Invitation to Arts and Cultural Community Meetings

To: Neighborhood Council Friends and Colleagues
From: BongHwan (BH) Kim, General Manager, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment

The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs is holding a series of community meetings throughout Los Angeles. Feedback from the meetings is essential to develop the City's new Cultural Master Plan which will provide a vision for the future of arts and culture in Los Angeles, and guide the mission of the Department of Cultural Affairs. The meetings will start promptly and include a presentation and interactive sessions.

Please see the attached flyer for more information, including dates and locations. We hope you can attend one or more of these meetings, and please forward this flyer or personally invite friends and family who are interested in community meetings and the art and culture of Los Angeles.

To find out more about the Cultural Master Plan, visit the
Department of Cultural Affairs website.

For additional information, please contact:
Leora Lutz
Email: leora.lutz@lacity.org
Cultural Master Plan Program Assistant
Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

City of L.A. Green Building Program

City of Los Angeles Adopts the Green Building Program

On April 22, 2008, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined City Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmembers Jan Perry, Ed Reyes and Bill Rosendahl to sign the Green Building Program into law. The Program is expected to reduce the City's carbon emissions by more than 80,000 tons by 2012, or the equivalent of taking 15,000 cars off the road.

The ordinance establishes a series of incentives and requirements for developers to meet USGBC LEED® standards. Effective May 29, 2008, the Standard of Sustainable Excellence gives builders voluntarily committing to pursue LEED Silver certification or higher priority processing through the Department of City Planning and Expedited Services through the Bureau of Engineering. These incentives are in addition to the existing Priority Plan Check processing through the Department of Building and Safety and Priority Service Planning through the Department of Water and Power. The project team must include a LEED AP, demonstrate how the project will achieve LEED Silver certification or higher, register with the USGBC, and attain formal certification.

Effective November 1, 2008, the Standard of Sustainability applies to non-residential projects 50,000 square feet or above and residential projects 50,000 square feet or above and seven stories or more. These projects must meet the intent of LEED at the Certified level. After May 1, 2009, residential projects 50,000 square feet or above, 50 units or more, and six stories or less must also meet the intent of LEED at the Certified level. The project team must include a LEED AP and demonstrate how the project meets the intent of LEED at the Certified level, but is not required to register with the USGBC.

The Green Building Program also establishes the Green Building Team. This cross-departmental Team fosters conversation between developers and City staff regarding policy-related issues posing obstacles to building green. Regular public meetings occur on the first Wednesday of every month. The Team will conduct public outreach, provide policy recommendations, train City staff, review the Standards, and produce an annual Green Building Report Card.

More information is available online at EnvironmentLA.org.

Community Workshop: City of Los Angeles Clean Money Programs

April 19, 2008, 10 a.m. to Noon
Little Tokyo Library
203 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

In November 2007, the Los Angeles City Council passed a resolution instructing the City’s Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) to generate a Clean Money proposal for the City of Los Angeles. The adopted resolution additionally instructed the CLA to consult with the California Clean Money Campaign, the City Ethics Commission, City Clerk, City Administrative Office and Mayor Antonio Villara igoisa, in crafting this proposal.

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) has ben requested to assist in soliciting feedback, as requested by the LA City Council Rules and and Elections Committee on proposals for voluntary full public funding of city elections.

In order to raise public awareness & understanding of Clean Money Programs and give you an opportunity to weigh in with your thoughts and ideas, the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council is hosting an informational workshop on the topic.

For more information contact Tobi Dragert (tdragert@gmail.com) or Ginny Case (ginny@ginnycase.com or 213.248.0698)

Improve L.A. Area Airports

The Mayor and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) invite you to participate in a survey to evaluate various aspects of the operations of LAWA, which include Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Ontario International Airport, Van Nuys Airport and Palmdale Regional Airport.

The City of Los Angeles has retained KH Consulting Group (KH) to conduct this study. KH will treat your individual responses confidentially. The survey will take 5 to10 minutes to complete. The survey deadline is April 6, 2008.

To complete the survey in English, use this link.

Para completar la encuesta en español, haga clic aqui.

Public Works Open Houses

BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS ANNOUNCES "SIX" CITYWIDE BUREAU OF SANITATION OPEN HOUSES TO PROMOTE RECYCLING AND CITY SERVICES

City Invites Children, Families and Residents of All Ages to Join the Fun and Excitement with Trash Truck Demonstrations, Yard Tours, Educational Games and Prizes

The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation is hosting its 6th annual open house events offered free to the public. Each of the city's six sanitation yards, in Sun Valley, Northridge, Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park, South Los Angeles, San Pedro and West Los Angeles, will promote recycling fun while providing hands-on educational experiences and informational material on city programs.

The open houses are designed to display the city's recycling program, increase recycling awareness and improve access to city services delivered by the Bureau of Sanitation. Last year, more than 3,200 residents visited the open houses and more than 300 city employees volunteered their time to conduct the weekend events for the public.

Visitors will be treated to trash truck and equipment demonstrations in addition to yard tours and educational booths. Visitors of all ages will have an opportunity to meet the city's recycling mascots. The blue characters "Mr. Recycle" and "Robo Blue" will promote the cause of recycling to the next generation of residents by engaging the imagination of children. As a bonus, Million Trees L.A. will provide tree adoption opportunities and the Bureau of Sanitation will distribute free mulch from its green waste program.

The open house dates, times and locations are:

Saturday, MAY 3, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
EAST VALLEY District Yard, 11050 Pendleton Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352

Saturday, MAY 17, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
WEST VALLEY District Yard, 8840 Vanalden Avenue, Northridge, CA 91324

Saturday, MAY 31, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
NORTH CENTRAL District Yard, 452 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Saturday, JUNE 7, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
SOUTH LOS ANGELES District Yard, 786 S. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Saturday, JUNE 21, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
HARBOR District Yard, 1400 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731

Saturday, JUNE 28, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
WEST LOS ANGELES District Yard, 2027 Stoner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025

For more information on 2008 Bureau of Sanitation Open Houses, please call (800) 773-2489 or visit www.lacity.org/SAN/. To learn more about the city moving toward "Zero Waste" and the future of solid waste management, please visit www.zerowaste.lacity.org.

About Board of Public Works
The five-commissioner Board of Public Works manages the Department of Public Works, the City's third largest municipal division focused on the essential needs of residents for a better quality of life and environmental protection. With a $559 million operating budget, the department awards more than $500 million in public service contracts annually that provide for the construction, renovation, and operation of public programs and services including: municipal buildings and treatment facilities; streets, street lights, and urban forest; bridges and sidewalks; sewers and storm drains; integrated solid waste management and recycling; graffiti removal and beautification grants. The Board is committed to the delivery of quality customer service, to help neighborhoods thrive and benefit from healthier living and working environments. For more information, visit www.lacity.org/bpw.

L.A. Council Meeting on Transportation

Transportation will be the single topic of a Los Angeles City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 29, at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers on the 3rd Floor of City Hall, located at 200 N. Spring Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

Please join the Los Angeles City Council, key Los Angeles department managers, and transportation experts to discuss transportation challenges facing our city. The meeting will focus on Los Angeles Strategic Plan for transportation and the future of transportation funding.

If you have questions, please call 213/473-7013 (Councilmember Garcetti) or 213/473-7002 (Councilmember Greuel) for more information.

L.A.'s Bike Master Plan

Public Meeting Notice for February and March 2008
City of Los Angeles - Bicycle Master Plan Update
www.labikeplan.org
The City of Los Angeles is updating the Bicycle Master Plan, which will provide transportation improvements for the bicycling community. The public is invited to attend a workshop to provide input on bicycle policies, facility improvements and other related issues.

Workshops are scheduled throughout Los Angeles, at four (4) neighborhood locations, during the months of February and March 2008.

Refreshments will be served, so please join us at one or all of the workshops. If you cannot attend the workshop, you can visit the website at www.labikeplan.com.

For more information, contact the City Bicycle Coordinator, Michelle.Mowery@lacity.org or 213-972-4962; or City Planning Associate Jordann.Turner@lacity.org or 213-978-1379

Central/South Los Angeles
Date: Saturday February 16, 2008
Location: Expo Center Swim Stadium-Community Room
Address: 3980 S. Menlo Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Time: 10am-12pm

West Los Angeles
Date: Wednesday February 20, 2008
Location: Felicia Mahood Multi Purpose Center
Address: 11338 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90037
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm

Valley Area
Date: Wednesday February 27, 2008
Location: Marvin Braude-San Fernando Constituent Services Center, Conference Room 1B
Address: 6262 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm

Harbor Area
Date: Saturday March 1, 2008
Location: Banning's Landing Community Center
Address: 100 E. Water Street, Wilmington, CA 90744
Time: 10am-12pm

Los Angeles Must Make Building Affordable Housing a Top Priority

Audit of Housing Department Finds City As A Whole Must Take Immediate Action On Issue

Calling the shortage of affordable housing a crisis, City Controller Laura Chick released the first of several audits of the Los
Angeles Housing Department. “My audit of the Housing Department’s Affordable Housing Program found a Department hard at work to solve the housing crisis. However, the Housing Department is up against problems that they cannot solve alone,”
said Chick.

“The median price of a single family home in Los Angeles is over half a million dollars. How can we expect those in the lower income brackets to be able to put a roof over their family’s heads in this highly costly environment?” said Chick.

Among the audit’s key findings:

o Barriers to providing affordable housing require creative solutions from the Housing Department and the City, as a whole.
o The Housing Department does not have an adequate means of measuring its effectiveness.
o The Housing Department’s program to utilize City surplus properties for development has been unsuccessful.
o The Housing Department’s efforts to preserve the existing affordable housing inventory have had limited results.
o The Housing Department’s existing technology systems are inadequate, inefficient and do not interface with one another.

The Chick audit contains 28 recommendations to help achieve the goal of providing more affordable housing in the City of Los Angeles. The Controller’s Housing report, as well as all of her over 100 audits, is available at her website at www.lacity.org/ctr.

Arts in L.A.

City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department

Music LA

6 to 8 Weeks of Music Workshops - begins July 9, 2007

www.culturela.org

Contact: Angelica Loa
213-202-5561
angelica.loa@lacity.org

Losing Affordable Housing in L.A.?

Loophole Allowed Demolition of Affordable Units to Escape Rent Stabilization

By a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles City Council adopted an ordinance to close a loophole threatening the city's supply of rent-stabilized apartments.

Under a California law known as the Ellis Act, landlords may exit the business of renting residential property by converting their property to commercial or for-sale residential, with some restrictions. This has resulted in a loophole allowing property owners to demolish their rent-stabilized apartment buildings and build new apartment buildings with no rent restrictions.

"Los Angeles has the country's worst housing crisis," said Council President Eric Garcetti. "By hearing from all interested
parties in a series of open hearings, this council has passed a law that, without placing undue burden on property owners, will stop people from bending the rules to evict low-income tenants and will encourage the production of new affordable housing."

"Our goal was to find something that was balanced and fair without penalizing the most vulnerable residents of this city, who are running out of options on where they can live," said Councilmember Ed P. Reyes.

"Democracy and public policy were well-served by this ordinance," said Councilmember Bernard C. Parks. "It allows for the preservation of necessary critical and affordable housing, but does not eliminate the issues that create the construction of new housing."

"The new revision clarifies the rights of tenants and the rights of property owners," Councilmember Bill Rosendahl said. "We now have more options to protect renters and preserve affordable housing."

If a landlord evicts the tenants of an apartment building with the intent of leaving the rental property business, demolishes the building, and builds a new rental building, the ordinance adopted by the council provides two options:

1. The owner may raise the initial rents to market levels. Further rent increases in the new building are then regulated under the terms of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
2. The owner may designate up to 20% of the building's units affordable to tenants earning 80% or less of the area median income. A building with 20% affordable units may then take advantage of the available building-envelope incentives regarding parking, setbacks, and height.

Properties with four units or fewer where the owner occupies one of the units are exempt from these provisions.

Contacts:
Garcetti/Josh Kamensky, (213) 473 7013
Reyes/Tony Perez, (213) 473 7001
Parks/Purvi Doshi, (213) 473 7008
Rosendahl/Safiya Jones (213 473 7011)

USC Youth Sports Summer Program

National Youth Sports Program

This six-week summer sports and education program is for economically disadvantaged Los Angeles area youth who are 10 to 16 years old. Emphasis is on sports skills instruction and competition, physical fitness, good health practices, and career guidance. Over 450 young people participate each summer. NYSP includes an education opportunity in math and science.

Ages Served: 5 to 14 yrs.; 15 to 24 yrs.
Here is a flyer describing their camp requirements, etc.

Contact information:
Esther Marron, Psy.D.
Post-Doctoral Psychology Fellow
Registered Psychologist, RPS #2006152
Adolescent Medicine, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
5000 Sunset Blvd, 4th floor, MS #2
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Office: 323 660-2450, Ext. 5361