Today, let me affirm our clear commitment to everyone. The LAPD will protect the victims, will hold the traffickers accountable, and will restore dignity and safety along this corridor. We've installed uh cameras and folks who know me know I'm not a big fan of government surveillance. But if you're going to get in your car and drive to Figuroa to buy sex with a minor, then we're going to surveil you and we're going to hold you accountable. So if you look up there to the north to my left, you'll see a little camera on the top of the light pole. We're keeping track of who's coming, when you're coming, when you pull over, and when you stop. and you'll get a Dear John letter, the district attorney and the city attorney saying, "Hey, you were in an area where trafficking is going on, and here's a picture of your car and your driver's license number, and we just hope that the trafficker isn't the only person in the house that sees that letter is all I'm going to say about that." >> What's happening now is that they're realizing that these girls are not criminals. You know, I grew up in a time where prostitution was it was deemed as criminal activity, but now they're understanding that many of these girls are under duress. They're being forced into prostitution and many of them are underage. And so now instead of prosecuting them or treating them as criminals, what they're doing now is bringing organizations like ours and some of our community partners together to provide resources and support that they need to help them get off the streets, help them reclaim their lives. We will be able to rescue these young kids and to put bad guys in jail. One of my favorite things to do as city attorney. All the furry friends at an adoption event in Hollywood got the benefit of being seen outside of the shelter. And when their personalities can really shine, these tail waggers are much more likely to meet their forever family. Today we have a mobile pet adoption here at Tail Waggers in Hollywood. We have some cats and plenty of large dogs up for adoption. Some of the dogs are in foster care and some of the dogs have come with a foster directly from the shelter. It's always really nice to see the dogs and cats outside of the shelter area and see how they are. Fostering is taking a pet for an unspecified length of time that is available for adoption and getting them away from the shelter environment which reduces their fear, anxiety, and stress to sort of be who they are for real. As a foster, taking a dog outside and learning about how a dog or cat is in a home situation and meeting people, family members, that really gives a lot more information to a potential adopter than just dogs at the shelter that we don't have a lot of information out. We have a lot of strays, so they come in with no information. By going into foster care, we gather up all the information, which I think a lot of adopters really want to have. It's really rewarding to foster a dog directly from the shelter. You get to learn about their characteristics and get them ready for their future home. Coco is my 10th foster for 2025 and hopefully I can do 15 for 2026. Well, for me, it's important to have pets at home because they just provide so many things that even people can't provide for you. They provide unconditional love. They don't ask for much in return. All they need is pretty much maintenance and some love and affection to let them know that they're an important part of your life. And then they become your best friend. In my opinion, better than a spouse, better than my children. They greet me when I come home. They don't ask me for things other than affection and love. And they are companions to me. And I enjoy animals. It's therapy. It's good companionship. and it's great for the animals. If you're interested in fostering or adopting, the city of LA has six city animal shelters. The website is lan animal serviceservices.com and you can click on the adopt or the foster tabs for more information. There are many barriers in the way of looking for work these days. Whether it's child care, mental health, or transport, the Watts LA WorkShource Center is about removing whatever is in the way and getting job seekers the work they want and need. We are here at the Watts LA Work Source Center located in the community of Watts and we are here doing a job recruitment with one of our employers. The employer is hiring for case management positions. They have a few positions open which we were very excited about because the time is now. People need jobs. Now, >> the work that we do here at Wat Works Source Center is crucial for the city and the community because what we're trying to do is help job seekers transition back into the workforce. So, we implement Title One, which is Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Under Title One, we're working with job seekers to connect them to vocational training opportunities, to various employers that we're partnered with and address the challenges and the barriers and or needs that they have that's preventing them from transitioning back into the workforce. I think it's important for the community because we help with mental health. We help with training. We help like lowincome people with elderly as well. So, I think it's a really good opportunity for people coming out of prison and stuff like that. We help with all that so they won't feel like left out or they're being left out. For me, myself, this is something new for me and I've been where they've been and that's what motivates me to come in cuz it's like, okay, I want to help and I want to make a difference. There's a saying, housing first, but you can get housing, but if you don't have employment, you're not able to sustain that housing. So, what other resources and services do you need in order to sustain employment? So, do you need clothing? Do you need transportation assistance? Someone to talk to, child care assistance. Even if you're not qualified, we help you get to that qualified status. So, all of those what we call supportive services, we're able to provide to our participant as wraparound services. This program showed me that I'm able to learn new skills and to actually find that job that I would love to go into. They're also very helpful. like if you want to pursue a career, they also help you with giving you a chance to get out there on the field and getting skills more than anything. >> There's 14 worker centers in the city of Los Angeles. So, there are a plethora of ways that you're able to gain these resources, but come to LA Works Center. We are able to provide those wraparound services, that one-on-one tailored case management services for each participant, and we do it with love. Notify LA keeps Angelinos informed during emergencies. The LA DWP is installing water bottle fillers across the city. And the LA city attorney gets a settlement in an environmental protection suit. These stories up next on Citybeat. LA city's emergency management department reminds Angelenos to sign up for Notify LA, the city's emergency alert system. Notify LA delivers official emergency alerts and critical information citywide. Subscribing to Notify LA is free, secure, and automated with alerts set by text, phone, or email. Sign up for alerts where you live, work, and spend time in the city of LA. Learn more and register at notify.la. lacity.gov. 21 new water refill stations have been installed at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. They bring the total number of hydration stations across the city to 308. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is rolling out the water bottle fillers as part of the hydration station initiative program. More water retail stations will mean less single-use plastic and a greener Los Angeles. The LDWP aims to install many more hydration stations in public places throughout LA by the 2028 Olympic Games. For more information, visit lwwppnews.com. LA City Attorney ID Feldstein Sodto announced that Verizon Wireless has agreed to resolve a statewide civil enforcement action. Under the judgment, Verizon Wireless will face civil penalties and investigative costs. According to Feldstein Sodto, the laws protect the environment, first responders, employees, and the general public. The city attorney's office will receive $800,000, and the Los Angeles Fire Department will receive more than $315,000 in penalties. For more information, visit city attorney.lacity.gov/news. El PBLO, the historical heart of the city, is central to cultural celebrations in Los Angeles. On Dia de los Reyes, the community joined in making and breaking the traditional roska, the special bread with a secret inside. Well, tonight we're here in Pla Vera and we are celebrating uh Reyes night. And so this is the story of baby Jesus when he received the visit for the three kings. And so tonight we're keeping with tradition. We're going to have a toy giveaway. Uh we have a Roska demonstration and will be some sampling and a lot of music. So the day of the three kings is of course the day that the three kings came and wanted to see the baby Jesus and bring them their gifts. So we're going to have rosa de rees. will have a small procession and normally we have a tradition of making the roska and the roska ends up having a baby inside usually and whoever gets that roska within the family or within the friends ends up putting the party on for the following year so that they invite everybody to their home. So we do a little bit different since we don't have people throw the party for next year. Um but what we do is we give a little gift if they find the little baby in the Roska. >> We're demonstrating Rosska de Reyes. So for me, Rosskar Rees is significant not only because of the celebration on the Epiphanies, January 6, but also the meaning behind the Roska Rees, the history, the evolution, you know, the Ros is from Spain and the connection behind the the different jewels or the fruits on the Roska that represent the crown and not only the fruits, but also the crisscross patterns of uh the different sugar toppings that represent the cross. And of course, uh, the circle itself, right? Just the beauty of life. And of course, the hiding of baby Jesus represents the biblical times of King Herod where they hid baby Jesus, of course. So, tonight we're going to be going over the ingredients, right? And and what how they work together to produce the rosa is like a French bio, right? Very rich dough. Uh, we're also going to be going over the techniques on how to form the roskas. And we'll be baking some on site as well. So, uh, we'll be breaking bread here with the community. Happy baking everyone. >> I was looking for somewhere to celebrate the deos rees. I have really nice and beautiful memories when I was a kid of celebrating this and my aella was very adamant about always getting her roska. I want to introduce that to my children. You know, it's a great learning opportunity for especially my daughter cuz she's four. It's really cool to be able to explain it to her and I love the visuals and everything that they bring to it and it's just a great way to end the holidays. I love that it's free and I think that the city should continue to put on events like this for our culture, you know. >> Well, this event was put on by El Po, which is the department of the city of LA in collaboration with the mayor's office, our office. We all work together to make sure that the historic birthplace um is given the dignity it deserves and to make sure that it's an inviting space for all Angelinos to come visit, not just for today, but 365. Be careful taking a bite of that roska. Over at Bington Recreation Center, their winter festival got underway. The event had a snowball showdown, bouncers, and slides. It was fun for the little ones and an introduction to a place they can continue to enjoy in the future. >> So, we're here today at Bington Recreation Center celebrating our winter festival. just so everyone can enjoy the remaining winter season. So, as soon as they check in, they get a nice goodie bag. They walk around to the different inflatables. We have some games, arts and crafts. Everything in Wreck and Parks is all friendly and we're all community based. So, the main thing is just try to encourage yourself to just come out and enjoy. I think these events are great. I mean, I think they're super important for the community. This is where we get to meet the other parents, meet all the other little kids. It's pretty dense community because we're in the apartments up the street. You get to really feel out who's going to be in the schools and everything like that. James is 3 years old, so we've been here coming here for 3 years. I know he loves it. And I think what's been really cool as a parent is to see him grow through the stages of, you know, being stuck in the little ball pit over there and now he's bouncing and going through the slides and just seeing his progression. And really the park, we come multiple times a week, so we love being involved and we hope they keep happening. The recreation centers play a vital part in giving entertainment and fun for the kids so that they're not just sitting at home playing video games. They can go out, play some basketball, play some soccer, or come to nice community events like this. >> Fun for those little ones. Now over to more games of the electronic kind at Dank Recreation Center. Kids from 7 to 17 are learning leadership and teamwork through playing video games. And being at the esports camp is also building community for real at the rec center. So today we're actually on our second day of the winter esports camp. We were uh very excited to bring it over here at Danker Recreation Center. So all of the kids that you see uh behind us are basically learning to have teamwork and communication and leadership skills all through video games. Every time we play it, kids go crazy. >> The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive from our youngest campers who are age seven to our oldest who are age 17. >> This is the first time I've ever seen this at any park. I think Danker is like really cool for having this cuz I've never seen this uh anywhere else. >> It's really fun and the teachers are really nice. You don't really know these people, but you can bond through something that you both like. It's really fun, and I feel like people should get more involved in these programs so they can get introduced to new things. Anything that gets them excited and feeling like they can be their truest self and be a little bit silly, that's what we really try to do here. >> It's really great to have great supervisors that are very open to wanting to start new things and see how we could develop our program. >> I was playing Mario Kart yesterday and won first place. >> How dare you? In a game, teamwork is a really big like concept. So, you have to really learn how to work together with everybody else. And it really helps you make connections. >> And it's also getting like recognition for Dinker because not a lot of people come like on the daily. So, it's kind of like helping us like build a community. >> Reading is foundational to a child's learning, and the magic of reading is brought to life by volunteers at the Los Angeles Public Library. Star volunteers tell stories to children, but more than that, they help to foster a real love of reading. Today we have our STAR volunteer, Jeffrey. >> STAR is an acronym for storytelling and reading. So, we have STAR volunteers come a few times a week. They read to children um where children can read to them as well. They are just spending time with them, sharing stories and fostering a love of reading. >> No more monkeys jumping on the bed. >> Well, I was a a librarian for the county of Los Angeles for 20 years. I was a children's librarian and when I retired um the thing I missed was reading to kids and uh so I found this program and I've been here about 2 years. >> Here. I personally think reading is the most important foundation for everything else your a child is going to learn. And if they don't have a good reading base, it'll hold them back in whatever they want to do in the future and the rest of their education. >> This is just to get them feel comfortable at the library and and to learn to love books. >> We will fall. make you fall down and hurt. >> It's not only reading, but it's getting them involved while I'm reading to them. >> And they bounce on the bed. >> That's right. >> I'm modeling to the parents how they should read to their children at home. >> The star program and um any library program is free to the public. For any sort of needs you may have, whether it's reading or something else, you can go to lapl.org RG and we will help you out. >> One year on from the Palisades fire, the displaced community gathered together. They honored those who died in the wildfires and marked their own resilience as they continue the fight to restore their community. In the honor of those lives lost January 7th today and 8th 2025 in the community Pacific Palisades, the family of Arthur Simino, the family of Betty Omeira. >> Right now you're in the heart of the Pacific Palisades and this is the commemoration of the January 7th fire. That's not what I would call an anniversary, you know, it's more of a memorial ceremonial. Everybody's going through loss and I've firsthand understand all of this. I've been through a fire. I'm from Paradise, California. Um, we wanted to jump in and give our support in the best way that we can. A minute ago, we were in front of the American Legion where we were retiring the flag that was discovered on the night of the fire. We retired it and we're going to keep it because it's an historical piece for our community. And then we came in a procession over here to the village green and we honored the 12 deceased from this fire by ringing the bell one time for each one of them. And then we rang the bell three times for those who have perished since and all that we left behind in the fires. This is my ex-husband. We were married for uh over 30 years. We built the house that burned down that he died in. We bought the bare land and he built the house brick by brick by himself. We remain very good friends and spent holidays together with our son. I've lived in the community almost 25 years and I lost two of my homes here, a rental property and one that I owned and everything in it. and I'm here to help people talk to people and empathize with what they're going through as I've been battling insurance for a year and bounced around to about 10 different places since the fire with animals and children. We all ran for our lives on January 7th last year. We've been displaced and it was really important to gather us all here today to recreate what we want January 7th to be for us. And what that means is we are hopeful. We are resilient. Community is what will make us go forward. And we are together. As long as we are united, we will recover. In this week's things to do, welcome in the Lunar New Year at a block party. Look up to enjoy a public star party. And celebrate the year of the horse in the foothills. All this up next on Things to Do. >> Welcome in the year of the horse at the annual Lunar Block Party happening at Lancersam Arts Center. Join the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and the Asian Makers at Mom Market on Saturday, January 24th for the Lancers Block Party. It's an opportunity for NOHO pedestrians to reclaim the block and celebrate Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese cultures. Enjoy food, arts and crafts, performing arts, and artisans. Head to Lanasher Boulevard between Oiggo Street and Magnolia for the 4th annual Lunar Block Party on Saturday, January 24th from 11:00 a.m. until 400 p.m. For more details, search for Lunar New Year at culture.acity.gov. On Saturday, January 24th, head to the Griffith Observatory for the free public star party. The parties are held each month at the LA Landmark and World famous Observatory. Join volunteers from the Los Angeles Astronomical Associations who will assist the public in spotting the sun, moon, visible planets, and other objects in the evening sky. Try out a variety of telescopes and chat with the knowledgeable amateur astronomers. Look to the skies at the public star party on Saturday, January 24th from 2 p.m. until 9:45 p.m. For more information, see the calendar at griffithobservatory.org. As part of the city's cultural celebrations for the Lunar New Year, join the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Foothills community to welcome in the year of the horse. The McGory Art Center invites families and neighbors to gather in this historic space to enjoy an afternoon of live entertainment and Asian- themed art on Sunday, January 25th. It's an opportunity for creative exploration and cultural connection. Head to the McGorthy Arts Center for a Lunar New Year celebration on Sunday, January 25th at 3 p.m. For more information, search for Lunar New Year at culture.acity.gov. And that's a look at some things to do. >> And that's all for this week. I'm Susan Huckle. And from all of us here at LA this week, thank you so much for joining us. Remember that you can watch us online anytime at lac cityview.org. We're also on Instagram, Facebook, x, and YouTube. See you next time for more LA this week. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery is located at Barnstall Art Park. The park has five different entities. We have the Holly Hawk House, we have Residence A, we have the Junior Arts Center, we have the Gallery Theater, and we have the Los Angeles Munos Art Gallery. So, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery was established in 1954 and they had a number of exhibitions in here until 1971 when the current building was constructed. And this 10,000 square ft gallery is now able to exhibit even more artists. The gallery continues after 1971 to really focus on Los Angeles artists and in actuality it is the first institution in Los Angeles that is dedicated to exhibiting only art. We actually predate LACMA in becoming a museum of art. One of our unique qualities is that we do not have a collection. We are always changing exhibitions. All the exhibitions at the municipal art gallery is dedicated to exhibiting the art of Los Angeles artists. We have three exhibition periods a year. We have summer, fall, and spring. Every year we also exhibit the annual COLA exhibition which is the department of cultural affairs award to mid-career artists. The gallery is free so you're able to come in and see these exhibitions and learn about new artists sometimes before they've even been featured in a gallery. The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery provides this space as an outlet for artists and it's so important to continue to support the arts as a a medium for our community to respond to the issues that are occurring in our world today. The arts are incredibly important. They provide that additional outlet for our community to express themselves and to learn from others. The municipal art gallery can be a place where dialogue can occur between different groups and learning about diverse issues that are happening in our society today. It is so inspiring to see the visitors coming into the gallery and engaging with the art. That is really what our institution is all about. How do the visitors get to learn about something new? Uh be challenged by ideas that different artworks promote and also see beauty. It brings me much joy and satisfaction to know that I am I'm just overjoyed to really honor and promote the arts and local artists. You can find out about what's happening by visiting our website lag.org or following us on Instagram lagbarstall. We are very prominent on uh social media. Hey, hey hey. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. and welcome to the regularly. scheduled meeting of real Los Angeles City Council. Today is Tuesday, the 20th day of January in the year 2026. Public comment for this morning's meeting will be taken in person in this chamber. Uh madam clerk, can we begin our proceedings by calling the role? >> Blumenfield, Harris, Dawson, Hernandez, Hut Herado Lee McCusker Nazarian Padilla Park Price Ramen Rodriguez Sto Martinez, Yeroslovski, 11 members present in Aora, Mr. President. >> All right. First order of business, >> approval of the minutes of January 16, 2026. >> All right. Council member Hernandez moves. Council member Ramen seconds. What's next? >> Commendatory resolutions for approval. >> Council member Hut moves. Council member McCusker seconds. >> Mr. President, today is Tuesday and it's time for the flag salute. >> All right. I'll ask everybody to uh be silent, stand, face the flag, and follow along with Council Member Rodriguez in the pledge of allegiance. >> Thank you. Right hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, Madam Clerk, let's run through our agenda. >> Thank you, sir. Items 1- 16 are items noticed for public hearing. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety recommends confirming the leans for items 1 13 14 16 and receiving and filing the lean for item 15. Items 17 through 18 are items for which public hearings have been held. Items 19 through35 are items for which public hearings have not been held. 10 votes are required for consideration. >> All right. Without objection, those items are now before us. Uh specials. I see council member Hernandez. >> Yes. Thank you, Council President. I would like to call item 35 special for a separate vote and receive and file item 15 and give comments on 24. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, Council Member Hurado. >> Thank you, Council President. I'd like to continue item 19 to March 3rd, 2026. >> All right. Any others on my left? All right. Uh, Council Member Yosovski. >> Thank you, Council President. Um, on item item 14, I'd like to confirm the lean for Council Member John Lee, who's out today. Uh, and on item 16, I'd like to confirm the lean. >> All right. >> Thank you, >> Council Member Rodriguez. >> Item 33 for an amendment and comments. >> All right. Council member Ramen. >> Comments on item 26, please. >> 26 comments? >> Yes, please. >> No amendment. Okay. >> So, that will be held on the desk. Any other specials, members? All right, seeing no other specials, uh, madam clerk, what items are available cons for consideration at this time? >> The council may now vote on items 17 and 18. >> All right, let's open the role on those items. Close the role. Tabulate the vote. >> 11 eyes. >> All right. What's next? >> Would the council like to move on to public comment? >> Let's move on to public comment. Uh we believe that there are about 12 speakers on the queue even though it doesn't seem like quite that many people in the audience. Um so we will uh prepare to have 20 minutes of public comment. So that should take us to about uh 15 of 11:00 so 10:45. Uh Mr. City Attorney. >> Yes, Mr. President. to people providing public comment. When it's your turn to speak, please state which of the agenda items you'd like to speak to. You will have one minute per item up to 3 minutes total for the items open for public comment. We will tell you when your time is up. When speaking on the agenda items, you must be on topic. Our goal is to get through as many speakers as we can. If you are not on topic or if we cannot tell whether you are on topic, you will get one brief warning from me or the council president. At that point, you need to get immediately and clearly on topic. If you do not do so or if you again stray off topic, you will forfeit the rest of your speaking time and we will move on to the next speaker. The items open for public comment on the agenda are items 1- 16 and items 20 through 35. So again, the items that are open for public comment on the agenda are items 1- 16 and items 20 through35. Item 19 has been continued to March 3rd, 2026 and is thus not open for public comment today. Members of the public may also speak for up to one minute for general public comment. During general public comment, members of the public may speak to any of the items or anything else in the city's subject matter jurisdiction. A couple more announcements. If I can have the interpreters make this first one aloud to the room, please. If you require a Spanish language interpreter, please make sure to pause every few sentences so the interpreters can interpret. >> Don't worry, we will pause your time while the interpreters are interpreting, so you will get the same amount of time as everyone else. Thank you. Additionally, if you've made an accommodation request with the clerk's office or if you would like to make an accommodation request pursuant to the ADA uh to make use of the wireless handheld microphone, once you hear the name that you signed up under called aloud, please raise your hand and get the attention of the sergeants so that they can provide you with the wireless handheld microphone. One final announcement. The order in which we call names is randomly generated. It is not necessarily the order in which you signed up in. So please wait until you hear the name that you signed up under before lining up to speak. Thank you. >> We will we will now be calling the next the first five names. Jerry E, Noah S. Frederick Silic, and Panini H. Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Good morning. I'm speaking on general public comment. >> Okay, so you have one minute. Go ahead. >> Great. Good morning, council members. My name is Noah Sar Sykes and I'm the lead organizer for Better Neighbors LA, a coalition focused on regulating short-term rentals to preserve long-term housing for Southern California residents. I'm here to speak on general about the issue of short-term rentals. In 2019, the city passed a home sharing ordinance in an attempt to regulate the explosive surge of STRs in LA and preserve housing for long-term residents. That legislation, though a good base, has never been fully enforced. By the city's own numbers, over 60% of the short-term rentals we currently have are illegal. That's caused real pain for LA renters like myself, who pay an average $810 a year more in rent due to the effects of STRs. Nearly 5,000 additional people are also made homeless thanks to STRs taking units off the market. And now Airbnb and their front coalition, Save Our Services, are looking to expand the number of STRs by over 300% through their vacation rental ordinance and profit at the expense of LA's residents. With the Olympics a few years away, we urge the council to reject Airbnb's cash grab and protect LA residents by rejecting the vacation rental ordinance and strengthening STR regulations through agendaizing a voting yes on council file 146 1635- time. >> Next speaker. >> Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Uh general comments. Okay, so you have one minute. Go ahead. Okay. >> Good morning, council members. My name is Dr. Penny Herman. I'm a demographer, a resident of Council District 5, and a candidate for California's 30th congressional district. I'm here today to urge you to strengthen the home sharing ordinance before the Olympics, not weaken it. In council district 5, as in much of Los Angeles, we see the effects of housing scarcity every day, rising rents, hidden vacancies, and residents pushed farther from Okay. and residents uh pushed farther from the stable housing. According to Professor David Wsmmont of McGill University, the expansion of short-term rentals has caused at least 5,000 additional people in Los Angeles to lose their homes. This means that one in nine of roughly 45,000 unhoused Angelinos counted by LHSA. Okay, thank you. Next speaker. >> We will now be calling the next five names. Rob Q, Elma R, Andrew, Andrew G, and Lord Cella F. >> Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Good morning. Uh, public comment. Uh, you have one minute. Better city council proceedings. Frederick Silic. I challenge to be a civilized American for better city council proceedings. Lessons from America for America. Integration. We are in need of integration. Years ago, we saw signs of white only, colored only on public facilities. We still exist with segregation in a de facto sense. We could literally hang signs if we would transparently reveal ourselves. Segregationist only, desegregationists, best of fortune to you like myself. The polarization of income circumstances is clearly reveal revol revelation of segregation. The rich are getting more segregated from the poor. We must eliminate billionaire status. We need integration with the future technological forces in full force. Without proper interg integration, we will be in a sense hanging signs like saying robots only on one sign, humans best of fortune to you on another. >> Speaker, your time is expired. Next speaker. Mr. Herman, this is your first and only formal warning. Do not disrupt this meeting. If you're going to go to the podium to speak, then please go up to the podium expeditiously. You have three minutes for the items and one minute for general public comment. >> For the record, go ahead. I would like to speak on all items and non-general public comment. But you need to state what rule seven or what [ __ ] rule that you're making up these false allegations against. >> Mr. Gentlemen, this is your only warning. This is not on the agenda. If you'd like to, you can speak to it during general. >> Hey, big head. Item number 22. Big head. Regarding current price, uh, regarding a sign district, Judge Shelly this morning in division 42 of the third floor in the criminal court said to me regarding the sign district, "Mr. Herman, you're right regarding the prior consil's action of March 5th cuz smoking scan in 2025 said big head that the committee report reflects a negative reality of what's going on in Los Angeles. Just like uh Hernandez there was stuffing food in her mouth while I'm talking. But >> stick to the agenda or I'm going to move your agenda. >> Properties. Hold on. I'm on the properties of the properties big head. Oh, you know, let me go into item number 30 as well. 30 current price, right? I'm here on his behalf of a recusal relative to funding Black History Month in celebration of I, the only black [ __ ] here, speak on your behalf. Only one time do I get this opportunity to talk about the $50,000 special events and in memory of me, the one and only black [ __ ] here. Well, there's other black people who are more intelligent than me, but I'm the only black [ __ ] talking about the $50,000 Heritage Month celebration within the city purpose of funds. Now, what the [ __ ] that means, I don't know. Let's ask Padilla. She don't know. Does anyone here know? I doubt it. Let's go into 31. Big head. since you said that to me on Friday. For the record, the acknowledgment of Gerardo. What are you doing about the sidewalks, Gerardo, at city hall for the annual neighborhood council budget day? You ain't doing [ __ ] That's why your hands over your face because you're ashamed of yourself. Shame, shame, shame on you. Shame, shame, shame on you. But let's go to 32. Once again, Madame Beach Park and her presentation regarding the burned out Palisades. Well, [ __ ] Palisades. Burn, [ __ ] Burn. We don't need no water. Now, into my non agenda public comment. So this morning on the third floor in department 42, Judge Shell is listening to the perjury of Mr. Current Price. Do you see current price here? No, he's in court. Why? Again, recusal of his fat wife Dell Richardson and associates business under what? Development. And what do developers do well, Lassa? They do exactly what David O' Carter and the special master has brought out about this city attorney's conflict of interest and not reporting facts and truth. So big head, pumpkin head, stupid ass, dumbass, idiot, [ __ ] incoherent [ __ ] For the record, remember when you pull a rule out and say I'm disruptive 421 1983. [ __ ] you. Show us the results of your complaint, [ __ ] Are you listening now? You are. >> Your time has expired. Next speaker. Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Morning, Gro. It's good to see you. Although I will say it's suspicious that nobody from the city attorney has been at the last five charter reform commission meetings. Uh I'd like to speak on 273133 and general public comment. >> Okay. So you have three minutes for the items and one minute for general. Go ahead. >> Uh I want to begin by noting my opposition to item 27. In my completely unbiased opinion, it's disgusting to allow a bottom barrel franchise like the Clippers to host the NBA All-Star game in Englewood. I don't know why they're helping them out. It's a shame that CD9 is left with a potted plant representing them. I know that if let's say the Staple Center were in the5, Council Member Ricaus would fight tooth and nail to drag that [ __ ] back to the city of LA like he did for sale. Uh this is just another example of our leaders being asleep at the wheel. Item 31 is on neighborhood council budget day and the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. I I do need people to start paying attention because it will be fun to have everybody here in June talking about how Karen and Marquis have left the city broken, broken, and doing nothing to fix it. But have you been paying attention to how Karen Bass is steamrolling this charter reform commission? She has her gladiators on there fighting tooth and nail to preserve the five-headed monster at Board of Public Works. She might be open to a director of public works, but she wants them to be a figurehead with no actual power. Now, turning back to Dunn before Mr. Gro steps in. This refusal to depoliticize public works and put someone in charge has led Marquis's commissioner to propose something really crazy. He wants to add a new layer of bureaucracy by trimming staff from your offices who help follow up on service requests and instead have all of that housed in the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. That don't make any sense. And I noticed all of you started to get real quiet. I hope you start paying attention. And this is an absolute joke. Notice that when we're talking about the budget, Karen Bass's staff on the charter reform commission boxed out any conversation on giving this council more time for budget deliberations. One of the few things everybody agrees about. Some of y'all are itching to break up the city attorney's office while Karen staff tried to stuff that appointment power with the mayor. I convinced the committee to instead explore giving that power uh to the council. But Saturday, Karen's block of commissioners reversed that decision. Item 30. How much time do I have left? Gro, >> you have 58 seconds. >> No, general. After that, >> General. >> Okay. Uh, item 33 is an indictment of the gruesome Tusome's reign over city hall. At this stage in the process, this vote is a joke. Make no mistake, it's just a cover my ass vote. Marquis only brought this up in December because LA brought some coverage on the issue. It's only coming up for a vote now because the Daily News gave us some coverage. The reality is if this passes today and we expedite everything, it will happen and take effect with a couple weeks left in the process. I want to remind you that Nuri Martinez led the effort to bring similar disclosure requirements to the redistricting commission in 2020. She led the effort whereas he's stying it. How sad is it that our council president today is sloww walking modest transparency reforms that someone like Nuri Martinez viewed as basic decency? How sad is it that our members once again find themselves in an abusive relationship with their council president and unwilling to stand up for themselves or this body? As Mr. McCoster likes to say, members, we're the governing BODY OF THE CITY OF Los Angeles. >> No surprise that he's trying to slowwalk this. He wants to protect Karen Bass's commissioners, have them run as gladiators without any ounce of transparency. I want to know where your spine is. Most of you haven't engaged with this thing. Some of you have, and I very, very much appreciate it. But shit's getting real now. Her appointees make up 30% of this commission, but somehow make up 50% of the new committee that's starting to cast big decisive votes. That committee doesn't have to follow normal Brown Act procedures. They can all pile around and huddle up and talk about what they want to do. What did we see this weekend? The block of BAS commissioners voting in lock step to advance what she wants and essentially v veto what she doesn't like. I also noticed that a lot of those Bass commissioners were glued to their phone and it looked they were trying to digest some text messages and recite them. Y'all better start getting engaged now because in a few weeks from now that's not going to work. It's going to be too late to turn the ship around. I'll leave it there and I will just say it is funny because you [ __ ] this up so hard that tomorrow the Charter Reform Commission is looking at amending their bylaws to actually bring real transparency. So it's coming around no matter what. Arquis >> speaker your time is expired. Next speaker. >> Hey Gro, you better have somebody there on Wednesday. >> Next speaker, >> Mr. Quan, this is your first and only formal warning. Ple understood. Please do not disrupt this meeting. Mr. Grabber is at the podium. This is your first and only formal warning. >> Good morning. You have which items would you like to speak to? >> All items and general public comment. >> So you have three minutes for the items and one for general. Go ahead. So item 21 is reinstating a reward offer for something that happened like 15 years ago. So at this point, what have you found? New revelations. What What is it? Because it's been 15 years. So you're just waiting city resources for something that's probably never even going to be solved. And that's just, you know, that's part for the course. blowing through millions and billions of dollars for policing while the LAPD terrorizes the city and assists and aids and abetss in ICE kidnappings. So we have item 23 which is a just say hello campaign. So you have this street banner for handling civil rights while meanwhile this council has a continuous repeated history of being against any actual civil rights stuff and working enthusiastically alongside racists allowing unchecked racism and violence in the LAPD. So you have a street banner campaign for against hate speech while this city council openly allows the police chief of police to make racist comments repeatedly about a black father's baby. So So you are not actually doing anything to protect civil rights. You're just doing a street manner campaign to say that you are. So we have let's see we have item 28 which is related to the remembrance of the palisades fires. So Tracy Park's whole response to the fires has been a big disaster. She's been on she continuously goes on TV and lets everyone know about how she's the council member for the Palisades and all that stuff. Well, meanwhile, the recovery has been very slow. It's been very focused on, you know, on rebuilding for rich people and for the Olympics while poor people have to wait years to get their stuff rebuilt. And of course, you know, she completely fumbled trying to get federal aid. Instead of yelling at the president for trying to fight against federal aid, she thanked Trump. She thanked him. an open fascist. That's what Tracy Park did. Instead of telling him that he needed to support federal aid, which the city's never gotten for the fires. So that's then Tracy Park's response to the fires. Okay. So let's go into general public comment now. >> Okay. So you have one minute. >> So once again, why is Jim McDonald still chief of police? Why? you can fire him and if you do it, you're the final say. You There's no real appeal. It's It's up to you. But for some reason, you refuse to do it. While the LAPD has unchecked violence, they've shot over 40 people last year. They're it's got the LAPD violence has skyrocketed. They're repeatedly repeatedly assisting ICE. And then the chief of police lies about it and claims that they're not when they are and you all have nothing to say about that. Why? Why is he's getting no accountability for his actions whatsoever? You have the power to do that. You have the power to fire him. And not even one of you will support that. Let's hear from all speakers. Let's restore call in comment. You're going to be required to do it anyway. We will now be calling the next three speakers. Delme Alvarez, Kcha H, and Ty Foreman. >> Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Uh, I just want to make a public comment. >> Okay. Excuse one minute. >> I uh for the record, I'm Alpha and the Omega, the creator of heaven and earth, the one that this city crucified and prosecuted. I have come and to let you know the judgment is here on California as Sodom and Gomorrah because you have allowed all my people to die. Seven to 10 people a day in Skid Row. That's the 144,000 chosen people from God. I am chosen too. I was put into a pit into a palace by Chief Beck Moore who I fired and I do the hiring as well. And as the power and heaven's authority as judge, I call the shots. To God be the glory. So this is a day of reckoning to repent. There has been no repentance in this city at all. And especially a sorry to me for putting me in a pit, sending a smear campaign against me, sending gangstalkers against me, sending people to poison me, sending people to uh hit men to take my life. >> Speaker, your time is expire. >> So this is the hour to repent >> in the name of Jesus Christ in the flesh cuz Sodom and Gomorra is going to be >> your time has expired. You are now disrupting the meeting. We we have to move on to the next speaker. So please do not disrupt this meeting. This is your first and only formal warning. If you have papers to provide to the council, you can provide them to the sergeants. Next speaker. >> Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Uh just a general comment. >> Okay. So you have one minute. Go ahead. >> Okay. Uh yeah, you need to reduce the number of signatures needed for the wealth tax. They don't. Everybody over 55, they don't understand. They don't understand. You need to reduce it like by 60%. And give like give us a chance to like get the people to sign it because the wealth tax, we need it. I mean, they're messing with the jobs. So, we need their money. Do you know what I'm talking about? The wealth tax, the billionaire tax of 5%. It could be 7% maybe. You know, bring it up. They got the money. And that's all I wanted to say. Reduce. You need to reduce the amount of signatures needed by 60%. Because everybody I talk to, every time you mention that, they say, "I'm not wealthy." And it turns them off. So, okay. Okay. All right. Next speaker. Good morning. Which items would you like to speak to? >> Good morning. I'm here for general public comment. >> Okay, so you have one minute. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Good morning. My name is Telmi Alvarez. I'm an interim executive director for Better Neighbors Los Angeles. I'm here to speak on an issue that you all are aware of. Uh, the city of LA has struggled to enforce the HSO, the home sharing ordinance, with the city's own estimates showing that over 60% of the current short-term rentals are non-compliant. Today, Airbnb's Save Our Service Coalition, their proposal to bring back the failed vacation rentals ordinance would make things worse by vastly expanding the number of short-term rentals we have and incentivizing speculators to convert existing housing into short-term rentals by allowing second homes to be used as STRs. Airbnb claims that the VRO would bring significant income to the city, but adding more short-term rentals does not increase the amount of tourists. It just spreads the same amount of transit oriented tax toot around while removing long-term residents from the city's tax base. A San Francisco study shows that the city lost 150,000 to 200,000 per house taken off the market for STRs. We want you to oppose the vacation rentals ordinance that your time is pushing. Thank you. >> Next speaker. >> Good morning. Good morning. Which items? Just general >> general comment. General horrible eyesight. I'm sorry. I don't know where you are. M. Um, I just wanted to really uh communicate to you all um just the beauty of Los Angeles and my flag uh that I have right now walking around this morning uh interacting with the community of downtown Los Angeles uh reflecting on the uh action of construction of our government uh and identity as Angelinos uh and being uh a part uh of this city uh of this civilization It is a massive, massive privilege and inspiring those from women to black youth, young men of color to understand that physicality, action and intention are things that are nested in cooperation and community. Uh I am uh very uh happy uh about uh the future and happy after remembrance day. I didn't see any of you yesterday. It was a beautiful Martin Luther King, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. God bless you guys. Thank you. >> Public comment period has now concluded. >> Looks like we got one more speaker. >> Good morning. Which items would >> Thank you for >> you like to speak to speak. Uh, I'm just here to try to get some information or let people know we live over on 350 West 43rd Street in apartment building. And so behind us is a city parking lot and during the night time and during the daytime there's a lot of factions over there uh disturbing our sleep, making a lot of noise. They're living in their cars, a lot of disruption. and we've tried to get some resolution to this issue and we're to no avail. Uh I just want to kind of bring it to the attention to the city council if they can do anything to support this. Uh it's gotten really bad and especially on the weekend it turns into a little nightclub uh where they're out there drinking, urinating everywhere and just having a good time. So uh I just hope that something could be resolved or something could be done to alleviate this issue. Uh we pay rent over there. It's like the only apartment building there and uh it's I don't think we have the uh the clout or the wherever ball to try to get things done. There's a no loadering sign there. Thank you. >> So speaker, your time is expired, but can you wait off on the side just for a couple minutes? >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, we'll we'll get someone from your council district to speak with you uh today. All right. Uh that concludes public comment for today's meetings. Madam clerk, what's before us? >> The council may now vote on items 2 through 12, 22- 23, 25, 27 through 32, and 34. >> All right, let's open the roll on those items. Close the ro. Tabulate the vote. >> 12 eyes. >> All right. What's next? >> The council would like to take out the lean uh take up the leans. A motion has been introduced to confirm the leans for items 113, 14, and 16, and receive and file the lean for item number 15. Is there a second? >> All right. Seconded by Council Member Hernandez. I got Mr. Nazarian on the queue. >> No. >> Yes. >> Not on this item. >> Okay. All right. Let's open the roll. Close the ro. Tabulate to votes. >> 12 eyes. >> All right. Mr. Nesarian President. Thank you, Council President. Just asking to for a reconsideration vote on item 18 since uh I was not at my desk when we voted. >> All right. Uh, let's open the roll on reconsideration of 18. Close the roll. Tabulate the vote. >> All right. >> 12 eyes. >> All right. Let's open the roll on item number 18. Close the roll. Tabulate the vote. >> 12 eyes. >> You good? >> Pardon me, Mr. Chair. There is the request also to send item number 24th with >> All right. Without objection, that'll be the order. What's next? The council may now move on to item 24 called special by council member Hernandez for comments. >> Council member Hernandez. >> Uh thank you uh council president. I just want to say colleagues, thank you for your support on this. Um in Chinatown there are two things that don't exist there. One is a grocery store and true and two is a laundry mat. And so this motion is moving money so that we can fund a mobile laundry service uh for the community of Chinatown. It's the first step in getting that neighborhood uh laundry mat access. Thank you. Thank you so much. Uh, congratulations. Council member Anandal says, "Open the roll on this item, close the role, tabulate the vote. >> 12 eyes." >> All right. What's next? >> The council may now move on to item 26, called special by council member Ramen for comments. >> Council member Ramen. >> Thank you so much. In 2022, my office secured $4 million in state funding from then assembly member Laura Freriedman to enhance active transportation and safety in and around Griffith Park. a huge draw for residents of Los Angeles. This motion today moves some of that money as well as some additional funds for two projects. The Losilas Boulevard Parkway cycle track which will be planned and designed by LA DOT but starts with community engagement um public input and uh preliminary design and environmental review and curb ramp upgrades. So, it's a long process that we're just starting on now and this funding kicks that off. The second is the Griffith Park Crystal Springs Crystal Springs roadway redesign which will create a protected pathway for cyclists and pedestrians in Griffith Park which is an incredible resource. Um I hope that you guys can support moving this forward and I'm very very excited about it. And while I applaud these steps moving forward, I did want to share with everyone that I am fairly frustrated by the amount of time that it has taken us to get here. The Crystal Springs portion of this work was supposed to be called was called a quick build. But because of a lack of coordination between departments and extraordinarily complicated processes in the city, what was intended to be a quick build has now been multiple years in the making and is now more expensive, which required us then to find more funding for this project. Uh I stand here frustrated. I want to move this forward, but I also think we all need to work together to make sure that our infrastructure projects in this city are not bedeled by bureaucracy that we're putting in its pathway. And I fear that we're doing that over and over and over again. So, colleagues, I hope you can support this, but um I did want to share that bit of frustration with you as well. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Uh Council Member Ramen, congratulations on the work, but uh your points are duly noted on projects almost everywhere in the city. uh we have cost increases that we caused by our own processes. All right, let's open the roll on this item. Close the roll. Tabulate the vote. >> Eyes. >> All right, what's next? >> The council may now move on to item 33 called special by council member Rodriguez for an amendment and comments. >> All right. Uh that item is before us as amended. Council member Rodriguez. >> Thank you. I wanted to let everyone know that the item before us today is an ordinance that mirrors the policy that we had in place for the redistricting commission. uh and uh the amendment is to clarify that any violation of this uh ordinance and this disclosure is going to be pursued civily. Uh this will address the concerns that were also raised in the committee. But uh more importantly due to the time sensitivity of when this has come forward and given the ongoing meetings that are being held by the charter reform commission I wanted to ensure that as we adopt uh this before us today that uh the formal recommendations to this body. I would like to move that the ordinance which we have been coordinating and working with the city attorney's office to have prepared and draft uh is uh that I wanted to get this scheduled as quickly as possible and that we have it rescheduled for consideration in one week on January 27th. So I ask for your I vote. >> All right, let's open the roll on this item. Close the roll. Tabulate the vote. >> 12 eyes. >> All right, what's next? The council may now move on to item 35 called special by council member Hernandez for a separate vote. >> All right. If there no comments, council member Hernandez, we'll open the role on this item, close the role, tabulate the vote. >> Nine eyes, three nos. >> All right. What's next? >> The council has motions for posting and referral. >> They are posted and referred. We're not waiting on any. >> The desk is clear. documents. All right. Desk is clear. Uh announcements, members, announcements to my left. Uh Council Member Rodriguez, are you standing for an announcement? No. All right. Uh if there are no announcements, I'll ask everybody in the chamber to rise for adjourning motions. >> My family for adjourning motions is blocking down. >> Okay. All right. So, I think we will have a couple of announcements. members. I want to thank everybody who came out for the King Day parade uh yesterday. It was a absolute postcard day uh in the city of Los Angeles. It was just gorgeous to see the tapestry of the city there along King Boulevard and along Crenshaw. and uh a few of our colleagues joined us on the Heather Hut CD10 Express party float uh down the middle of uh Krenshaw Boulevard. Council member Hernandez, >> uh I just want to add that I had serious FOMO that I wasn't able to attend yesterday as I've attended the last few years and it's always a magical time on the CD10 floats. Um and it's always great to dance alongside my colleagues. I will say that I wasn't able to attend because I was attending the second annual uh peace march uh and walk in Pico Union. Uh honor uh this is second annual organized by friends of the Pico Union library uh and Aurora Corona a Pico Union resident and there's a beautiful gathering of community members the Lyola High School uh students there um and a bunch of resources but it was again in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his teachings and his values. So, it's just a great day to be on Pico Union. >> Thank you, Council Member Hut. >> Thank you, Council President. I want to say that uh the celebration was a reminder of the hope that Dr. King talked about in his dream and uh being together with colleagues was was really exceptional because we had an opportunity to enjoy each other when we're not talking policy. And so it was really great to be there together and see who had dance moves and who did you know McCusker got dance moves. >> McCusker won the chair dancing competition >> right? That's a real thing. Chair dancing. >> Yeah it actually was. I want to thank you again. That was really great hospitality. And I was there with Connie who many of you know and it was uh little Omero Maccoscer's little mero stelers uh first uh MLK parade. He is in TK in LA unified and learned about Martin Luther King this week this past week and he was talking about it and asking questions and curious about all the the wonderful parts and the difficult parts. And so we brought him to the parade and he saw just such a lovely outpouring of support and met and everyone on the float was so kind to him and he got a little bit of candy when he got tired. He fell asleep on my lap, but he really really enjoyed himself and he thinks his grandpa is a pretty good chair dancer. >> There you go. >> Very nice. >> Council member Rodriguez. Sure. Uh well, I too wanted to uh share my disappointment that I was unable to join you uh on Mon yesterday uh for this event, but uh thankfully our POMA celebration resurrected. It had been dormant uh postcoid for a few years, but we have an annual tradition at the Pakoma uh Boys and Girls Club uh to have a a breakfast in our community. And so thankfully that uh has come back and it was beautiful to have so many members of our community coming back together and uh with a panel discussion and what I think is the largest troop of Girl Scouts, the largest Girl Scout troop that uh came and uh it was beautiful singing. They they led the the um uh they led the chorus on lift every voice and um and did a beautiful rendition having each of the young people say a phrase and segment of Martin Luther King's I have a dream speech. So it was really beautiful to be in community yesterday. So, I'm sorry I got to I I was unable to join both. Uh but there's quite a distance between the travel time and so I wasn't able to make both work. But uh but thank you for doing that uh council member Hut. It's it's always a beautiful event. >> Council member Ramen. >> Yes. And um we had I did want to say that I'm delighted to see that so many groups across the city marked Martin Luther King Day. I was able to attend uh an annual uh lunch which has now been happening for four years at the Congregational Church of the Chimes in Sherman Oaks and this was their largest event uh yet. They had about 150 people. Um they uh ate together. They honored Dr. King and his legacy and the San Frernando Valley Youth Choir came and sang songs including Lift Every Voice. And so it was a really beautiful event. So I want to thank you Council Member Hut for always hosting um an incredible day. Uh but also delighted to see that this marking of this moment and this weekend is happening in so many neighborhoods across Los Angeles. Um, I also did want to say, uh, I went this weekend to the monuments exhibit at the Mocha Geffen and at the brick and it is incredible and I did just want to I I shared about it on on my social media and just wanted to tell everyone here about it and hope that if you haven't already gone that you will make the time to go. It is essentially a revisiting of over 200 monuments that were decommissioned across municipalities in the south after the mass murder of nine black parishioners at the Mother Emanuel AM church. The activist Brie Nuome climbed uh the flag pole outside of the South Carolina state house and took down the Confederate flag. And after that happened, cities across the south started taking down um statues that were put up to commemorate the Confederate soldiers generals um taking down Confederate flags that were placed there. And this exhibit is so moving and so incredible and it takes these decommissioned monuments, it puts them at human scale. Some of them are covered by graffiti because they were, you know, there were protests and they they took them. Some of them are broken. Some of them are melted down into ingots. Some of them are actually taken apart and reput together by artists like Hara Walker. There's an incredible sculpture of Stonewall Jackson that she's taken apart and put back together. The entire exhibit is so incredible, so moving, particularly at this moment in history. And I just want to encourage as many people as possible to go and see it. Admission at the Geffin is free on Fridays. I went to first Fridays there. And it's really a an a, you know, a a it's a spectacular exhibit. Um, especially at this moment in history. Uh, and I did just want to say like this, it was one of those exhibits that made me realize LA is an incredible art city or it underscored the the depth of art that we have here, the depth of um, artistry that we have here, the number of artists that we have working here who are speaking to history. Um, and I just hope that all of you can see it. >> Thank you for that, Council Member Ramen. Council member McCusker, >> we had an a a more light-hearted uh moment over the weekend in the5 down at the very south end of the5. We opened a new uh a new municipal space and we call it Piaza Miramare. My predecessor, Joe Buskayino, who many of you served with uh was very supportive and I continue to be very supportive of the Italian-American community in the harbor area and uh Joe and others, the Leela, the Little Italy Association of Los Angeles, uh had the idea several years ago of building a piaza in a underutilized space right next to our city hall down at the far south end of the city. And it's right on Harbor Boulevard, right across from the main channel of the port where so much work is going on. And in the handoff, we were able to finish the piaza mir. And we actually did a grand opening of this on Saturday morning and the council general of Italy and a member of parliament from Italy uh came to the event uh and spoke and we had this great community celebration of just a an Italian inspired piaza. We might call it a zoko or we might call a plaza but it has the elements of the Italian-American community. And it was really really beautiful, really nice. uh just a new space, a third space as they say, a place where you don't work, a place where you don't live, but a place to just come and enjoy. And we have real high hopes that every member of the community, the Croatian-American community, the Mexican-American community, uh every every association, every group, uh can come and celebrate there. We're going to have Gaelic and Garlic there. We'll have the Pride Festival. We'll probably begin and end there because we have a march that goes very close. And so we're just looking forward to another place that while inspired by a piece, an important piece of our cultural history, is going to be available to everyone because as they say in civil rights, LA is for everyone. >> Council member Rodriguez, >> I just uh Mr. Mr. Mccasker, I wanted I I saw Joe's photos of the piaza and I can't recall and I you know I I think it's beautiful, but I can't recall since the kiosk at Mariachi Plaza that we've had anything similarly at that scale installed in the city of Los Angeles. So, uh my hats off to, you know, Joe for starting and then the handoff for you and your team uh seeing it all the way through. But those are cultural monuments that are important for a city like ours. You can go to cities around the world. You go to Mexico City, you go to any European city, they have a lot of these public spaces that are celebrated and just beautiful places of respit uh in those communities that are a tribute to the cultural identity of so many neighborhoods. And so uh I remember when Richard Alatori and his staff worked on getting the kiosk at Mariachi Plaza. So, it's I know it's a lot of work uh and it was a lot of fundraising to make it all happen, but it looks beautiful and I can't wait to go down and visit and uh meet up and and uh see that work happen. >> Great. Thank you. >> See, and and to just enjoy that space. It looks it looks really stunning. >> Great. Thank you. >> Congratulations, Mr. McCusker. Uh it's a big push. I remember when uh Council Member Buskino was dreaming it up. Uh so it's nice to see that it's real. Council member Hurado. >> Thank you. Thank you, council president. Um, I wanted to announce here in city council uh an announcement we made earlier today that Kasa Mexico, the hospitality house for Mexico will be at La Plaza del Cultura Artes and for six weeks starting in June, we'll be hosting them. It'll be an exciting uh six weeks over there. Council General, the mayor, um Leticia, and all of us were there this morning to announce it. So, we're very excited. We're going to partner with El PBLO. We'll make sure that we can bring all the council members out there during the six weeks of soccer because soccer is life. Um, and so it'll be exciting to get together. You know, uh, Council Member Hut. The second match is between South Korea and Mexico. And, you know, our Sunyong Win uh, will be there. So, that'll be exciting. I hope you'll co-host the viewing party with me and everybody else to come out. Okay. Yes. I just wanted to share that announcement while we wait. >> Thank you. >> All right. Council member Padia. >> So, um, as thank you for holding waiting with me, but I do have an announcement. I'm surprised none of us have brought up that today is the, uh, homeless count. Um, it's only weeks away, um, for us to start talking about what our budget is going to look like next year. Um, and we know that everything related to homeless also blends in with our budget conversations. So, for those of you who are going to be there tonight, have fun, be safe. There's still time to get our teams to mobilize and make sure that we have plenty of volunteers. I know I'm going to be going to two sites. Um, because the more accurate our numbers, the better we are at planning. So, um hopefully everyone is taking this serious because we all have to deal with this issue. Also, um the next holiday that everybody's going to be talking about that is around the corner is obviously Valentine's Day. It's not the day where we take off or do very much. It's not like we bring in folks for presentations, but I do want to announce that I will be hosting something by the name of love of literacy that I tie uh with the department of mental health to remind uh young people that we have a little poem that we've created as an office for this event. It's called the more you read, the better you communicate. The better you communicate, the more you express yourself. The more you express yourself, the better you become at loving yourself. So, while some young people and other adults or anyone might be sad or, you know, a little melancholy because this is a a holiday that pushes for partnership, I grew up with a mother who always said that it's about love and friendship, but you can't love anybody else until you love yourself. And the best way to do that is to be able to, you know, be able to talk about who you are and recognize your own identity. So, um I invite some of you guys to attend or check out what our model is in partnership with our three my three local libraries um uh because I think it is important and you kill a lot of birds with one stone with this sort of event. You work with your libraries, you work with your schools and the department of mental health. >> All right, Council Member Hernandez, >> two more announcements. Uh on January 24th from 9 to 12, we're going to have a community cleanup day in Pico Union. Uh the meetup spot is St. Thomas uh the Apostle School. So we'll see you there. January 24th in Pico Union from 9 to 12 for community cleanup day. Now, this one's a little bit of a longer announcement. Uh but this is for uh not just CD1, but hopefully is helpful to y'all as well. Uh so recycle your Christmas tree with LA Sanitation. Um, I'm seeing a lot of Christmas trees in my neighborhood and so I just want to share info on what you should do as a constituent if you have a tree. So, number one is prepare the tree, take off all the lights and ornaments, the basics. Uh, number two is green bin curbside pickup. So, you have an option. You can put the tree inside the bin. You can cut the tree into sections and place them inside your green compost bin. Or option B is that you can leave it next to the bin. If the tree is too big uh to cut or you're unable to cut the tree, just place the entire tree on the curb next to your green bin. If it is after January 31st or if your tree is more than 6 feet tall, you will need to schedule a bulky item pickup using my LAA 311. You can download the Mya 311 app or you can call 18007732489 or you can also visit my 311.lacity.gov and select item pickups. uh for mult uh multif family residential buildings, so apartment buildings, residents um or who live in apartment buildings or condos should place bare trees curbside on their neighbor neighborhoods scheduled collection day. So make sure if you want to get rid of your tree, those are the steps. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Hernandez. Council member Nazarian. >> So thank you, Council President. I'm trying to keep the announcement portion of our meeting alive and see how long we can keep it going. Um, but jokes aside, I wanted to take a minute and recognize a wonderful friend, a wise mentor, and a phenomenal storyteller who is amongst us right now, Renee Whiter, uh, holding up that column right there. Uh, I had the wonderful pleasure of working with and for Renee. We all worked for Renee, uh, when we would work in an office. um uh when I when we both worked for uh council member Tom Leange, God rest his soul. And uh she started out as an activist herself. Uh after many complaints, Joel Wax decided to hire her and say, "Why don't you put your complaints to work and see how the city works?" And from there on began a I don't even know how many decades of an illustrious career in the city. So, thank you for always coming back. Thank you for always being ready to give sound advice. And this is on behalf of both uh council member McCoscer and I because he had the wonderful idea of recognizing that you're here. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Nazarian. >> No takers. Nobody else. >> There's got to be something going on in Venice. Come on, Council Member Park. >> Pull up my calendar to look to to see and maybe I'll have some more to add to the roundabout here. But um I just wanted to add about Renee Whiter in case you didn't already know this. Renee lost her home in the Pacific Palisades fire and is one of the thousands of victims who has spent the last year displaced and really worked hard to help a community and has continued to offer all of her sage advice and wisdom and has been an incredible friend and partner to me in the CD11 office through it all. Um, I'm very glad that she has landed now in Mar Vista, so we know that she is safe and um, we're really, really glad to have her with us today. And it was really, really wonderful spending some time with you this weekend, Renee. So, thank you. Thank you for acknowledging her here. >> And I tried to get her, but she wouldn't come down to the 15. >> I have I have to The stories around the dinner table were entertaining for several hours on end. >> Do you want to say something? Come on up. >> No, I can't. Come on. >> We would love to hear from you. >> Announcements. We're running out of material. >> Uh, Council Member Hernandez. >> I have another one. Um, help shape LA's transportation future from the LA Department of Transportation. Want safer streets, better sidewalks, and smarter transit? Take the LA Do uh LA Department of Transportation mobility survey and help decide what transportation projects move forward across the city. Your response will help shape the city's next transportation short range plan. The survey is open now through January 30th and participants can enter to win a $50 gift card. >> Oh, thanks. Sorry, >> Council Member >> McCoster. beginning to feel a bit like Hakee Jeff here. >> Yeah, this is our first filibuster. Um I actually don't have another one. I just had that clever comment. >> I thank you for it. We appreciate it. We appreciate the perspective. Council member Park. >> So I I wanted to share um that over this past weekend I was at an Olympics organizing meeting with US triathlon and you know I wanted to spend a second and just reflect on it. you know, as city leaders preparing for the Olympics, you know, we have this very very high level view and we talk about the infrastructure, the access, the access, the venue approaches, the transit, all of the things that we need to work on. But when I was in the room with um the the the US Triathlon Association and learning more about the back-end pipeline for the athletes and the training camps that they run and the races that they sponsor to give athletes opportunity opportunities to race and get qualified for the Olympics, the amount of fundraising surprises might work. See Yeah. out something that I think is easy to forget in all of our discussions. The these summer games, people'sating in one or two events in these games that we're going to host and that's true all over the earth uh that that's happening. And so it's a it's something that I think we got to uh remain mindful of. Congratulations to CD. Uh that's a big score. uh you're providing momentum to the rest of us. Mr. McCusker has got his, CD14's got theirs, and so we're going to continue to work around the horseshoe. Also, last week um the ticket lottery opened uh and just so everybody knows, within 24 hours, they were oversold. It is the most uh tickets people have signed up for in the history of the Olympics. Uh so we're off to a very, very good start. Uh there, you know, a lot of people that signed up that actually will end up not getting tickets because they uh it went over. so quickly uh no one was expecting that to happen in the day. So uh we feel good about the momentum towards uh the Olympic Games. If there are no other announcements uh we'll go to adjourning motions. Uh Council Member Padilla like her love would continue through generations. Above all, she was remembered as a kind, compassionate firecracker, someone who laughed loudly, loved deeply, and gave freely of herself. She was an incredible wife to Wall-E, whom she married in 1974, and who is watching us today um through through an online YouTube channel. A devoted she was a devoted mother, a proud grandmother grandmother to Amanda, Joseph, Joseph, and Lindsay, and a cherished friend to many. And while we will miss her, we know that her warmth, laughter, and love live on every life that she ever touched. We may honor bar may we honor Barbara by carrying forward her joy, her generosity, and her reminder to always make room at the table for friends, family, and for her love. She is also the grandma, mother, grandma-in-law to one of my staffers, Andres. And you guys are probably noticing that last year um lots of family members uh passed away uh on behalf of my staff. It was very and it was a very somber time, but like I always tell my staff when these sort of things happen, take your time. Make sure that you uh mourn correctly. The work here at city hall never stops. And also our jobs as council folks and council aids, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle. So, um, on behalf of your team, Andres, and the entire family, we give you these flowers. We know this was not easy, but as your team, we have your back and we hope that um, and know that we will also carry her memory forward because so many of us always heard many stories about it. So, thank you again, colleagues, and, uh, may she rest in peace. Thank you so much uh council member Padilla and so sorry for your loss and and thank you for sharing her with the people of uh our great city. Thank you all so much. And with that uh members we are journed. See you in the morning. s with you via text message as well as on local radio, TV stations, and social media. Step two, build your emergency kits. These will help ensure you can stay safe and comfortable until normal services are repaired. Ideally, your kit should have two weeks of supplies, but even a few days can be a huge help. Pack and store separate kits in your home, car, and at your workplace. First, pack copies of all important documents. For example, passports, birth certificates, and property deeds. Pause this video to make sure you include each of the listed documents. Next, think through what you might need to survive without running water, electricity, transport, or phones for a few days. Make sure to pack a first aid kit, flashlight, batteries, whistle, manual can opener, cell phone charger, duct tape, wrench, or hammer to turn off utilities, extra medication, clothing, personal toiletries, water, and food. It is recommended to have one gallon of water per person or pet per day, as well as non-p perishable food supplies that do not require cooking. In case you need to evacuate quickly, it's important to also have a kit packed and ready with your essential items at all times. If you have any pets or service animals, pack a kit for them, too. Include essential items like their medication, food, and microchip information. That may have seemed like a lot of items to keep track of, but everything is easier with practice. Review this plan annually and check your kit regularly to replace expired items such as food or medication. Now that you have a household plan, consider developing a neighborhood preparedness plan. In an emergency, the first people that usually come to your rescue are your neighbors. The Ready Your LA neighborhood workshop can help your community develop a plan for the immediate aftermath. Sign up for this free workshop at readyla.org. Great work protecting you and your loved ones. Remember, ensure everyone in your household knows where to meet and who to contact in an emergency. Sign up for Notify LA. Pack an emergency kit. Perfect. >> Hi, I'm Christina Rice. I am the senior librarian at the Los Angeles Public Libraries photo collection. Our collection has over 3 million photos documenting life in Los Angeles from the 1850s to the present, which means there are a lot of photographers represented in our collection who produced these images. So, today I wanted to focus on one of them, and that's Carol Westwood. So Carol Westwood was a local photographer. Um she primarily did a lot of um film work. So she would be on the sets of movies, but she also, you know, was a street photographer and loved the city she lived in and captured it, you know, from downtown to the ocean. All of the photos she donated are digitized. So you can go to tessa.lapl.org to view the archive. and her photos kind of like run the gamut in terms of subject matter and style. So sometimes, you know, she would take very kind of gorgeous um scenic photos of Los Angeles, be it the um the skyline or the ocean. She would sometimes go to the airport and shoot the planes um taking off and landing. Um but she'd also, you know, just get into her car and just shoot the city from her car. And so here's one example of that. So it's Main Street. the skid row area um where you can actually see her car and you can also see the side mirror. So that's how you can kind of identify and get a sense of where she was. So there are a lot of interesting photos like that. Um you know she would also sometimes go into buildings and this is I think a really fascinating photo. It's the Taft building in Hollywood where she had the vantage point to look into the building and so we can kind of see um people working. So, it's it's very rear window this photo, you know, and then there are there are iconic photos of the Hollywood sign. Here's just a really interesting rear view of the Broadway Hollywood sign. And I mentioned she shot on a number of different mediums. So, we also have color photos. And so, we have some slides and sometimes she'll just do just kind of whimsical things. So we have the Smith Brothers Fish Shanty Restaurant on Loiaga, the entrance of which is just a giant whale mouth. So this is something that no longer exists. Sadly, I never got to visit, but it's wonderful that we have this color, you know, visual documentation of it. Um, she shot on Melrose a lot. One of the images that really resonates with me is this image of Arvark's Odd Arc, um, secondhand clothing store, vintage clothing store on Melrose. And this was a shop I would go to quite a bit in the late 80s and early 90s. My mom when I was in high school, she would take me there um to do back to school shopping. And so um this is an image that, you know, just brings back a lot of memories. So I think Carol's is a collection that, you know, if you want to see the city kind of as it was in the 80s and '9s, it's there. Um if you've lived through it, I think you can go and it can generate a great deal of nostalgia. And I think it's just also interesting to kind of see a photographers's perspective. So, you know, we have all of these photos in our collection and I think a lot of times people will search for specific things, which is great, but sometimes it's also, I think, nice to look like at a photographers's body of work to kind of get a sense of what resonated with them and how they were viewing the city. And I think it also um points out how important it is when you know photos