all who put in the time and the sweat.
The improvement to the triangle median in front of Public Storage, funded by Neighborhood Matching Funds, is now complete! The area has a new, tiled, winding walkway, flowers and an irrigation system. It provides a lovely gateway into the community from the Verdugo exit off the 2 freeway. My appreciation goes out to Suzie Wilkinson and the GPIA for this beautiful new addition to Glassell Park.
I encourage everyone to spend National Night Out, Tuesday, August 3rd, with your local police officers. Gather at the LAPD Historical Museum at 6045 York Street and march together to the veterans' memorial at Figueroa and York. Chaplain Dale Rose will offer a prayer and all assembled will return to the museum for a potluck dinner. Field Deputy James Omahen has more information.
Elysian Valley
Check out the new electronic board at Allesandro Elementary School, blinking out traffic safety instructions to parents and children as they arrive and leave school. This is a long-awaited improvement to this central community institution.
At City Council, we recently approved funds for Elysian Valley United that will provide Central High School and Marshall High School students with vocational training in the radio broadcast industry. By working with professional volunteers who are experienced in the field of broadcasting, 45 students from Central High School, Elysian Valley Branch will learn to design, set up, operate and maintain equipment used for radio broadcasting. Once these students attain a high degree of proficiency in radio technology, they in turn will have the opportunity to mentor students from the Kids United Program. This continuum that will allow future generations to operate in the same field, even as the radio industry grows and changes.
August 7th will be Bring Your Parents to Work Day at Allesandro Elementary School. Clean & Green will collaborate with students and faculty to beautify the school. We'll restore the school's more-than thirty-five murals and add an anti-graffiti coating to them, trim trees, plant flowers, and generally spiff up the school. Thanks go to muralist Maria Regalado, an Allesandro mother and a teaching assistant at the school, for starting off this project.
Echo Park
It's time to get in the pool! The Echo Park Shallow Pool is once again open to the public. See the Hollywood item for information on lessons for kids and adults alike.
Police have made ten narcotics arrests in relation to complaints made about Reservoir Street behind Taix Restaurant. Additionally, the homeless situation in the area bounded by Vons on Montana has gotten much better.
The Fire Road Gate has finally been re-located onto Landa Street. Residents on that block have much better access to their properties now.
A new and much-needed retaining wall was installed at Duane and Glendale Boulevard after years of neglect and a car crashing into it. Clean and Green is readying one of their trademark fabulous designs for the wall, so look for even more improvements soon.
A major trash heap has been removed from Duane and Allesandro. Two citations were issued to people caught dumping trash at the location. I must thank Bruce Howell of the Lot Clearing Division of Street Services for taking care of this so quickly at my office's request.
As many of you know, Pioneer Market has been struggling and may undergo some changes soon. My office has no discretionary authority, but I would like to see a grocery store in that location, whatever happens.
Also, see announcements under Elysian Valley for goings-on at Allesandro Elementary.
Historic Filipinotown
The Historic Filipinotown Improvement Association has been organized! The group is composed of concerned residents and stakeholders who are set to tackle issues like crime and trash. They have already had their first clean-up along N. Coronado St. on July 3. If you want to join up, meetings are the first Saturday of every month at the home of Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, 147 N. Coronado St. For more info, contact Joselyn at joselyngr@yahoo.com or ask Field Deputy Joseph Bernardo.
Banners for Hi-Fi |
The winner of the Temple St. Banner Design contest is CD13 resident Erwin Federizo. His artists' statement for the banner conveys the spirit of community that the Historic Filipinotown initiative has sought to inspire since we first began to sit around a table and discuss the naming of a Filipinotown in Los Angeles, and I reproduce it here in its entirety:
My design for the permanent art display conveys a message of peace, unity, and harmony amongst the community of Historic Filipinotown. The uniqueness of having Filipino American residents and businesses embedded within a variety of cultures allows for a very rich and conceptual visual art display. The Filipino American culture is influenced by several other cultures (i.e.- Latino, Chinese and African American) and is fused into a very unique style all its own.
Showing two brown hands holding up the sun as its rays point in all directions communicates that everybody and everything is invited to share the riches of the community and culture. The sun's rays do not discriminate as they reach out and touch everyone who enters the city. The orchid flowers that metamorphose into doves symbolize the cultivation and spreading peace. There are thirteen doves to represent the 13th district. The bamboo is iconic as both a Filipino folk art element and is considered the most popular of indigenous materials. The textile pattern near the logo is inspired by the traditional Barong Tagalog formalwear of the Philippines. Lastly, the words "Land of the morning/child of the sun returning", inscribed on the banner, are the first two stanzas of the Philippine national anthem, poetically translated into English. These words apply a lot of meaning toward Historic Filipinotown as we look forward to a bright future and many promising days ahead.
The color palette I chose is warm and inviting like Los Angeles' amazing sunsets, yet vibrant and full of movement and energy like the people of the community. Overall, the palette and the design is easy on the eyes (taking into consideration the auto and pedestrian traffic which will be flowing through the busy artery, Temple Street.
The 12th annual Rampart National Night Out will be August 3rd. The National Night Out committee has been working overtime to ensure that all participants enjoy a night of community fun. The night will begin at 6 p.m. with a march from MacArthur Park to Rampart Station. At Rampart Station, the festivities will include live entertainment, delicious food, and a raffle. All are welcome.
The Historic Filipinotown Anniversary Celebration will take place on Saturday, Aug. 7, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Filipino Christian Church at 301 N. Union Ave. For more info, contact Gerlie Collado at (818) 326-5121.
Save the date! LA Bridges II will spearhead a Rampart Community Clean-up on Saturday August 7th. Meet at 9 a.m. in front of Rampart Station.
Silver Lake
I'll be at the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council's second annual election kick-off celebration, including fresh music and fresher food, is this Saturday, July 17th from noon to 2 p.m. at the Micheltorena Street Elementary School, 1511 Micheltorena, located just north of Sunset Blvd. This is a great opportunity to come out and meet the 2003-2004 SLNC Governing Board. It's also your first chance to meet those declaring their candidacies for the 2004-2005 Board. Even better, come out and declare your own candidacy.
Getting ideas for the park |
The Triangle Park Design Workshop was a huge success. On a Sunday afternoon in late June, more than 50 people showed up and submitted their design ideas for the park. To see the results of the survey and the four designs that emerged from the workshop, log on to the Silver Lake Improvement Association website. But it's not over yet: On July 26, at 6:30 p.m. at my Sunset Boulevard district office, urban designer Kathy Cerra will present a couple of design proposals drawn from elements of the 4 designs to the community for a final vote.
My office has been working with Public Works and artist Ernesto de la Loza to develop a plan to clean up the "Under the Bridge" mural at 900 Silver Lake Blvd. The mural, painted years ago, was never protected with an anti-graffiti coating. Over time, the mural has become a magnet for taggers. Public Works has consulted a specialist to determine the cost of restoration. You may have also noticed the recent restoration of the Sunset Boulevard murals. Restorers worked—some with toothbrushes—for weeks to restore these historic murals.
Congratulations to community leader Rose Rodagna. She organized her neighbors and in less than a week, she gathered the petition signatures necessary to close a nuisance alley on Benton Way. The Board of Public Works approved the closure, and we expect the gates to go up very soon.
The Kor group has proposed a residential project to be built along Sunset Boulevard at Myra, further activating that last, dead stretch of Silver Lake's Sunset business district. The project has scored big in community meetings, and I look forward to its development.
Proposed improvements to Bellevue Recreation Center have attracted a lot of interest from neighbors and users of Bellevue Park. In the 1996 Proposition K ballot measure, voters designated $2 million worth of improvements for Bellevue. A citizens committee made up of area residents was appointed in 2002 to select the improvements. After conducting outreach, they settled on landscaping, a pathway, a new picnic area, a sidewalk for Marathon, and field improvements including lights. Many park users and residents have sought new lighting for a while, not only because they allow for evening athletic activities, but also for public safety reasons: a nighttime murder took place on the park grounds in 2001. Recently, some area residents have opposed the field lighting proposed in the LVNOC plan. On June 30, the Park Advisory Board and my office held a meeting that drew 244 people from the neighborhood, including many young people who use the facility. The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council also took up the matter at its July 7 Board meeting and resolved to facilitate dialogue on the issue. My thanks go out to all who have invested their time and energy in this issue. The next Park Advisory Board meeting is July 28 at 6 p.m. at the recreation center.
East Hollywood
CD13's newest park is on its way! Construction at Madison West Park has finished, and a ribbon cutting will be scheduled presently. The park is located at the intersection of Madison and Middlebury. If you live near there and you'd like to come to the grand opening (or if you live anywhere and just like new parks), contact my brand-new representative in East Hollywood, Field Deputy Christina Ortega, recently joining my staff from the 10th Council District.
The Catalina Group has a major signature gathering drive planned for 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 24th, followed by a pot luck lunch meeting at 130 N. Catalina at noon. Christina has more information.
Hollywood
It's swimming time, for kids and adults! The Hollywood and Glassell Park Swimming Pools are open, as is the Echo Park Shallow Pool. I visited Hollywood Pool recently, and it was full of kids and their families having fun. Call 323-957-4501 for more info. If you haven't learned to swim yet, you can learn at the Hollywood Rec Center Swimming Pool: 10 lessons over two weeks cost $5 for kids, and $30.60 for adults. Pre-registration starts one week prior to the first day of class, and upcoming group lessons start on July 19, August 2, and August 16. You can also sign up for water confidence class to get more comfortable with swimming, or for private or semi-private lessons.
With Lisa Frost's parents |
I was honored to receive the Lisa Frost award at the Hollywood Beautification Team's annual dinner. Lisa was killed in the attacks of September 11th; her parents have memorialized her with HBT, an organization that does tree plantings and community art projects with schoolchildren, and employs young offenders for its graffiti removal service. The dinner was incredibly successful, and it was moving to be given the community award and to meet Lisa's parents, who were on hand for the event.
Congratulations to Santa Monica Western Residents Group for completing another successful clean-up. The clean-up was held Sunday July 11, 2004. Los Angeles Conservation Corps Clean and Green Program and Hollywood Beautification Team assisted the community with graffiti removal and weed abatement, and Patrick Agerkop merits special thanks for his help organizing the event.
Turn on a smarter crosswalk |
A new "smart crosswalk" will get you safely across Hollywood Boulevard near Garfield. Smart crosswalks sense the presence of a pedestrian in the crosswalk and turn on yellow lights to warn traffic. I joined Tom LaBonge and members of the Franklin Hollywood Hills Community Council to inaugurate the new switch with representatives from the Department of Transportation.
The ESPY awards were a blast! Louie Moreno, who works in City Hall, will report on them for his local cable sports show. So Adelphia subscribers will have more than one look at the ESPN event. Special thanks to the street closure committee for working with the ESPY folks to keep the streets of Hollywood open for as long as possible leading up to the event.
Torch, Ellen, Eric |
The Olympic Torch made its way through Hollywood, passed from the hands of radio personality Pepe Barreto to those of Olympic-grade comedian Ellen Degeneres. Now, on to Athens!
And we end the e-news with one more goodbye: to Earl Letsz, who retired after decades of work as President at Paramount Studios. For the past three decades, Earl has left an indelible mark on the community: from a new auditorium at Santa Monica Boulevard Charter School, where he was a mentor, to the educational programs at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum that work with young Angelenos getting out of youth offender camps; from his leadership as President of the Board of Directors of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, to his work making Paramount perhaps the most beautiful of all Hollywood studios, Earl has delivered for the residents, youth, and businesses of Hollywood. As a Silver Lake resident, we know he will stay involved in the area, so we are not saying goodbye, merely congratulations for all the years of great work.
