The City of Los Angeles : Council District 12 : Home

Welcome to District 12

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City Hall Office
200 N. Spring St., Room 405
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 473-7012
Fax: (213) 473-6925
Email:
Councilmember.Englander@
lacity.org

Community Service Center
9207 Oakdale Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
Phone: (818) 882-1212
Fax: (818) 701-5254

Welcome to Council District 12!

We are proud to represent the communities of the North West San Fernando Valley.

What's New in CD 12

Follow us on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Mitch_Englander.

Opposition to Illegal Pot Shops...
It has been brought to my attention that a campaign in favor of marijuana dispensaries has falsely implied that I support one of the marijuana dispensary ballot measure over another.

I wanted to set the record straight and state that I am not affiliated with any campaign advocating for marijuana dispensaries. I am disappointed that anyone would use my name and likeness in an inaccurate and malicious manner.

My record on this issue is clear. I am proud to have worked with LAPD to close ALL illegal pot shops within Council District 12. Whatever happens on Election Day, I am committed to putting our neighborhoods first and will continue crack down illegal pot shop activity.

For more information regarding measures appearing on the ballot, click here to view you sample ballot.

Getting Tough on Hit-and-Run Offenses…
This week, the Los Angeles City Council's Rules and Elections Committee approved my motion supporting State Assembly Bill 184 which extends the statute of limitations on hit-and-run offenses.

Currently, state law allows that if a motorist is not identified within three years of the incident, the motorist cannot be prosecuted. AB 184 would provide that charges maybe brought one year after the person is initially identified as a suspect.

There are over 4,000 hit-and-run incidents a year in Los Angeles that lead to injury and death. Most of the motorists that are involved in hit-and-run accidents are never prosecuted, in part, because of the statute of limitations.

It is vital that the City of Los Angeles support AB 184 to help curb the epidemic of hit-and-run offenses in Southern California.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Budget Update…

This week the City Council Budget and Finance Committee continued its hearings on the City's 2013/2014 Budget. The Budget and Finance Committee examines every dollar and every item in the proposed budget and develops recommendations for the City Council to vote on.

Among the items agreed to this week:

• The City will allocate $52.1 million for infrastructure updates, including $10 million for sidewalk repair.

• Los Angeles will exceed its 5% Reserve Fund Balance which is a key factor in our bond rating.

• Neighborhood Councils will maintain funding for elections in the 2013-14 Budget.

• Consolidation of the Planning and Building & Safety Departments is built into the 2013-14 Budget for a more efficient development and planning process.

• The Bureau of Street Services was granted funds to trim an additional 30,000 trees throughout the City.

• MyLA 311 will receive funding to reduce wait times for 85,000 callers per month and over 2,000 service requests submitted via the new app.

• Los Angeles Public Libraries, through Measure L, will upgrade their technology and digital library systems in 2013-14.

• The FIRESTAT LA system is funded in 2013-14 Budget to enhance LAFD response times and efficiency.
• We found $42 million in a special fund that was supposed to be transferred to the General Fund, accumulated over the past 17 years. These funds should have been discovered under the audits by the Controller’s Office and I am now looking into all other special funds Citywide.

To view the KCAL 9 story click here.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Stopping Parolees from Removing Ankle Bracelet Monitoring Devices...

This week, the City Council adopted the resolution I authored in March to support California State Senate Bill 57 which would increase the penalties for parolees who remove their ankle-mounted devices to a felony offense.

The vast majority of individuals ordered to wear an ankle-mounted monitoring bracelet are on parole after being convicted of a sex offense. These devices are essential tools for law enforcement to monitor parolees, in order to maintain public safety and to ensure that individuals on parole do not offend again. An increasing number of parolees required to wear monitoring ankle bracelets have removed the devices, making it difficult for law enforcement and parole officers to track them. This poses a significant public safety threat.

Click here to see the resolution.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Protecting the Enterprise Zones...
This week, the City Council adopted a resolution which I authored in February stating the City of Los Angeles' opposition to reductions changes, or eliminations of the State Enterprise Zone Program.

Since 1984 the California Enterprise Zone program has provided businesses hiring credits, sales and use credits, and other valuable incentives to stimulate business growth, attract and retain businesses, and help businesses create jobs. I advocated strongly for the two recent expansions of the Enterprise Zones in Los Angeles, which included parts of Chatsworth and Northridge, in order to help our local businesses grow the economy.

Large numbers of businesses in the Enterprise Zone areas have received hiring credits, sales and use tax credits, expense and interest deductions, DWP rate discounts, and other benefits. Those benefits have resulted in significant business cost relief, promoting job growth and economic improvement.

Governor Brown proposed scaling back the Enterprise Zone Program and reducing the benefits that they offer. That could be devastating to thousands of Los Angeles businesses, increasing their cost of doing business, impacting their future growth plans, and potentially resulting in job losses. During these difficult tough economic times, we should be doing all we can to promote the growth of business.

Click here to read the Resolution.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

New App for LAPD...
This week, I introduced a motion asking LAPD to take a look at a new smart phone app issued to NYPD officers. The app taps into gun registration records, traffic accident reports, and criminal databases to instantly determine if a person of interest has committed past crimes, owns a gun, or has a parolee photo on file. The app is also location aware, allowing NYPD officers to get surveillance images from known cameras in the region. I look forward to having a conversation with LAPD about this technology. Equipping LAPD officers with smart phones and a similar app would be a cost effective way to greatly increase the quality of policing in Los Angeles.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Intengration of ATSAC and LAPD Surveillance Systems...
With the rapid capture of the Boston bombing suspects by the FBI using digital imagery and closed circuit video surveillance, the need for an integrated and effective surveillance system accessible to Los Angeles City law enforcement has never been greater. As Chairman of the Public Safety Commission, I believe it is vital that the LAPD have instant split-feed access to the 460 traffic cameras already being used by the Department of Transportation’s Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control System and be able to review this data to catch suspected criminals and protect our community.

On Wednesday, I introduced a motion instructing the Police Department, the Department of Transportation, the Chief Legislative Analyst, and the City Administrative Officer, to report back to the Public Safety Committee on the current level of integration and compatibility between ATSAC and the LAPD’s surveillance monitoring system. Additionally, the motion requests the departments examine how the integration of these two systems can potentially be enhanced, and the feasibility of adding new software capabilities such as license plate recognition software.

Advances in technology are continuing to provide new tools to the Los Angeles Police Department to fight crime and keep communities safe. LAPD’s ability to capture and review video footage ranges from surveillance cameras maintained by LAPD that target high-crime areas to automatic license-plate-recognition systems (ALPRs), small cameras mounted on patrol cars that scan license plates for stolen vehicles and help monitor the movements of wanted felons and sexual predators.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Planning / Building and Safety Realignment…
On Wednesday, the Planning Land Use and Management Committee adopted my recommendations to develop a strategy to combine the Department of City Planning and the Department of Building and Safety, in order to create an all encompassing, streamlined land use, planning and administration system.

It is a recognized fact that the process of building in the City of Los Angeles is a complicated undertaking. Over the years, there have been various attempts to coordinate the procedures to create a more efficient process. However, prior attempts have not been successful, and procedures today are complicated, lengthy, cumbersome and generally inefficient.

This new integrated system will center on a full customer service approach. It will provide certainty through comprehensive codes, code reform update, and plan updates and utilize technology to enhance communication and promote transparency.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Regulating Mobile Billboards...
This week, the City Council unanimously approved several modifications to the City's existing regulations on advertising displays on motor vehicles. The adopted changes conform to recent amendments made by the State Legislature to the California Vehicle Code.

The most significant part of the City's regulations, which was passed last year, is the ban on mobile billboards on public streets. I worked with the City Attorney to craft this City ordinance and with the State Legislature to make the accompanying and necessary changes to State law. These mobile billboards were not only hazardous but also blight our neighborhoods. Since this ban on mobile billboards was enacted, they have all but disappeared from our communities.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Funding for the Gun Buyback Program...
I was pleased that the City Council approved funding for citywide Gun Buyback program. Through a partnership with Ralph’s Groceries, people who have an unwanted firearm can trade it in return for a Ralph’s gift card. This vital program keeps our neighborhoods safe from dangerous firearms from falling into the wrong hands. Since the buyback program began in 2009, almost 10,000 firearms have been taken off the streets. By further funding the Gun Buyback program we will remove more unwanted guns from our community and keep them from falling into the wrong hands.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Update on Implementation of FIRESTAT-LA…

This week the Fire Department came before the Public Safety Committee to provide an update on the implementation of FIRESTAT-LA. As Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, I authored FIRESTAT-LA to develop a comprehensive real-time system for the Fire Department modeled after the LAPD’s highly successful COMPSTAT. FIRESTAT-LA will employ cutting-edge technology and innovative management techniques to make the best Fire Department in the country even better.

ABOUT FIRESTAT-LA: Since 2002, LAPD's COMPSTAT has applied technology and management accountability techniques to dramatically reduce crime. Like COMPSTAT, FIRESTAT-LA will use near-real-time data collection and mapping of incidents, to deploy concentrated resources. There will be a cycle of constant assessment and communication of results, with frequent meetings and open dialogues among all levels of management. Results will be immediately analyzed and the data will be used to continuously seek management efficiencies and make improvements.

Under LAFD Chief Brian Cummings’ outstanding leadership, the Fire Department has already made great strides in incorporating technology to improve deployment and operational efficiency. FIRESTAT-LA will take this to the next level.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Getting Tough on “Swatting”…

This week I seconded a motion to address the rash of “swatting” incidents occurring around Los Angeles. The motion calls on the LAPD to report to the Public Safety Committee in thirty days with solutions to address these “swatting” incidents. It also requires the City Attorney to draft an ordinance requiring perpetrators of these crimes to pay restitution to the LAPD for all costs incurred while answering a false alarm and report on the feasibility of offering a reward to anyone providing information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the “swatting” perpetrators.

“Swatting” refers to false 9-1-1 calls claiming that a serious crime is occurring in order to draw a strong police response at the home of the victim. At least four “swatting” incidences occurred last week at the homes of various celebrities. False reports of shootings, homicides, and assaults occurred from Sherman Oaks to the Hollywood Hills. These false reports are not only financially costly to the LAPD, but are potentially dangerous. Many of these high profile victims of “swatting” have protection from armed security and could easily be confused with an armed intruder when police arrive on the scene. It is also dangerous to our first responders.

Additionally, I have asked for the City to support state legislation addressing this problem. Our City’s first responders are our first line of defense in emergencies and can not be put at risk or have their time and resources squandered by these senseless pranks.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Sober Graduation Press Conference…

On Monday, I joined Councilmember Dennis Zine, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School Police to kick off the 2013 Sober Graduation Program at Granada Hills Charter High School.

Established in 1985, the Sober Graduation Program is an anti-DUI program targeting high school seniors to increase their awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence. This year, additional emphasis was placed on educating teens on the dangers of distracted driving.

Each year the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division visits more than fifty schools in the San Fernando Valley as part of the “Don’t be a Statistic” campaign to re-enforce driver and peer responsibility. Student participants are invited to take a field sobriety test while wearing the “fatal vision” goggles which simulate the effects of being drunk under the influence, and participate in the distracted driving simulator to observe how distractions affect their driving abilities.

As Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, I am determined to keep our streets safe and reach out to teenagers with programs like Sober Graduation.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Holocaust Remembrance Day…

Last Sunday I was honored to attend Holocaust Remembrance Day at Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge. I was joined at the interfaith service by my fellow City Councilmember Dennis Zine and Congressman Brad Sherman. This service was an important opportunity to bring people of different faiths together to remember the millions of victims of the holocaust. Among the speakers were Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Reverend Steven Petty of the Northridge United Methodist Church, and Father David Loftus of Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. The event was moving and powerful and left attendees with a feeling of community and hopefulness for the future.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Street Parking at Porter Ranch Community School Extended...

I was pleased to introduce a motion to allow parking on Mason Avenue near Porter Ranch Community School for another four months. The extention will allow more time for permanent parking to be added and for the bike lane to be reopened during the school's summer break.

Parents at Porter Ranch Community School can be assured that they will not have any difficulties getting their children to class for the rest of the school year.

When the school year began parents were frustrated with the lack of street parking for parents who had to park and escort their children to kindergarten. Parents as well as volunteer traffic directors were getting parking tickets.

In October, as an interim solution and to provide some immediate relief, the City Council approved temporarily removing the bicycle lane on the east side of Mason Avenue and replace it with street parking. Because the bicycle lane was installed in accordance with the City’s Bicycle Master Plan, the City Council legally needed to approve even a temporary removal - it was not simply a matter of changing the signs out to allow parking.

As a result of this effort, we have been able to provide parking adjacent to the school for parents who need to escort their kids into the school as well for the school volunteers.

I want to thank the Portor Ranch Community School parents for their continued patience as we work to find more permanent solutions that will address their needs and concerns.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office any time at (818) 882-1212.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Intstant Reporting of Ammo Sales Approved by Board of Police Commissioners...

This week the Board of Police Commissioners approved a motion that I supported amending current law to include automatic, time-of-sale electronic reporting of all ammunition sales within the City of Los Angeles. It also directs the LAPD and the Information Technology Agency to work together to implement an electronic reporting system that can be made available to ammunition dealers throughout the City.

Currently, the law requires that ammunition sales take place face-to-face, that purchasers show proper identification and provide thumbprints, and that sellers keep a log of purchasers. However, to inspect the sales logs the LAPD must physically visit each seller, which is time consuming and inefficient.

This week’s approval by the Board of Police Commissioners brings us one step closer to seeing this program implemented.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Finding Out About Work on Your Street...
If you observe a contractor’s crew working in the streets of your neighborhood, and wonder what they are doing, you can get that information if you know who to call. The Department of Public Works is the sole authority for permitting work on your streets. All road work requires either a written contract with a City department or a permit issued by the Bureau of Engineering. In addition, there are strict quality control requirements imposed upon anyone who does such work. The Bureau of Contract Administration (Inspector of Public Works) is the City authority that protects your interests and ensures public safety and work quality on your streets and sidewalks.

If work is going on in your neighborhood, you have a right to know it’s being performed correctly. If illegal work is happening in the community, the Bureaus of Contract Administration and Street Services need to know so they can address the situation.

You can find out what the crew is doing by taking down the contractor's information on the side of their work vehicles. If no such information appears, check the license plate. We recommend you not approach the crew, since construction operations can be hazardous.

If you have any questions about street work in your area please call our office at (818) 882-1212.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Motion Approved to Allow for Online Filing of Police Reports...
On Wednesday the City Council unanimously approved my motion instructing the Los Angeles Police Department to develop a system to facilitate online filing of police reports.

Currently filing a police report has been a very time consuming task both for the public and the police. This motion will not only increase efficiency at the Police Department, but it will also make filing a report more convenient for citizens. Rather than having to call the LAPD and wait for officers to respond to minor infractions, citizens can get online and file a report themselves.

The Police Department’s website offers a great deal of important information such as crime mapping and submitting anonymous tips, but it has not provided a way for the public to file police reports electronically. This motion will allow the public to file their own reports and give them better access to police services.

Click here to see the motion.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

My L.A. 311 Mobile App is Now Available…

The My L.A. 311 mobile app is now available to smart phone users. The free application makes it easy for citizens to report problems like potholes, fallen trees, graffiti, and other nuisances using their iPhones and Androids. Users of the My L.A. 311 app can also pay their LADWP bills, find out City information, and follow breaking news from City Hall.

In 2011, I introduced a motion calling for the creation of a 311 app. The My L.A. 311 App is now available through iTunes as well as the Playstore for Android.

Click here to download the app from the Google Play store.

Click here to download from iTunes.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Advocating for the City of Los Angeles in Washington, D.C....

This week I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. with a multi-pronged agenda for the City of Los Angeles. I was able to meet with several members of Congress and United States Senators to brief them on the devastating consequences that a current proposal to eliminate or cap the tax free status of municipal bonds would have on the City's infrastructure. The most crippling effect would be that the cost of borrowing would increase significantly - thereby increasing the cost of all of the city's capital projects. In addition, this proposal would be retroactive, and create a hardship for the city's bond holders who had counted on the tax-free nature of their investment. Since the majority of these bonds are held by seniors, this is an especially bleak scenario.

I also attended the National League of Cities and assumed my position as a member of the National Public Safety Committee. As the Chair of the City Council's Public Safety Committee and a Reserve LAPD Officer, it is my duty and honor to be able to serve on behalf of the City in this capacity, at the national level.

Finally, I led a delegation of business leaders from the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) to promote the City of Los Angeles and share its unique concerns with our federal representatives.

-Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Working to Help Local Manufacturing Businesses Thrive...
I was proud to second a Resolution supporting Senate Bill 500, encouraging businesses to expand their investment in research and development. Sponsored by Senator Ted W. Lieu, the bill offers approved tax credits to businesses as a reward for growing their research and development departments.

While California remains a national leader in research and development investment we must to continue to nurture businesses in this vital area. The Senate Bill will increase the State’s tax credit from 15% to 20% of excess qualified research and development expenses.

I am a strong supporter of City efforts to support research and development in areas like technology, renewable energy, and alternative fuels, because these industries will create quality high-tech jobs.

We must do everything we can to help our local businesses compete in the global marketplace. Other cities, other states and even other countries are working to lure away companies and we must stay competitive. Click here to see the resolution.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Working to Protect Public Safety...
This week I seconded a motion to protect public safety by adding instant reporting of sales of ammunition to the LAPD. Existing law requires that ammunition sales take place face-to-face, that purchasers show proper identification and provide thumbprints, and that sellers keep a log of purchasers. However, to inspect the sales logs the LAPD must physically visit each seller, which is time consuming and inefficient.

This motion amends the law to include automatic, time-of-sale electronic reporting of all ammunition sales within the City of Los Angeles to the Board of Police Commissioners. The motion directs the LAPD and the Information Technology Agency to work together to implement an electronic reporting system that can be made available to ammunition dealers throughout the City.

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, and an LAPD Reserve Officer, I am committed to working to make our neighborhoods safer and reduce gun violence. Click here to see the motion.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Cracking Down on Driving Under the Influence...
On Wednesday, Feb. 27, I introduced a City resolution supporting a bill that would amend the State Vehicle Code to include a zero tolerance policy, making it a crime for an individual to operate a vehicle if their blood contains any detectable amount of a drug listed in the California Uniform Controlled Substance Act. As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, and an LAPD Officer, I am committed to finding law enforcement tools to address the public safety threat posed by people driving under the influence of drugs. Senate Bill 289, authored by State Senator Lou Correa (D – Santa Ana) has the support of state-wide law enforcement and victims’ rights groups. Current laws forbid driving under the influence of a controlled substance, but there is no effective way to measure whether a person is impaired by drugs, making it difficult for law enforcement officers to prove that someone is under the influence. Law enforcement groups believe that a zero tolerance policy, which would criminalize driving if a driver's blood contains any detectable amount of a scheduled drug is an effective tool to address the public safety threat posed by people driving under the influence of drugs. Click here to see the resolution.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Nearly 100 Community Members Join Wild West Chatsworth Community Bike Ride...

We were proud to have nearly 100 community members join us and CICLE for our Wild West Chatsworth Community Bike Ride on Saturday, Feb. 23. We toured some of Chatsworth's most iconic sites, highlighting the pioneer era history, Western film history, and the equestrian community that thrives today. Thank you to CICLE (www.CICLE.org) a non-profit organization that promotes bicycling for health, transportation and the environment and as a way to build community for leading the ride and keeping it safe and fun; Starbucks for donating free coffee; Western Bagel for donating free bagels; REI for donating a great backpack for a raffle prize; Alliance Beverage for donating water; and the community members who hosted us on our visits to Homestead Acre, Mr. Ed's Barn and Stoney Point Ranch.
Click here to see the photo gallery.
Click here to see the video

Creating Tools to Address Issue of Vehicles Used in Serious Crimes...
On Feb. 19, I voted YES on a motion that instructs the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance that allows the City to seize and impound vehicles used in the commission or attempted commission of pimping, pandering, illegal dumping of waste, or solicitation of prostitution. As of Jan. 1, 2010, the California Vehicle Code allows cities to declare a motor vehicle to be a public nuisance. The vehicle can be impounded for up to 30 days if it is used in acts of prostitution, solicitation, pandering or loitering, if the owner or operator of the vehicle has had a prior conviction for the same offense in the past three years. Impounding vehicles that are used for those crimes is a key law enforcement tool to address a serious public safety and crime issue in the City. Such vehicle seizure measures have been found to be a strong deterrent to people who solicit prostitutes. Click here to see the motion.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Working to Fight Gang Violence...
This week in City Council, I voted YES on a motion to establish an Ad-Hoc Committee on Gang Violence in the City of Los Angeles. As Chair of the Public Safety Committee and an LAPD Reserve Officer, protecting public safety and working to reduce crime is my top priority. Gang violence is one of the most serious public safety concerns that we face in Los Angeles, and it is crucial that we develop tools to address gang violence in the City in a comprehensive way. Click here to see the motion. - Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Website With Information About Street Repair Bond...
https://sites.google.com/site/lastreetbond/home

The website has been put up with detailed information about the Los Angeles Emergency Local Street Safety and Traffic Improvement Measure. The proposal by Councilmembers Mitchell Englander and Joe Buscaino is to place before voters a $3 billion General Obligation bond to repair and rebuild all the failed and poor condition streets in Los Angeles in 10 years.

Los Angeles' streets are in the worst condition of any major US city, costing vehicle owners about $750 in additional maintenance every year. Chronic underfunding of street maintenance from the 1950's - 1990's led to the deterioration of 8,700 miles of city streets, that now must be completely reconstructed. Budget constraints only allow for a very small number of streets to be reconstructed every year. At the current rate of repair, it would take 60 years to reconstruct all 8,700 miles.

The website has an FAQ page, a powerpoint presentation, and links to several studies and reports about the condition of LA streets and the benefits of investing in infrastructure.

To see the website, go to https://sites.google.com/site/lastreetbond/home.

LAPD Releases 2012 Crime Statistics...
On Jan. 7, the LAPD released its year-end citywide crime statistics for 2012, showing that overall, crime has continued to decline in the City for 10 years. The City has seen a 39% drop in homicides since in 2005 . Serious crimes such as homicide, rape, burglary and theft in 2012 were also down 19% compared with 2005. Total violent crimes in 2012 were 8.2% lower than in 2011 and 40.2% lower than in 2005. Total property crimes were up .2% over 2011, but were still lower 23.6% lower than in 2005. To see the LAPD 2012 Crime Snapshot report, visit http://tiny.cc/kjgmqw. The men and women of the LAPD who protect and serve our community every day have our deep gratitude and admiration.

45 Year Lease Secured for Youth Ball Fields in Granada Hills...
Atthe Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11, we secured the final approval for a 45 year lease agreement between MWD, Department of Water and Power (DWP), and the Granada Hills Youth Recreation Center.

We worked for 10 years to find a way to ensure that the thousands of boys and girls from our community could continue to use the Granada Hills ball fields for generations to come. This is more than simply a soccer field - generations of youth in our community have grown up playing soccer and baseball at this facility, learning the values of sportsmanship, community involvement and team work. Many families have fond memories from years of spending Saturdays and Sundays watching their children play soccer and baseball.

10 years ago, MWD needed to expand their water filtration operations and needed the space where the ball fields were located, and there was no suitable alternative location. It was possible that our community would have lost this cherished resource. Our office, DWP, MWD and the Mayor's office were able to find a mutually beneficial solution that provided a location to MWD for their operations on City property, and we secured the 45-year lease so that we could keep the ball fields at the current location in Granada Hills.

Unveiling of Sherwood Forest Community Sign...
On Friday Dec. 7, I was proud to join the Sherwood Forest community to unveil the new Sherwood Forest community sign, marking the official designation as a named community in Los Angeles. To see more photos, click here.

This unique and historic community with ranch-style homes and lush, beautiful trees lining the streets was one of the original development tracts in Los Angeles. I’m proud to represent many neighborhoods where community pride and identity are strong and vibrant. We are all part of the great City of Los Angeles, and it is an honor to pay homage to our local communities that contribute to the diversity of Los Angeles.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Working to Ensure Santa Susana Field Laboratory Site is Cleaned to Highest Standard Possible...
I introduced a resolution Friday, Dec. 14 in opposition to any legislation or administrative action which would transfer to private use the NASA owned land at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory site in Ventura County until all clean-up and remediation of the site is complete.

In the 1970s, NASA acquired over 450 acres of land in Ventura County at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory site and conducted rocket engine tests. The rocket tests resulted in extensive soil and groundwater contamination at and around the site, including pollution from trichloethylene, PCBs, PAHs, dioxins, and heavy metals.

NASA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) have a consent agreement requiring NASA to clean its land to background levels, and clean-up operations are still ongoing. Despite this, in 2010 NASA declared the land as excess Federal property, a first step towards transferring the land to a new owner. It is crucial that the clean-up plan for the site be fully completed, and the potential purchasers of the land may not be legally bound to the agreed-to clean-up requirements.

Although the Field Lab site is outside of the City, the pollution poses a potential threat to the health and safety of families living in the nearby neighborhoods. I am committed to doing everything possible to ensure that the Santa Susana Field Lab site is cleaned up for the protection of our community and the enviroment. To see the resolution, go to http://db.tt/ylcii4Ar .

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Community Care Facilities Ordinance Approved by Public Safety Committee - Sent On to Full Council...

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I convened a special Committee meeting on Monday, Dec. 10 to discuss the need to advance my Community Care Facilities Ordinance (CCFO). I called the meeting in response to the quadruple homicide at an unlicensed boarding house in Northridge. I introduced several important amendments to ensure that the CCFO would not have unintended negative consequences on people with disabilities, veterans and other vulnerable populations. Disability rights groups had raised concerns, and we incorporated them into the ordinance. The CCFO will come to the full City Council for a vote in January 2013.

The tragic murder underscored the need to regulate such facilities. The home had well over a dozen people, some of them disabled, living in filthy, dangerous conditions. Some doors and exits were blocked, and rooms were cramped and filled with dirty mattresses, urine and feces, and there were unsafe, unpermitted structures on the property.

I led development of the CCFO. It is common-sense legislation, carefully crafted to not discriminate against any groups. It will enable licensed, well-run group homes to continue providing their services. The CCFO will give the City the tools to ensure that vulnerable people including people with disabilities, seniors and veterans are not victim to the overcrowded, unsafe and unsanitary conditions like those seen in the home in Northridge.

It will also address the proliferation of unlicensed, illegal nuisance group homes and boarding facilities that have had a huge negative impact on single-family neighborhoods across the City. It would regulate unlicensed facilities operating as businesses in residential areas with up to 50 people crammed into a single home, often without any supervision, programs or security, or adequate kitchen or bathroom facilities.

To see the Daily News editorial supporting the Community Care Facilities Ordinance click here.

To see the Community Care Facilities Ordinance draft, go to http://tiny.cc/CCFODraft.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Resolution Calling for Change in State Re-Alignment Law in Response to Northridge Quadruple Homicide...
In response to the quadruple homicide at an unlicensed boarding house in Northridge, I introduced a resolution on Friday, Dec. 7 calling for amendments to the California “Public Safety Realignment” laws that are moving criminals from state prisons into county jails.
The alleged killer had a long criminal history, including violent crimes, and the fact that he was out on the street and not behind bars underscores the dangers posed by re-alignment. The Realignment laws must be amended to protect our community from violent crime.

My resolution seeks to amend the Public Safety Realignment (AB 109 and AB 117) to require that offenders with prior convictions of violent and/or serious crimes be subject to stricter supervision and sentencing requirements. Three Police Officers and three former California State Legislators were among the signers of the resolution. It was seconded by Councilmembers Paul Krekorian, Dennis Zine, Joe Buscaino, Paul Koretz, and Herb Wesson. To see the resolution go to http://tiny.cc/Realignment_Reso. To see the press release click here.
- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Chatsworth Kiwanis Holiday Parade, Festival and Car Show...

Get ready for the the 29th Annual Chatsworth Holiday Parade, featuring hundreds of floats, marching bands, clowns, horse teams, live music, food, booths, arts and crafts, games, photos with Santa Claus, a Kid's Zone and more! The theme this year is "Under the Sea."

Sunday, Dec. 9. 9:00 am - Car Show Check-In. 1:00 pm - Parade Begins. 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Festival. On Canoga Ave. between Devonshire St. and Lassen St. in Chatsworth.

This year the Chatsworth Holiday Parade will also feature a car show! Hundreds of cars will be on display, including trophies for categories including Best Classic, Best Hot Rod, Best Muscle Car, Best Paint, Best Domestic, Best of Show, and People’s Choice. The event will feature lots of food vendors and entertainment. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy or gift card to donate to the toy drive benefiting Project Living Hope. No burnouts, pop-up tents, trailer parking or alcohol are allowed. Proceeds benefit the Chatsworth Kiwanis Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please call Larry Stein at (818) 800-3287 or email larry@thegoldhillgroup.com.

Donations & Volunteering During the Holidays...
There are many wonderful community-based organizations and charities doing good work in our community to help less fortunate families. There are plenty of great opportunities to volunteer or donate to these great causes over the holidays.

North Valley YMCA Thanksgiving Dinner Basket Drive - To support the North Valley Family YMCA's effort to give complete Thanksgiving dinner baskets to struggling families, you can donate donate canned goods, dried goods, stuffing, desert, vegetables, turkeys, gift cards or money. Drop off donations at the YMCA, at 11336 Corbin Ave., Porter Ranch. For more information, call Tracy Karagari at (818) 368-3231 ext. 2325.

Kiwanis Club of Northridge Thanksgiving Dinners & Holiday Gifts - To support the Kiwanis Club of Northridge's annual Thanksgiving Basket Drive to help 75 struggling families at Napa Street, you can donate canned or non-perishable Thanksgiving dinner food items, such as canned vegetables, stuffing, or gift cards. For information email Scott Spooner at piquetson@aol.com. You can also support the Northridge Kiwanis Santa's Helpers in their effort to give holiday presents to 25 children and their families from Napa Street Elementary School by donating new, unwrapped toys, gifts or gift cards. For information, email Lawrence Nye at nye-guy@juno.com.

MEND - You can help MEND (Meeting All Needs With Dignity) by participating in their 2012 Christmas Program. Through MEND, you, your family, your business, or your organization are connected with needy families during the season of giving. You can "adopt" a family or donate to their food drive or their toy drive to help struggling families be able to enjoy the holidays. To learn how you can help, click here. To volunteer, call (818) 896-0246 or email volunteering@mendpoverty.org.

Granada Hills Woman's Club & Burlington Coat Factory Warm Coats Warm Hearts Coat Drive - Through Dec. 31, you can drop off used coats (in good condition, without stains or holes) to the two drop-off locations to help provide warm coats to homeless and struggling families in Los Angeles during the cold winter months. Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce, located at 17723 Chatsworth St. Granada Hills. (11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Thursday, 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm Friday). Bicycle Den, located at 16908 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Granada Hills. (11:00 am to 4:00 pm, 7 days a week) For more information email skilos1234@aol.com.

Fall Community Clean Up Event at Limekiln Canyon Park a Huge Success...

We were proud to partner with middle-school student Sam Dobry and his fellow student leaders for our Fall Community Clean-Up event on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Limekiln Canyon Park. Student volunteers from several local schools led the clean-up activities, including removal of graffiti, cleaning up trash and debris, and beautification of Limekiln Canyon. To see more photos of the clean-up effort, visit our photo galleries at cd12.org/PhotoGallery/index.htm.

Wal-Mart of Porter Ranch is generously providing free breakfast for the volunteers. Ralph's of Porter Ranch is donating free bottled water. Trader Joe's of Chatsworth is donating free protein bars and bottled water. Our thanks and congratulations go out to the outstanding young community members who led this effort, and to all of those who volunteered, sponsored and contributed to project to protect and beautify our community green spaces!

If you would like to volunteer or sponsor a community event in District 12 please call our Community Service Center at (818) 882 – 1212.

Drop Off Paint, Batteries, Electronics and Other Household Hazardous Waste at New SAFE Center in Granada Hills...

SAFE Center - 10241 N. Balboa Blvd. (at Devonshire St.), Granada Hills
Open Saturdays & Sundays, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
For more information including a list of exactly what the SAFE Center accepts, click here or call (800) 988-6942.

What Does the SAFE Center Accept?
Electronic, automotive and Household Hazardous Waste. TVs, electronic toys, motor oil, paint, pool chemicals, fluorescent light bulbs, and batteries. It is illegal to throw away these items into the regular trash, because once in landfills, they can leach toxic pollution into the air, soil and groundwater.

The new Nicole Bernson SAFE Center offers Northwest Valley residents a convenient and safe location in their own community to drop off Household Hazardous Waste.
Former Councilmember Greig Smith had the SAFE Center named after our Deputy Chief of Staff Nicole Bernson in recognition of her years of dedicated and effective work in developing and passing the RENEW LA plan and helping to dramatically advance the City's recycling and environmental policies.

Open House on Chatsworth Park South Clean-Up...

Councilmember Englander hosted an informational open house on Oct. 18 with the State Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) and the City Department of Recreation and Parks to update the community and answer questions on the progress of the clean-up at Chatsworth Park South, as well as future activity at the park, and the next steps toward re-opening it to the public. To see a video from the meeting posted by Chatsworth.Patch.com, click here.

The park was closed in February 2008 for safety reasons after lead and other contaminants were discovered. The contamination resulted from clay pigeons used for skeet shooting on the land, which was a shooting range more than 50 years ago before it became a City park.

At the meeting, attended by nearly 150 community members, we shared two conceptual plans for the future of the park.

To see the TRAILS concept, click here.

To see the EQUESTRIAN concept, click here.

We also encouraged community members to share their thoughts on the proposal and the future of the park using our online survey. To fill out the survey, click here.

Councilmember Englander told those attending the meeting that we are working to have the gymnasium open by early 2013. There is lead contamination at the gym, which will be cleaned up. Vandalism will be repaired. The new $80,000 gym floor, which was installed with Prop. K funds after the park was closed, is undamaged. The parking lot will be reopened, but the rest of the park will remain until the remediation is complete. The gym will closed again as a safety precaution while contaminated topsoil is removed, because the process can kick up dust containing contaminants.

Councilmember Englander is committed to ensuring that the park is safe for use by the community and getting it open so that families can once again enjoy it. Our office continues to work closely with DTSC and Recreation and Parks to get the park cleaned up and safe for use.

For more information, call CD 12 District Director Megan Cottier at (818) 882-1212 or email Megan.Cottier@lacity.org.

OK/HELP Earthquake Window Sign Launched with Live Demonstration...
As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I was proud to be joined by LAFD Fire Chief Brian Cummings, Dr. Lucy Jones of the US Geological Survey, Terri Corigliano, Chief Communications Officer of American Red Cross LA Region and dozens of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteers to launch the new OK/HELP earthquake window sign.

To have an OK/HELP window sign mailed to you, send an email with your name and address to Councilmember.Englander@lacity.org, subject: "Send me OK/HELP" City of Los Angeles residents only please!

We held a press conference and live demonstration of how this valuable community preparedness tool will be used. OK/HELP is a window sign we designed with clear, simple instructions provided by the Los Angeles Fire Department, American Red Cross, and the U.S. Geological Survey on what to do immediately after a major earthquake. After a major earthquake, the user tears off the sign and posts it in their front window indicating to emergency personnel, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) or neighbors if they are "OK" or need "HELP."

To see a graphic of the OK HELP sign online at http://db.tt/wJra70QV
To see more photos of the demonstration, visit http://tiny.cc/OKHELPphotos

After the press conference, a live demonstration was staged showing how to use the OK/HELP sign. Several houses posted the sign up in their windows. The CERT volunteer team swept the street, checking the status of all of the houses. When they located the house that needed
"HELP," they radioed the location to the Firefighters, who responded with a Fire Engine and simulated giving aid to the injured resident.

50,000 of OK/HELP window signs will be distributed for free to LA residents, first in the San Fernando Valley and eventually city wide. As part of a broader outreach effort to increase community engagement in emergency preparedness, they will available at LAFD Fire Stations, Recreation Centers, librararies, and will handed out at Neighborhood Council meetings, Neighborhood Watch meetings, and will be mailed out.

Working to Improve LA City and County Fire Departments' Coordination on 911 Responses...

Councilmember introduced a motion on Wednesday, Oct. 24 to improve the coordination between the Los Angeles City and County Fire Departments as well as Departments of other neighboring cities on 911 calls occurring near the City's borders. It was recently revealed that many 911 calls in areas close to the City's borders had much longer response times than in other areas.
To see the story in the L.A. Times about this issue, click here.

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Councilmember Englander requested that the LAFD report back to his committee on the existing protocols and agreements regarding 911 calls in border areas. The motion also asks for recommdendations on ways that they could be improved to ensure that people who call 911 get the fastest possible emergency response, regardless of whether it comes from a County or a City Fire Station.

Creating Tools to Enable Us to Shut Down Illegal Marijuana Businesses in Our Community...
On Tuesday, Oct. 2, the City Council voted to repeal the "soft ban" which prohibited all storefront marijuana shops, but still allowed small groups of patients and their caregivers to grow and share marijuana. The Council was forced to vote because medical marijuana advocates had gathered enough signatures to place a referendum on a City ballot asking voters to overturn the soft ban. The City Council had to either repeal the ban on its own, or allow the question to go to the voters. Placing the question on the ballot for the upcoming election would have cost taxpayers up to $3 million at a time when the budget shortfall has forced reductions in core City services. The ban was expected to be overturned by voters.

With the soft ban repealed, the City was left without any regulations on marijuana facilities in Los Angeles. I immediately introduced a motion calling on the Department of Building and Safety and the LAPD to enforce existing zoning codes, which currently do not allow any retail marijuana businesses that offer pot-for-cash. That will enable us to close storefront marijuana shops in our community. Click here to see our press release .

Working for Improvements in State Law on Medical Marijuana...
On the same day, I co-authored a resolution calling on the State Legislature to take action, in a manner consistent with Federal drug laws, to address the inadequacies of California State law governing cultivation, recommendation, and distribution of medical marijuana. This includes more clearly defining cities' abilities to regulate marijuana facilities on the local level, creating better regulation of doctors prescribing marijuana, and clearly defining what ailments marijuana can be prescribed for. Click here to see the resolution .

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Geat Ready for the Great California ShakeOut!

www.ShakeOut.org
Get ready to "Drop, Cover and Hold On" for the Great California ShakeOut, the largest earthquake drill in history, on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 10:18 am.

It is not a question of IF, but WHEN the big one will hit California, so join millions of people, schools, businesses and community-based organizations for this exercise. It's a great way for you, your family, your workplace, or your organization to get better prepared to survive and quickly recover from a major earthquake. Last year more than 12.5 million people registered as participants in ShakeOut drills worldwide.

At the ShakeOut website, www.shakeout.org, you can register as a participant, and it is one of the best resources in the world to find information on how to get prepared to survive, and quickly recover from a major earthquake. It also has huge amounts of information on earthquake preparedness equipment, training, planning, earthquake science, special educational sections for kids, and much more. To learn how to register, and to learn how to get prepared, visit http://www.shakeout.org/california.

‎"First Year in Review: Bringing Common Sense to City Hall"

On March 8, 2011 you honored me by electing me to represent you on the Los Angeles City Council, and I am truly grateful for the trust you have placed in me. It is with great pleasure that I share with you this overview of the many pieces of legislation and projects that we have achieved together in my first year in office. To see an online interactive version of my First Year in Review book, go to http://tiny.cc/Englander_YearOne. Please share it with your neighbors and friends! To download or print a PDF version, click here. To have a printed copy of the book mailed to you, please email us your name and address at Councilmember.Englander@lacity.org.

Thank you to every community member who has communicated and worked with me and my staff over the past year. Your support and input have been extremely valuable to creating the goals of my administration. As always, please continue to contact me with your suggestions and ideas for how we can continue to improve our community. I look forward to another year of working together with you!

Working To Bring Meangingful Pension Reform to the City of Los Angeles...
On Wednesday, Sept. 19, I was proud to join Council President Herb Wesson, Mayor Villaraigosa and Chief Administrative Officer Miguel Santana to announce progress on a major pension reform proposal for the City of Los Angeles. Every dollar that we save on pensions today is a dollar that we can spend on the city's core services: Police, Fire, streets, sidewalks, tree trimming, parks, and libraries. The Pension Reform Package comes before the City Council next week. To see the NBC story, click here.

The Basics of the Pension Reform Proposal
1. Moving the retirement ages up from 55 to 65 years to reflect
trends that people are living longer and able to work longer.
2. Capping the maximum retirement allowance at 75% of an employee's
final compensation instead of up to 100%.
3. Eliminating pension spiking by setting an employee's pension on a
3-year salary average rather than one year.

4. Modifying disability retirement benefits to avoid spikes in the
number of disability retirements.

5. Eliminating the current 50% survivor continuance benefit and
providing employees with an option to purchase a continuance for
their surviving spouse or domestic partner.

6. Capping future retiree annual cost-of-living adjustments to 2% with
the option for the employee to purchase up to 3%.

9) Controlling retiree healthcare costs by limiting the benefit to retirees only, not their dependents.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Working to Support Jobs in a Green Economy...
This week, I voted for an ordinance to extend the City's Green Retrofit and Workforce Program, Green Retrofit Development Interdepartmental Task Force, and Green Retrofit Development Advisory Council. To see the motion, click here. Established in May 2009, the Green Retrofit and Workforce Program was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It was meant to identify resources and implementing environmental retrofits to municipal buildings to save water and energy while providing training to workers who were displaced by layoffs during the recession, or come from high unemployment areas of the City. This vote was to extend these programs for a second time. - Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Appointment of CD 12 Resident to L.A. Human Relations Commission...
We were proud to re-appoint Dr. Yasmin Delahoussaye to the Human Relations Commission this week in City Council. Yasmin lives in the CD12 portion of North Hills and is the Vice President of Student Services at Los Angeles Valley College.
She holds a Bachelors degree in history from California State University, Los Angeles; a Masters degree in educational psychology from California State University, Northridge and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Los Angeles. She was also appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California State Student Aid Commission.
The Human Relations Commission works to improve the lives of all residents of Los Angeles by listening to their needs, researching and identifying potential sources of conflict and working toward resolutions. The Commission identifies and discusses the City's changing ethnic , demographic and economic landscape, acts as community advocates, offers training programs, and facilitates dialogue.
To learn more, visit http://hrc.lacity.org/commission.html.

Working to Bring Companies to Los Angeles to Create Jobs and Boost the Economy...

The City Council approved the motion I co-authored to extend the business tax "holiday" for new businesses starting up in L.A. and existing businesses relocating to the City for another three years to help create jobs and boost the economy. This is exactly the kind of tool that the City can and should be using to encourage start up businesses and attract them to re-locate in L.A. so we can help create jobs and get our economy back on track.

The motion, which was co-authored with Councilmember Eric Garcetti, would allow new businesses that open in, or existing businesses that relocate to the City of Los Angeles to not have to pay the business tax, or gross receipts tax, for their first three years of operation. The tax holiday would be extended for another three years.

The City must do more to compete with other cities, states and even countries that have are making major efforts to lure away companies from Los Angeles. The high cost of doing business in Los Angeles is commonly cited as a reason that companies leave the City. The three year extension of this program was set to expire on December 31, 2012, at a time when Los Angeles has an unemployment rate of 12.2% (as of May 2012), well above the county, the state and the nation as a whole. To see the story on KPCC 89.3 FM click here. The motion returns for a final vote in City Council next week. To see the motion, visit click here .

Police Make Significant Arrests in Knock Knock Burglaries...
As Chair of the Public Safety Committee and an LAPD Reserve Officer, I was extremely proud to join the LAPD at a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 19 as they announced breakthroughs in the so-called "Knock Knock" burglaries. At the press conference, the LAPD announced the arrests made through intense cooperation and investigation by their special burglary task force, with the Glendale Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, the L.A. County Sheriff, the Beverly Hills Police Department, the District Attorney and the IRS. They arrested 59 suspects, including four pawnshop owners where the stolen goods were sold.

Knock Knock burglars have been robbing homes in hillside residential neighborhoods, including in the San Fernando Valley, for more than eight months. They would cruise through neighborhoods, seeking out homes that look like the residents are not home. They would knock on the front door, and if no one answered, they would force entry through doors or windows on the side or back of the home. The Police urge residents to keep their doors and windows locked.

Update on Porter Ranch School Parking...

Significant progress was made in untangling the traffic mess at Porter Ranch Community School at a meeting that I hosted with representatives from L.A. Department of Transportation, LAUSD, LAUSD School Police, Renaissance Home Owners Association, Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council, and a parent representative.

Community members and parents had been highly concerned about traffic congestion and parking tickets at the recently opened K-8 school, because LAUSD had not built adequate parking facilities to accommodate pick-up and drop-off of students. The situation was particularly difficult for parents of kindergartners because they had to park and escort their young children into the school.

Our meeting was a success, and all parties were able to come together to find mutually agreeable solutions so that we can ensure the safety of the kids, and address the concerns of the community. At the meeting, LADOT agreed to install 25 mph speed limit signs on the roads surrounding the school. In the meantime, I am having speed trailers deployed to both Sesnon and Mason to remind drivers to observe the speed limit. I am also looking into ways to address the immediate question of how to ensure that the 150 kindergartners can be safely escorted into the school. LAUSD will be conducting studies into long-term traffic, parking and circulation solutions. Any permanent solutions would require traffic and engineering studies, which take time but should be done properly.

I will also be introducing a motion that will allow the City to implement some interim traffic measures to provide immediate relief to the situation. In addition, the school is looking at ways to improve its own management of the drop-off system on the school site.
- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Free Waste Collection Events...
The City is holding two free waste collection events up in the San Fernando Valley to offer residents a convenient place to safely and properly dispose of waste items that are illegal to throw away in the regular trash.

Motor Oil, Used Filters, and Electronic Waste
Saturday, Sept. 22. 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Anheuser-Busch. 15800 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys

Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics
Saturday, Sept. 29. Sunday, Sept. 30
9:00 am to 3:00 pm. CSUN
18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge.
(Parking Lot F-10, at Lassen St. & Lindley Ave.)

Donations Needed to Help Our Local Veterans...
The Sepulveda Veterans Administration (VA) Ambulatory Care Center provides crucial services to thousands of Veterans who have served our country in the military. Among their many services and programs, the Sepulveda VA offers free clothing to at least 100 struggling Veterans per month. However, they are running extremely low on clothing and need your help. You can help support our local Veterans by donating *NEW* men's T-shirts, boxers, and especially socks. Drop off donations Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm at the Sepulveda VA, 16111 Plummer St., in North Hills, building #22, in the Volunteer Office, Room 204. For more information call (818) 895-9325.

Bureau of Street Services Releases State of the Streets...

Keeping track of the condition of over 6,500 miles of streets in the City of Los Angeles is a huge task, and to do it, Street Services conducts a comprehensive survey of all City streets using MicroPAVER™, a state-of-the-art computer driven pavement management system. The Bureau’s Pavement Management Section divides the City’s street network into 69,000 segments. Each segment is surveyed using a specially equipped van, which takes digital images of the street surface and uses lasers to capture roadway roughness and rutting data. Each street segment is given a grade from A to F, based on its condition. Because Los Angeles is so vast, the Pavement Management Team completes the survey once every three years. The results determine which streets receive priority for maintenance and resurfacing, ensuring that the streets that are in the worst conditoin are given priority. The results from each survey are published every three years in the State of the Streets report. To see the State of the Streets Report, click here .

Council Approves Ban on Storefront Marijuana Shops...

The City Council on Tuesday, July 24 voted unanimously on the motion that I co-authored to ban all storefront marijuana shops in the City of Los Angeles. The ordinance would allow small groups of patients and their primary caregivers to grow medical marijuana on their own. As Chair of the Public Safety Committee and as an LAPD Reserve Officer, I know first-hand about the crime and other negative impacts on our neighborhoods that the illegal storefront marijuana stores have had. The City has struggled for years with the impacts, and has been unable to find ways to effectively regulate them. When California voters approved the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 legalizing medical marijuana, it is likely that they had clinics or pharmacies in mind, serving people with serious illnesses, rather than the nearly 1,000 storefront marijuana stores that sprang up across L.A.

It has become commonplace for people as young as 18 years old to easily obtain prescriptions for ailments such as anxiety or insomnia and buy marijuana from storefront dispensaries for recreational drug use. Marijuana remains illegal at the Federal level for any use.

Since 2008, Police conducting raids of illegal marijuana businesses have made over 74 arrests citywide, and seized over $2 million in cash, assault weapons, nine kilograms of cocaine, and large amounts of other illegal drugs. Together with LAPD Narcotics Enforcement Officers, we shut down 60 of the illegal marijuana dispensaries that were operating in our District, and there are none currently operating in Council District 12.
- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Chatsworth Nature Preserve Ecology Pond Re-Filled...

In response to my requests, Department of Water and Power (DWP) officials filled the Chatsworth Nature Preserve Ecology Pond over the weekend. The water level of the Ecology Pond had been sinking lower and lower due to natural evaporation. Many nearby residents and members of the environmental and wildlife protection community shared my concerns that this could have destroyed what was a beautiful and delicate ecosystem supporting numerous plant and animal species. The Chatsworth Nature Preserve and its ecology pond are treasures of open space and natural habitat. They are very special to me and to the
surrounding community and I am committed to protecting them. I am grateful to DWP General manager Ron Nichols for recognizing the importance of protecting the Ecology Pond and responding quickly to my request to have it filled. - Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

West Nile Virus Found in the San Fernando Valley...

Greater L.A. County Vector Control has discovered mosquitos carrying the West Nile Virus in the San Fernando Valley. West Nile Virus is transmitted to people and animals through mosquito bites. There is no cure, and one in five persons infected with West Nile Virus will actually experience symptoms.

Symptoms usually occur between five and 15 days and can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea or a skin rash. The symptoms can last for several weeks to months. About one in 150 people infected with the virus will require hospitalization. To learn more about West Nile Virus, click here.

To report standing water, green swimming pools, mosquitos, or dead birds, call Greater L.A. County Vector Control at (562) 244-2648 or visit www.glacvcd.org.

How you can help reduce threat of West Nile Virus
Eliminate standing water in clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, discarded tires, buckets, watering troughs or anything that holds water for more than a week. - Ensure that swimming pools, spas and ponds are clean and maintained. - Change the water in pet dishes, birdbaths and other small containers weekly. - Request free mosquitofish from your Vector Control for use in spas and ponds. - Report mosquito activity around vacant or foreclosed homes and report neglected (green) swimming pools and other large bodies of standing water.

Brush Clearance at Chatsworth Park South for Fire Safety...
I am pleased to announce that brush clearance began at Chatsworth Park South on Thursday morning and will continue today around the front of the park. Brush clearance activities will begin on Monday and continue for approximately 10 days. I shared the concerns of residents of the surrounding community about the buildup of dry vegetation in Chatsworth Park South as the wildfire season approaches. In response, I pushed to have brush clearance at the closed park started as fast as possible in order to help protect the surrounding neighborhoods from the threat of wildfires.

The City is under an agreement with the State Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) for lead and PAH clean-up at Chatswoth Park South, which was contaminated when the property was used as a firing rage before it became a City park. The park is closed until those activities are completed and the City and the DTSC have been working through the logistics of that effort. Brush clearance had been delayed in the park because City workers are prohibited from providing maintenance where there is a potential threat of being exposed to toxic substances. The specially-trained, contracted workers that have been hired must wear monitors and protective gear when doing the brush clearance. - Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Incentive for L.A. Auto Dealerships Approved in Council...
The proposal that I co-authored to eliminate the business tax for new car dealerships in Los Angeles to help boost the economy and create jobs, was unanimously approved on Tuesday July 3 by the City Council.

The move, co-authored by Councilmember Garcetti, in collaboration with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, will create an incentive for new car dealerships to locate in and remain in the City, which has lost 95 dealerships over the last 25 years. Los Angeles must do more to compete with other cities for good, job-creating businesses like new car dealerships. New auto dealers generate large amounts of sales tax revenue to the City, create large numbers of quality jobs, and generate additional business for other local small companies.

According to the City Office of Finance, in the 2011 Tax Year, new car dealerships generated taxable sales of $3.2 billon. This represents approximately $32 million in sales tax and only $3.9 million in business tax, or gross receipts tax. That $32 million in sales tax goes to the City’s General Fund, which translates directly to the City’s ability to provide crucial services, such as police, fire, and infrastructure. According to the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association, car dealers in the City of Los Angeles employ 5,200 employees and generate $640 million in wages and benefits.
- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Grand Opening of the Canoga Ave. Orange Line...

We were proud to cut the ribbon on the recently completed Metro Canoga Ave. Orange Line Extension! The four mile busway started taking passengers between Chatsworth Depot Metrolink Station and the Warner Center endpoint of the Orange Line Busway, on Saturday, June 30. We have supported and worked on the Canoga Ave. Orange Line Extension from its inception in order to offer fast, safe, convenient public transit and make the entire regional public transit system more available to Northwest Valley commuters, while alleviating traffic congestion and pollution.

The busway features four new stations at Sherman Way, Roscoe Blvd., Nordhoff St. and Chatsworth Depot Metrolink Station, with public art, bicycle parking and other amenities. A beautiful bike and pedestrian path landscaped with native, drought-tolerant plants runs parallel to the busway, and will connect to the long bike and walking path along the original Orange Line. There is also a new park-and-ride lot at the Sherman Way Station and additional parking at Chatsworth Depot.

To see more photos of the ribbon cutting celebration visit our photo gallery at http://cd12.org/PhotoGallery/index.htm.
To see the route map and other information, visit www.metro.net/projects/orangeline.
For questions about the Canoga Orange Line Extension, please call Metro at (818) 701-2827 or email molextension@metro.net.

Welcome to the New Council District 12...
Starting Monday, July 2, the new boundary lines will take effect for Council District 12 based on the recently completed redistricting process. The City Charter requires the City to redraw council lines every 10 years to reflect changes in the the US Census.

As it has for decades, Council District 12 will still encompass the communities of the Northwest San Fernando Valley. The biggest change redistricting brings is that there will be fewer communities that are divided into more than one Council District. I strongly believe in keeping communities and their Neighborhood Councils whole. Split Neighborhood Councils dilute accountability and limit communities and Council offices from effectively working together.

Before the changed District boundaries, District 12 represented eight Neighborhood Councils entirely and the six others partially. Under the new boundaries, there are nine Neighborhood Councils that are entirely within Council District 12 and just one that falls within two Council Districts.

I am also proud that Council District 12 now contains the entire community of West Hills. Council District 12 has long represented West Hills north of Roscoe Blvd. Uniting West Hills into District 12 (together with Chatsworth) will help us to ensure that the Chatsworth Nature Preserve, the only nature preserve within the City of Los Angeles, will remain as a treasure of open space and natural habitats for future generations.

West Hills is also the community where I was born and raised. I grew up near Platt and Vanowen, graduated from Justice Street Elementary School, and was Bar Mitzvahed at Congregation Beth Kodesh, which later merged into Shomrei Torah Synagogue. I am honored to serve a community that has given so much to me and my family.

My deepest gratitude goes to the people who live and work in Council District 12’s portions of Canoga Park, Winnetka, Encino and Lake Balboa. It has been an honor and privilege to represent these communities as Councilmember and Chief of Staff to the former Councilmember. While I never wanted to lose any part of our current District, I support the new District lines which will have the populations of these great neighborhoods each represented by a single Council District.

Click here to see a map of the new Council District 12.
Click here to see an interactive map from the LA Times which allows you to enter an address to find out which district it is in.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

The Parks of CD12 - Updated With Parks in West Hills...
We have updated our pamphlet "The Parks of CD 12" to reflect the changes in our CD 12 district boundaries, which were recently enacted during the redistricting process. The pamphlet lists every park in our District, including amenities, location, and other useful information. If you would like to have a hard copy mailed to your home, please email our District Director, Megan.Cottier@lacity.org.

To download the printable Parks pamphlet, click here.

Fire Department's New 'LAFDmobile' Smartphone App to Stay Up to Date on Emergency Information...

The Fire Department (LAFD) has launched a great new tool to help the public stay up to date on emergency and public safety information. LAFDmobile is their new FREE app for your iPhone and Android smartphones that consolidates all of LAFD's information and updates for the public into one easy-to-use program.

Created and funded by a veteran Firefighter to support the "LAFD Everywhere" initiative, LAFDmobile is designed to put timely and trusworthy information into the hands of L.A. residents. The items listed include LAFD Alert, LAFD Scanner Radio, LAFD's Twitter and Facebook postings, LAFD's Photo Gallery and much more, all in one list, available on your phone.

To download and start using the LAFDmobile application on your iPhone or Android, simply go to http://www.widgetbox.com/mobile/app/lafd-mobile . There are easy-to-follow instructions on the website.

Grand Opening and Free Rides for the Public on the Canoga Ave. Orange Line...

The Metro Orange Line Extension — a four-mile addition to the popular Orange Line busway — will open to the public on Saturday, June 30 with community celebrations and free rides for the public from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. In addition to free rides for the public all day, the grand opening will include community events at the Orange Line Extension Chatsworth and Canoga Stations. Chatsworth Depot will have a country/western theme, while the Canoga Station will feature eco-friendly booths, food trucks and other fun activities.

Saturday, June 30. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Chatsworth Depot Metrolink Station. 10446 Old Depot Plaza Rd.
Enter at Devonshire St. between Canoga Ave. and Owensmouth Ave.

Canoga Station. Canoga Ave. & Victory Blvd. Woodland Hills

We have supported and worked on the Canoga Ave. Orange Line Extension from its inception in order to offer fast, safe, convenient public transit and make the entire regional public transit system more available to Northwest Valley commuters, while alleviating traffic congestion and pollution.
The busway will feature four new stations at Sherman Way, Roscoe Blvd., Nordhoff St. and Chatsworth Depot Metrolink Station. New platforms are being added at the Canoga Station. An elevated crossing at Lassen St. will keep the busway safely separated from the railroad tracks. All stations will include beautiful public art. A beautiful bikeway and pedestrian path landscaped with native, drought-tolerant plants will run parallel to the busway, and will connect to the long bike and walking path along the Orange Line. There will also be a new park and ride lot at the Sherman Way Station and additional parking at Chatsworth Depot.

To see photos of the Metro Canoga Orange Line Extension under construction and for more information, visit www.metro.net/projects/orangeline.

PLUM Committee Approves Citywide Ban on Illegal Pot Shops...
As a member of the the Planning & Land Use Management Committee, I voted to move forward with a citywide ban on illegal marijuana storefronts on Tuesday, May 29. The proposed ordinance would outlaw storefront pot shops in Los Angeles while allowing small groups of patients and their primary caregivers to grow medical marijuana on their own. As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I will be reviewing the ban in my Committee, after which it will go to the full Council. The ban would be in effect in L.A. at least until the California Supreme Court reviews pending cases.

The City has struggled for years with the unintended consequences, crime and other negative impacts on neighborhoods of illegal pot shops, and has been unable to find ways to effectively regulate them. When voters approved the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, legalizing medical marijuana in California, it is likely they had clinics or pharmacies in mind, rather than the nearly 1,000 storefront marijuana stores that sprang up across L.A. Since 2008, Police conducting raids of illegal marijuana businesses have made over 74 arrests citywide, and seized over $2 million in cash, assault weapons, 9 kilos of cocaine, and large amounts of other illegal drugs. Together with LAPD Devonshire Division Narcotics Enforcement Officers, we shut down 60 of the illegal marijuana dispensaries that were operating in our District. The remaining ones are now closed, and we now have none operating in Devonshire Division.

It has become commonplace for people as young as 18 years old to easily obtain prescriptions for ailments such as anxiety or insomnia and buy marijuana from storefront dispensaries for recreational drug use. Marijuana remains illegal at the Federal level for any use.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

A Note from Councilmember Mitchell Englander on the L.A. City Budget Hearings...

On April 27, the City Council Budget and Finance Committee began its hearings on the City's 2012/2013 Budget. Every year, the Mayor proposes the Budget, which is the annual overarching spending plan for the City. The Budget and Finance Committee examines every dollar and every item in the proposed budget and develops recommendations for the City Council to vote on. To see the Mayor’s proposed Bugdet, schedule of hearings, and other Budget related information, click here. The power to approve, reject and amend the Budget is one of the City Council's largest and most important functions, and has an impact on everything that the City does. The City Charter deadline for the City Council to adopt a budget is June 1. As Vice Chair of the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee, I am deeply committed to ensuring the fiscal health and sustainability of the City. As your Councilmember, my top budget priority remains preserving the core City services that our communities demand and deserve: public safety, City infrastructure, streets and sidewalks, sanitation, and planning. - Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District.

To read more, click here.

Safeguarding Our Public Safety Infrastructure...

We introduced a motion on Wednesday, April 18 requesting that the General Services Department, Information Technology Agency, and the Los Angeles Police Department report on the status of the Valley Communications Dispatch Center (VCDC), efforts that are underway to bring it back online, and a detailed work plan for its restoration to service.

The VCDC and the Metropolitan Communications Dispatch Center (MCDC) at Mt. Lee are the two 911 Dispatch Centers in the City. Having two Dispatch Centers provides a back-up system so that our public safety and emergency response systems will be operating at all times. This is crucial to protecting the public safety of the citizens of Los Angeles.

On April 3, the entire citywide Police dispatch system was shut down for 12 hours when General Services Department (GSD) conducted a power test that shut down the MCDC system. This occurred while the VCDC had been out of operation due to electrical problems for nearly a week. All 911 calls at the time were being handled by the MCDC, and when it also went offline, it left the City completely without its dispatch capabilities.

GSD knew that Valley Communications Dispatch Center was not functioning, and did not check in with the Police Department before it conducted its test on Mt. Lee. Thanks to the excellent capability of our Police Department, all 911 calls were still answered and handled, and fortunately, no large-scale emergencies took place that day. However, it did leave the public and officers in the field vulnerable to unacceptable risks because dispatchers no longer had the ability to directly communicate with officers. The Valley Communications Dispatch Center is still off line. Not having a system of redundancy puts the people of Los Angeles and our public safety personnel in serious jeopardy. Those that are responsible for maintaining this system need to be held accountable.

To see the motion, visit http://tiny.cc/yye1cw.

Protecting Our Street Infrastructure...

On Wednesday, April 18, the City Council approved our motion to ensure that street repairs done by outside contractors are up to the City's quality standards. The City issues over 10,000 permits for utility installation and repairs, many of which are done by contractors on public right-of-way. This often requires removing then repaving large sections of City streets. Although contractors are required to obtain permits and have inspections of the work to ensure traffic safety and quality control, it rarely happens.

It has become an epidemic to see extremely shoddy re-surfacing work after a contractor has finished a job, and with no inspections and no permits, there is no one to hold accountable and the City is left with the cost of re-doing the shoddy work. Our motion calls for implementing bonding and insurance requirements for contractors and sub-contractors (but not City agencies), as has been done successfully to address similar problems with sewer construction work. We would also want to implement a prohibition on contractors who violate the policy from working on City streets for up to three years. The Bureau of Engineering is to report back with recommendations on how to implement the measures.

To see the motion, visit http://tiny.cc/hoa1cw.

FIRESTAT-LA Approved by City Council...
On Tuesday, April 17, City Council approved our motion to begin implementation of FIRESTAT-LA, a new system modeled after the LAPD’s highly successful COMPSTAT. FIRESTAT-LA will enable us to use today’s leading-edge technology and innovative management techniques to make the best Fire Department in the country even better.

Since 2002, LAPD has applied technology and management accountability to address crime. COMPSTAT is founded on the principles of accurate and timely intelligence clearly communicated to all, rapid concentrated deployment of resources using the most effective strategies, and relentless follow-up and assessment, to constantly find efficiencies and make improvements. This system has proven highly effective in New York, Washington D.C. and has helped reduce crime rates in Los Angeles to their lowest levels in decades.

Near real-time data collection and mapping of incidents would be key components of FIRESTAT-LA, as well as frequent meetings to open more dialogue between all levels of the Fire Department. Under Chief Brian Cummings’ outstanding leadership the Fire Department has already made great strides in incorporating technology to improve deployment and operational efficiency. FIRESTAT-LA will take this to the next level. The motion requests that the Fire Department report to the Public Safety Committee in 60 days on the capabilities of the technology platforms currently being used by the LAFD, an analysis of the solutions that would be necessary to meet the operational objectives of the Department in the context of “FIRESTAT-LA,” an operational plan for frequent management meetings and a timeline for implementation.

To see the motion visit http://tiny.cc/gxc1cw.

Motion - Lowest-Prices for Purchasing City Supplies

Councilmember Mitchell Englander introduced a motion on Tuesday, April 3 calling for new policies to enable the City to get the lowest prices for the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of materials and supplies the City purchases every year, in order to save taxpayer money. "We need to do what every family in Los Angeles does when money is tight – find savings, eliminate wasteful spending, and shop for the best prices,” said Councilmember Englander, who serves as Vice Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee. The motion directs the City Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) in consultation with the General Services Department (GSD) to report to the Council with recommended procedures for all new procurement contracts that would allow departments to shop for lower commodity pricing; negotiate with suppliers on new pricing; and purchase from a lower-cost supplier if the contracted supplier fails to meet or beat the lower price. The motion also asks GSD to contact the City’s current contractors and ask them to voluntarily comply with a lower commodity pricing policy. It also would require all current contracts be extended only if the vendor agrees to offer a lower pricing policy. Click here to see the press release. Click here to see the motion.

Working To Bring Leading Edge Technology to the Fire Department...
Councilmember Englander introduced a motion last week requesting that the Fire Department (LAFD) report on the possibility of implementing AVL, or Automatic Vehicle Location technology (similar to GPS) for all fire and emergency vehicles. This would include an assessment of the system's costs, how the system would be overseen and managed by Fire personnel, and how the system would be used to enhance emergency operations. The LAFD is working to modernize its operations, which is increasingly important with the transition to a new citywide deployment plan. AVL technology uses GPS to transmit locations in real time to a centralized monitoring center. The benefits include ensuring that the closest available Fire Department vehicle is always sent to an emergency. A comprehensive AVL system would enable the Department to track the location of every vehicle in the field, whether it is at a fire station or on the road. This would help maximize the use our existing emergency response people and vehicles. Click here to see the motion .

Performance-Based Budgeting: Improving the Way the City Manages its Money...
The City Council approved my motion to implement Performance-Based Budgeting to improve the way the City manages its budget, on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. I introduced the motion on Dec. 2, 2011. Performance-Based Budgeting is already practiced in cities including Dallas, Austin and San Jose. It is a way of incorporating strategic planning into the creation of performance metrics that can determine the effectiveness of government services. It’s time to change the way the City budgets nearly $7 billion and provide strategic, goal-oriented priorities that are transparent and measurable. The City's current practice is to base each department's budget for the new year on their budget from the previous year, not on what the department needs and how well it performs its functions. Performance-Based Budgeting can create efficiencies, reduce duplicative functions and hold General Managers accountable for measurable outcomes. It will constantly measure and evaluate the performance of our City departments and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of our services and our General Managers. Performance-Based Budgeting will be phased in with the Planning Department and the Bureau of Street Lighting in the 2012-13 Budget. The City Administrative Office will report back on performance-based budgeting during the budget process this spring. To see the motion and the Budget & Finance Committee report, click here.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Banning Mobile Billboard Blight in L.A...

The City Council unanimously approved amendments to the City's ordinance prohibiting mobile billboard advertising displays in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 7.

The restriction applies whether they are standing alone or attached to a motor vehicle, on any Los Angeles City street. Once a 24-hour advance warning citation has been issued to a first-time offender, we will be able to impound the ad trailers that have blighted our streets. I have worked for nearly 9 years on this legislation, in close cooperation with City Attorney Michael Nagle and Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield, on the City Council and as Chief of Staff to the previous Councilmember. To see more photos, visit our photo galleries.

Assemblymember Blumenfield's state bill AB 1298 cleared a path so the City of Los Angeles could create regulatory tools to address this as a traffic safey and public safety issue. Mobile billboard advertising displays are a visual blight, pose significant safety hazards for motorists, reduce available on-street parking and impair the visibility of pedestrians and drivers. In order to address the proliferation of this blight and safety hazard, the State gave cities the authority to regulate advertising on non-motorized vehicles. Unfortunately, mobile billboard operators constantly found and exploited loopholes in the law and began attaching billboards to sleds, bicycles and inoperable vehicles, and moving them a few inches at a time to avoid the 72-hour parking restriction. The state legislation also gave us the authority to establish a minimum distance a vehicle must be moved after 72 hours.
- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Statement on the Change in LAPD's Impound Policy...
I oppose and have always opposed the change to the LAPD's impound policy regarding unlicensed drivers. I believe it is a matter of public safety that unlicensed, untrained and uninsured drivers should not be encouraged to break the law by lessening the consequences for doing so. That said, the LAPD is governed by a Citizen's Commission, that voted 4-1 on Tuesday, Feb. 28, in favor of the change to the impound policy. I still believe that there are questions as to the legality of these changes. I have raised those questions on the record with our City Attorney, based on the State Office of Legislative Council's concerns and others. Additionally, District Attorney, Steve Cooley issued a letter to Chief Charlie Beck about the impound policy change stating: "...such policies are contrary to State law and likely would create risks both to public safety and to public treasuries." I agree and eagerly await the City Attorney’s response to more than twenty critical legal questions that I addressed to him in the Public Safety Committee last week in addition to the single question raised by the Police Commission.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District.

A Year of Emergency Preparedness...

January 17 is the 18th anniversary of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, so it was a great opportunity to kick off our Year of Emergency Preparedness in Los Angeles. As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, my top priority is working to protect public safety in Los Angeles.

Throughout 2012, we will be working on legislation, programs and public awareness efforts to help the residents of Los Angeles be better prepared for emergencies and natural disasters. Los Angeles, and in particular the San Fernando Valley, has always been the epicenter of major emergencies, including earthquakes, seasonal wildfires, floods and wind events. Even a large-scale power outage could be a disaster if residents are not prepared.

Weekly Additions to the Preparedness Checklist
Every week during our Year of Emergency Preparedness, we will feature in our newsletter a new item or step for our Emergency Preparedness Checklist. These are simple steps that everyone in Los Angeles should take in order to be prepared for any disaster. If you follow each item on this checklist, you will be highly prepared at the end of the year.

Week 26: Keep in Contact With Your Child's School
It is important to know your emergency procedures your child's school has in place in case of an earthquake or other emergency situation so you will know where your child will be and what you should do. Always make sure your contact information with the school is up to date and that the school staff have phone numbers where you can always be reached, including an out-of-town friend or relative in case local phone lines are down.

During most emergencies, the school is the safest place for kids to be - Police and Fire officials focus heavily on ensuring the safety of schools, and know the location, size, layout and leadership of every school in the community. LAUSD school staff (and staff at most private schools) have been trained in what to do during emergencies, and will react quickly to ensure the safety of children. To learn more about the emergency procedures at your child's school, contact the school administration or click here.

CLICK HERE!

To see our printable Emergency Preparedness
Checklist,with every week's entry

NO Vote on DWP's Proposed Water Quality Factor Increases...

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, I voted NO on the Department of Water and Power's (DWP) proposed water quality factor increases. The vote for the "emergency" increase came only two days after the independent Rate Payer Advocate was appointed by the Council, leaving no opportunity for him to review the proposed increase first. According to DWP, the increase was needed to maintain the City's water supply and comply with federal environmental standards. Voters approved creating a Rate Payer Advocate and Office of public Accountability last year in order to scrutinize proposed increases before they come to the Council. I will not support any proposed increase that has not first been examined and approved by the Rate Payer Advocate. The Rate Payer Advocate is a positive step toward increasing the DWP's transparency and accountability as the citizens have demanded, and we must let him do the work that the position was created to do.

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Last Marijuana Store in District 12 Closed Down in Police Raid...
As an LAPD Reserve Officer, and Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I was proud to be on hand as a team of Devonshire Division Narcotics Enforcement Officers shut down the last remaining storefront marijuana business operating in the Northwest Valley in a raid on Monday, Jan. 30.

"Herbal Medicine Care" on Topanga Canyon Blvd. near Devonshire St., made over $600,000 in profit last year, and was the last of 60 pot shops that were once operating in the Devonshire Division area, according to the LAPD. The Devonshire Police conducted an extensive investigation of the business. During the raid, the Police arrested three people and seized over 50 lbs. of marijuana ready for sale, 156 plants, extensive equipment for the growing and processing of marijuana, and thousands of dollars in cash. To see more photos, visit our photo gallery.

When California voters approved the Compassionate Use Act in 1996, the intention was for dispensaries to operate as non-profit collectives that would help sick patients share resources and access to medical marijuana. What we have seen in Los Angeles is an out-of-control explosion of storefront marijuana stores where recreational drug users can get marijuana prescriptions for anything from headaches to insomnia.

The storefront pot shops have become a nuisance that attract crime to our neighborhoods. At one point, there were more pot shops in L.A. than Starbucks stores, with over 200 in the Valley alone. Since 2008, Police conducting raids of illegal marijuana businesses have made over 74 arrests citywide, and seized over $2 million in cash, assault weapons, 9 kilos of cocaine, and large amounts of other illegal drugs. - Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Honoring Amazing Athletic Achievements by Granada Hills Students...
We were proud to honor the girls volleyball, golf and tennis teams of Granada Hills Charter High School on Friday, Jan. 27 in City Council in recognition of several city championship wins. Each team won their league and City Section Championships, several of them for multiple years in a row. Granada Hills is the largest charter high school in America. They consistently rank at the top of the region in academics, and also in sports. Congratulations to the volleyball team: Amanda Abesamis, Sonia Aghoyan, Rose Atarodi, Alyssa Blackman, Samantha Cramer, Kendall Dunmore, Caitlin Eelum, Julia Erickson, Alice Kang, Emma Levanen, Paige McFerren, Hannah Patton, Emma Romack, Lauren Romestant, Claire Simon and Cheyanne Valentine and Coach Tom Harp. Congratulations to the golf team: Coach Steve Thompson, and team members Jordan Adachi, Sharon Chee, Connie Kim, Alia Lee, Melissa Metzelar, Megan Tiny, and Julia Yoon. Congratulations to the tennis team: Sarah Nuno, Samantha Nuno, Analyssa Tallas, Cassandra Fisbeck, and Meena Jana-krabu-anhad, and Dianne Sarmiento, and Coach Simon Robertshaw and Assistant Coach Jon Bent. To see more photos, click here to visit our photo galleries.

Restricting Pot Shops in L.A...
Councilmember Englander, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, seconded a motion to enact a City ordinance that would repeal the current Medical Marijuana ordinance, and temporarily ban storefront marijuana businesses. The ban would be in place until the California Supreme Court clarifies the extent to which local governments can regulate marijuana facilities. On Friday, Jan. 13, the motion was approved by the Public Safety Committee The next steps are for this legislation to be vetted by the Central Planning Commission, as well as the full City Council.

The City's experiment with medical marijuana stores has failed and the ordinance is unmanageable. Although California voters approved medical marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law, and on the local level our neighborhoods have continued to suffer the negative impacts of storefront marijuana businesses. To see the motion, click here.

Hundreds Voice Their Opposition to End of 30-Day Impound Policy at Police Commission Meeting in Northridge...
Nearly 400 community members came to the public Police Commission Meeting at St. Nicholas Church in Northridge and spoke out in strong opposition to the LAPD's proposal to end the 30-day impound policy. Ending the policy of impounding the cars of people caught driving without a driver's license will make us all less safe on the roads. If a driver has no driver's license, it means that they have not learned about and passed tests on traffic laws and safe driving. It also means that they are uninsured, which is required under California law. The threat of having your car impounded for 30 days is an effective deterrent. The decision to end it has broad implications for the safety of the public, and as such, it should be heard publicly by the Public Safety Committee and the City Council.

To read the article in ChatsworthPatch.com about the meeting, click here . To see more photos from the meeting, visit the photo gallery page on our website .

Working to Help L.A. Businesses Thrive...

Councilmember Mitchell Englander was the guest speaker at the San Fernando Valley Green Team's Brokers and Bankers Forum event about Green Buildings on Jan. 12, 2012 at Corporate Pointe in West Hills. The event covered the ways that energy efficiency retrofits can lower costs, enhance property values, and improve marketability, as well as the newest and most financially viable green building programs and incentives being offered through the City of Los Angeles. To see more photos from the event, click here.

Councilmember Englander, who is the strongest pro-business voice on the City Council, emphasized the importance of working to help L.A.-based companies thrive, create jobs and boost our local economy. He also discussed the many benefits for businesses operating in the State Enterprise Zone, which we have in our District in the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone.

The event packed the conference room at Corporate Pointe, the only LEED Gold Certified building in the San Fernando Valley. The partners on the event were the San Fernando Valley Green Team, The Valley Economic Alliance. Speakers and panelists included David Hodgins, President, Sustento Group Los Angeles Commercial Building Performance Program; Renee Watkinson, Vice President Property Management, CBRE; and Derek Brown, Managing Director, Clean Fund.

The San Fernando Valley Green Team is an independent working group of business, academic, legal, regulatory, financial, marketing, and government experts and community leaders serving businesses, academic institutions, non-profits and community groups in the Valley. To learn more about their work, visit www.valleygreenteam.org.

Check Out Our Special Holiday Green Edition Newsletter...

Last week we sent out a special Green Edition of Councilmember Englander's E-News weekly newsletter. It was filled with lots of useful information to help you go green over the holidays. There is information on how to recycle your Christmas tree, where to find free mulch for your garden, how to make your home or business green and much more. To see the newsletter click here.

Motion to Help Bring New Auto Dealerships, Jobs and Revenue to L.A...
We were proud to join Mayor Villaraigosa and Council President Eric Garcetti to announce that Beverly Hills Porsche would be moving to a location in the City of Los Angeles, during a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 8. We also announced a motion that we co-authored with Council President Garcetti to eliminate the business tax for auto dealerships selling new cars in the City in an effort to lure them to locate in L.A. The City has lost 95 car dealerships over the last 25 years.

Car dealers contribute a far greater amount in sales tax than in business tax to the City. All together, L.A. car dealerships paid a total of only $2.9 million in business tax, but $29 million in sales tax. They employ 5,200 people in the City, generating $640 million in wages and benefits, according to the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association.

The car dealerships create a variety of high-quality jobs, including sales, finance, mechanics, service and administration. They also generate a great deal of business for the surrounding local economy, which also helps create more jobs. The sales tax revenues they would generate would help fund crucial City services such as police, fire and infrastructure.

To read the Daily News article about the motion,click here.

Sidewalk Repair Program...

Sidewalk Repair Program...
As you may know, there has been a proposal for the City to abandon responsibility for repairing sidewalks in Los Angeles and make home and property owners responsible for repair and maintenance, and liable for trip and fall lawsuits. I oppose that proposal. Repairing sidewalks fits squarely within the basic infrastructure and core services that the City should be providing to residents and businesses, and has been providing since 1973.

I conducted a very informative interview on John Phillips's radio talk show on KABC AM 790. To hear a recording of the interview click here. To read a detailed explanation of the issue, click here.

Information on the Sewer Service Charge...

As you may know, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, the City Council unanimously approved the Bureau of Sanitation (BOS) request for a 4.5% increase in the Sewer Service Charge (SSC) for the first three years and a 6.5% for each of the seven remaining years to make crucial infrastructure improvements.

The increase is expected to come to about $2 per month for the average user. This can be offset by reducing your water use using simple methods. These include shutting off water while brushing teeth or washing hands and dishes, running the dishwasher or laundry machine only when full, watering the lawn at or before dawn so less water is lost to evaporation, ensuring that sprinklers are off when it rains, and finding and repairing any leaking indoor or outdoor faucets. To learn more about how to reduce your water bill by conserving water, visit www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp001242.jsp.

SUB-METERS: During the Oct. 19 Council meeting, I instructed City staff to make information on sub-meter installation and benefits available to all ratepayers; to require sub-meters on all new single-family homes built; and to contact the County Assessor's office about adding loans for the sewer connection program to the Property Tax Bill, so that they could be paid off over time, as they are with lighting districts.

I also clarified that the SSC increase is only on the water that is used inside the home, not the water used for irrigation. The department already subtracts from the SSC the water used for landscape irrigation because most of that percolates into the groundwater, rather than the sewer. Also, the SSC is assessed by averaging the lowest two-month period of use over the winter season - a time when most residents are watering their properties the least. (Remember to turn off sprinklers when it rains.) It is based on an estimate, not actual use. Installing a sub-meter would measure the exact amount of domestic water use versus landscape irrigation use. The department also said that they will make individual adjustments based on extenuating circumstances, such as an emergency draining and replacement of pool water.

For information on how to apply for a sub-meter rebate, please visit http://www.lacitysan.org/fmd/pdf/submtrres.pdf.

Special Report: Councilmember Englander's First 100 Days in Office...

Dear Friends:

On March 8, 2011, you placed your trust in me to represent you on the Los Angeles City Council. For this I am truly honored.

In the 100 days since taking office as your Councilmember on July 1, we have made tremendous progress on achieving those goals that are so important to our community.

I listened to your thoughts and concerns and made it my mission to return the City's focus to providing core services such as public safety and infrastructure; to making the City more business friendly to help create jobs and grow the economy; protecting the quality of life of our neighborhoods; and bringing common sense and customer service back to City Hall.

I am embracing the effort to improve customer service, transparency and accountability in City government by offering you this report on how we have been working for you during our first 100 days. Please read it and share it with your neighbors and friends.

And, as always, please feel free to contact me directly with suggestions and ideas on how we can work together to improve City services.

Click here to read the report.

91311 - The Day to Celebrate Chatsworth!

Check out the photo album from the event here.

We were proud to declare the date "Chatsworth Day" throughout the City of Los Angeles and to declare Sept. 13, 2011 "Chatsworth 91311 Day" in City Council! The Chatsworth community gathered on Sept. 13 to celebrate the day with music and children's activities. Attendees also had an opportunity to enjoy cuisine from local restaurants and participate in a community photo. St. Stephen Presbyterian Church hosted the event and a number of organizations came together to showcase community pride including the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council, Chatsworth/Porter Ranch
Chamber of Commerce, Chatsworth Historical Society, Chatsworth Business Improvement District, Corral 54, Kiwanis Club of Chatsworth and Northridge/Chatsworth Rotary Club. Students from Lawrence Middle School also volunteered their time to make this event a great success.

All of the proceeds from the event went to benefit the Young Masters Performing Arts Academy, which offers free music classes to children between the ages of 7 and 19. For more information about the event, visit think91311.com.We are proud to have Chatsworth, a vibrant, active and involved community in Council District Twelve and encourage the community to Think91311 all year long!

Working to Support the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone and Boost the Economy...
As part of his ongoing efforts to improve the L.A. business climate and help local companies thrive and create jobs, Councilmember Mitchell Englander introduced a motion meant to encourage more companies to come to Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone.

The motion calls for a feasibility study on an ordinance that would expand the uses allowed in the light industrial zone in Council District 12. It would allow more businesses that fit with the character of the light industrial zoning to occupy the prime vacant areas. Under the current zoning code, those types of companies would only be allowed after a lengthy and expensive variance process.

The zoning code has not been updated since the 1990s, and it excludes companies in the computer, technology, manufacturing and green technology sectors. Those are the the kinds of companies that we would like to see in our industrial zone. They create high-value jobs, and are competitive in the current global economy.

Any change would still need to be consistent with the purpose of the light industrial zone as stated in the municipal code, and would still be subjected to limitations on noise, pollution, dust and other impacts. To see the motion, visit http://tiny.cc/faa8a.

Congratulations and Welcome to the New LAFD Fire Chief Brian Cummings...

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Brian L. Cummings on his appointment as the new Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Chief Cummings, who was appointed in September, is a 31-year veteran of the (LAFD, with an exemplary record as a Firefighter, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, Assistant Chief and Chief of Staff.

He commanded several battalions, overseeing numerous Fire Stations across the City simultaneously. He has built strong relationships with community-based organizations everywhere he worked, as well as with the LAPD, the L.A. County Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Authorities, Chambers of Commerce and other entities. He also commanded the Recruit Training Section of the LAFD, managing training facilities in the San Fernando Valley, Downtown Los Angeles, and San Pedro.

Chief Cummings was born and raised in Los Angeles. His father was a 30 year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department. He graduated from Loyola High School and attended both West Los Angeles College and the University of California, Los Angeles. He is married and is the proud father of two daughters.

You May Be Able to Save Money On Your Sewer Service Charge...

The Bureau of Sanitation has proposed rate increases for the Sewer Service Charge. The Sewer Service Charge (SSC) appears on your DWP bill and is based upon the lowest average daily delivered water to the property during the last winter rainy season (approximately mid-October to the end of April). They look at the two months in that period when your use is lowest.

DWP bases its assessment for this charge on water use during the winter rainy season because it is traditionally the time of least landscape watering. Likewise, it is assumed that during this season most of the domestic water used is for household purposes and therefore discharged into the sanitary sewer, unlike irrigation water which mostly filters down to groundwater, forgoing the sewer system. This daily average of wastewater generation is used to determine the customer’s SSC bill throughout the following year (six billing periods).

Customers with above average water use for irrigation, but who do not use much household water, may see a significant reduction in their SSC. In anticipation of the SSC increase, residents can find out if installing a sub-meter would save them any money. A sub-meter would break out your water use into irrigation and household uses so that the billing will be more accurately based on your actual use, rather than averages or estimates.

To learn more, or to find out if you qualify for a sub-meter, click here. If your Neighborhood Council or community organization would like to request a Bureau of Sanitation presentation at your meeting about the Sewer Service Charge call JoAnn Moss at (213) 485-2368.

Council District 12 Welcomes New Commanding Officer of LAPD Devonshire Division...

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee and an LAPD Reserve Officer, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome Capt. Kris Pitcher as the new commanding officer of LAPD's Devonshire Division. Captain Pitcher has been a member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years and has worked a variety of assignments including uniformed patrol, training, vice enforcement and various investigative entities. He was appointed to the rank of Captain in December of 2000 and served as the Commanding Officer of Foothill and North Hollywood Patrol Divisions, Vice Division and Force Investigation Division before being appointed the Commanding Officer of Devonshire Area in August of 2011. He earned a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master's in Public Administration from CSUN. He is a Certified Litigation Specialist (CLS) from AELE, is certified by the Force Science Research Center in use of force analysis, graduated from Police Executive Research Forum’s (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) Executive strategic management program and has attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government executive education program.

Councilmember Englander Announces $75,000 Reward to Catch Perpetrator of Vicious Double Homicide in San Fernando Valley...

Councilmember Mitchell Englander held a press conference on Friday, August 19, at City City Hall to announce a $75,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who committed a vicious double homicide in the San Fernando Valley. Councilmember Englander, Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, represents the area where the murder was committed. He introduced the motion for the $75,000 reward on Friday, August 19 in City Council. Councilmember Englander will be joined by LAPD Commander Jim Cansler, Operations Valley Bureau, Lt. Tim Torsney, Commanding Officer of Devonshire Detectives, Capt. Kris Pitcher, Commanding Officer of Devonshire Division and Capt. Maureen Ryan of Devonshire Division. Anyone with information relevant to the case is urged to contact Devonshire Division Detectives at (818) 832-0609 or (877) LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S) with the letters "LAPD."

Community Members Recognized at Movies Under the Stars & LAPD National Night Out for Volunteerism & Community Service with First Community Excellence Awards

At the Movies Under the Stars & LAPD National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at Mason Park in Chatsworth, we launched the first of Councilmember Mitchell Englander's Community Excellence Awards! Over 25 people received Excellence Awards at the event in recognition of their contributions to the community. The purpose of the Community Excellence Awards is to recognize ordinary community members who do extraordinary things, and make volunteering and community service a way of life in CD 12. To see more photos, visit our photo galleries. Thank you for your service, and congratulations!

Motion to Increase the Transparency of the DWP Rate Process Unanimously Approved by City Council...
Councilmember Englander’s motion calling for the Department of Water and Power (DWP) Board of Commissioners to first review the report of the Office of Public Accountability (OPA) before it takes any rate or fee increase actions, was approved unanimously by the City Council on Tuesday, August 2.

“When voters passed Measure I and created the OPA, they made clear that they demand more transparency at DWP,” Councilmember Englander said. “With this motion, the DWP Board will consider the OPA report and the Council’s third party review at the same time, increasing the public accountability.”

Councilmember Englander introduced the motion on his first day in office, Friday, July 1, 2011. As Chief of Staff to former Councilmember Greig Smith, Mitchell Englander worked for years on numerous pieces of legislation to bring greater accountability and transparency to the DWP. Councilmember Smith introduced the motion that now requires third party review (the so-called “Smith Report”) before any proposed DWP rate actions. Councilmember Englander’s motion calls for both the Smith Report and the OPA report to both be considered by the Board of DWP Commissioners before any rate actions. All rate actions are then reviewed by the City Council. The motion fulfills the voters’ intent to have a thorough review of any proposed rate increase before action is taken. Click here to see the motion.

Mid-Year Crime Statistics Show a Continuing Decrease in Crime in L.A...
On July 12, 2011, the LAPD released its 2011 Mid-Year Crime Snapshot. At the mid-year point, overall crime and violence are down citywide for the 9th consecutive year and there is a continuing overall reduction in every major crime category.

Total violent crimes are down 9.6% from 2010, and down 35% from 2005. Homicides are 8.1% lower than in 2010 and 41% lower than in 2005. Gang-related crimes are down 16% from 2010. Total property crimes are down 7.3% from last year and 27.2% from 2005.

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee and as an LAPD Reserve Officer, Councilmember Englander's top priority is public safety. The men and women of the LAPD who risk their lives protecting and serving our community have our unwavering gratitude and support. To see the full report, click here.

Free Handyworker Program for Seniors...
The Handyworker Program offers a wide variety of free minor home repairs for qualified low-income or disabled senior homeowners in Los Angeles, in order to help them continue living in their home independently. Available repairs include repairs to doors and windows, repairs to fences, gates, porches, steps, walkways, interior flooring, walls and ceilings, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, electrical and plumbing repairs, accessibility improvements including ramps, hand rails, grab bars and disabled access toilets. Earthquake safety improvements include water heater braces and seismic gas shutoff valves. All work is subject to availability of funds, and the handyworkers are certified and bonded. To apply or for more information, call (213) 808-8803. For hearing impaired TTD service call (213) 978-3231 (TDD).

Updated Parks of CD12 Pamphlet...

Be sure to check out our updated version of our popular pamphlet "The Parks of CD12," which lists every park in Council District 12. It includes handy information on every park, including location, hours, amenities, special features, programs and more. To see the online version of the pamphlet, which you can save, print out or email to a friend, click here .

Councilmember Mitchell Englander Begins First Term Representing the Twelfth District...
On Councilmember Mitchell Englander's first day on the City Council, Friday July 1, he introduced four motions, finalized a new lease for Chatsworth Neighborhood Council and honored the Granada Hills Charter High School Academic Decathlon Team for winning the 2011 national championship. To read about the motions, visit our press release page and our legislation page.

Over 800 Attend Community Inauguration of Councilmember Mitchell Englander, Helping Raise Thousands for PALS Youth Center in Northridge...
We were proud to hold the Community Inauguration Ceremony for incoming Councilmember Mitchell Englander at the LAPD Greig Smith Devonshire Youth Center in Northridge on Saturday, June 25. Click here to see more photos from the event.

The event was attended by over 800 community members, representatives of community-based organizations and Neighborhood Councils, business leaders, elected officials, and friends and supporters. Guests attending also donated thousands of dollars to support the Police Activity League Supporters (PALS) after-school programs for at-risk youth, which are offered at the Youth Center. The festive event featured dance performances by local youth groups, including a group of young girls who participate in a folk dance class at the Youth Center. Mitchell Englander was given the oath of office by his two daughters, with his wife Jayne holding the family Talmud that belonged to Mitchell's uncle. His uncle was killed while being robbed by gang members in Canoga Park. This experience inspired him to join the LAPD Reserves as a Reserve Police Officer.

We worked to help raise more than $2.5 million to get the beautiful, modern PALS Center built and we are proud that the guests to this event generously donated to help support the important programs. To learn more about PALS, click here. Thank you!

Expanding Our Adopt-A-Street Program...

In mid-May 2011, we introduced a motion to expand the pilot Adopt-A-Street program to be available citywide. We launched the Adopt-A-Street program to offer community members, Neighborhood Councils, schools, community groups and businesses a way to boost community pride and help keep our streets and sidewalks clean and beautiful.

Adopting a street means an individual or community group commits to doing some form of agreed-upon maintenance such as cleaning up trash, removing graffiti, weeds or illegal signs, storm drain clean up etc. at least once every three months. The Office of Community Beautification will provide trash bags, landscaping tools, paint, gloves and other equipment and the Bureau of Sanitation will remove filled trash bags. After the second verified quarterly clean-up, the Adopt-a-Street sign with the name of the person or group is awarded and placed.

If you or your community-based organization, Neighborhood Council or school would like to Adopt-a-Street in our District, please call (818) 756-8501 or email Semee.Park@lacity.org and we will walk you through the process.

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