This was an encouraging week in the fight against COVID-19. The CDC announced that they are no longer recommending that fully vaccinated people need to wear masks – whether inside or outside – except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. Although the CDC made this recommendation, it’s critical that LA County residents adhere to local guidance to keep our community safe. Los Angeles County is currently reviewing the new recommendations in order to make adjustments to its public health guidance. In the interim, please note that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask when indoors around other fully vaccinated people, or outside in uncrowded areas. For more information from LA Public Health, please click here.
Los Angeles County is making great progress in administering the COVID-19 vaccine. If we continue with our increased vaccination rate, the county could reach herd immunity by mid- to late July. However, this will only happen if people continue to get vaccinated. If you haven’t already, please get vaccinated to help our community recover. Also, please encourage the people you know to get the vaccine. The more people vaccinated, the faster we can get back to normal.
More great news! Everyone age 12 and older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in LA County. Children ages 12-17 are only eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. If you have children of these ages in your household, please help them sign up for a vaccine. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is also holding a Vaccine Virtual Town Hall for parents who have questions about vaccinating children. To submit your question, please click here. The virtual town hall will be held on Tuesday, May 18th at 6 p.m on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook at @lapublichealth. While we get shots in arms, the American Rescue Plan is providing much-needed financial relief to American families and businesses. Thanks to this comprehensive stimulus and relief package, eligible American families will receive up to $300/month, per child as part of the advanced monthly Child Tax Credit payments. If you haven’t already filed your 2020 tax return, please make sure to do so before Monday, May 17th to ensure your family starts getting payments as soon as possible. This relief could benefit the families of 7.8 million children in California, helping lift 553,000 children out of poverty. HELP IS HERE for California The American Rescue Plan provides a total of $350 billion in emergency state and local funding to help communities across the United States recover. I’m pleased that the state of California will receive $43 billion to support healthy communities, struggling businesses, hard-hit families, and frontline workers. More locally, Los Angeles County will receive a total of $1,949,978,847 to support COVID response and relief efforts.
In addition, Governor Newsom unveiled this week the California Comeback Plan, a $100 billion comprehensive economic recovery plan to help the state emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. The plan provides Golden State Stimulus Checks of at least $600 for two-thirds of Californians and billions for rental relief and to cover overdue water and electricity bills. The package also invests in tackling homelessness with $12 billion to create 46,000 new housing units and expand key programs like Project Homekey – seeking to end family homelessness within 5 years. I applaud Governor Newsom for prioritizing solutions to homelessness in the CA Comeback plan and for this comprehensive approach to helping Californians build back stronger than before. Get Vaccinated! Los Angeles County has now administered over 8.6 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Please view the information below to see what percentage of your community has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Help your community get to 100% by getting vaccinated and encouraging others to do the same. Everyone age 12 and older who lives or works in LA County is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Please check VaccinateLACounty.com for updated information on walk-in vaccinations. You can also book an appointment for a vaccine ahead of time by going to VaccinateLACounty.com or Coronavirus.LACity.org/VaxAppointment.
If you have a disability or do not have access to the internet and need assistance making your vaccination appointment, you can contact the County’s Call Center –– open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. –– at (833) 540-0473. The vaccine is free to all people and immigration status and insurance are not required.
NEW: You can text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX) in English or 822862 (VACUNA) in Spanish to receive 3 locations near you with available vaccines, as well as contact information for those sites. If you’d rather go online, you can visit Vaccines.gov to find available vaccines near you. If you’d like to get this information over the phone, you can call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 1 (800) 232-0233. Additional Resources • Do you need help getting to a vaccination site? Please call the Department of Public Health Vaccine Call Center at 833-540-0473 for assistance.In addition to gaining protection against COVID-19, you could receive special deals at grocery stores, sports games, and more by getting your vaccine. • Please click here to learn about some of the incentives businesses are offering to make it easier and more fun to get vaccinated. • Discrimination and harassment stemming from fears surrounding COVID-19 in schools is wrong and must be stopped. This kind of treatment can have devastating effects on students and their families. Please click here for a resource for families and actions you can take if you believe a student has been treated unfairly. • If you are out of work or have had your hours reduced, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. For questions about unemployment insurance, please go to edd.ca.gov or contact your state legislator for assistance. • To check on the status of your stimulus check, please visit irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment. • Covered California opened a new special enrollment period to allow Californians to benefit from lower health insurance premiums available through the American Rescue Plan. Click here to enroll in health care coverage. • For CDC guidance on travel for fully vaccinated people, please click here. If you plan to travel, please remember to renew your passport at least 6 months in advance. • The West LA VA is now offering walk-in vaccinations veterans of ALL ages and their spouses or caregivers. Please call (310) 268-4900 for information about walk-in times and locations. • For updated data on COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in California and LA County, please go to update.covid19.ca.gov and publichealth.lacounty.gov.CDC’s guidance for coping with stress and anxiety during a pandemic. • If you need someone to talk to, please call the LA County Department of Mental Health hotline at (800) 854-7771 or text “LA” to 741741. • Opt-in to receive notifications if you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19.If you are in need of food assistance; housing relief; information about COVID-19; and more, please call 2-1-1 or visit 211la.org. • Learn about vaccine misinformation and how to avoid vaccine scams.How COVID-19 vaccines work (CDC).For additional updates on vaccines and COVID-19, please follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I look forward to updating you again soon. Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Ted W. Lieu Member of Congress
Washington, DC 403 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3976 Los Angeles Office 1645 Corinth Ave., Suite 101 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Phone: (323) 651-1040 Manhattan Beach Office 1600 Rosecrans Ave., 4th Floor Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 Phone: (310) 321-7664
I hope join Rep. Lieu in honoring our community’s veterans at his annual Conversations with Veterans Event on Sunday, November 7 from 2 PM to 4 PM on Facebook Live. [Above] is a flyer. Feel free to distribute.
Eight to ten veterans will join the Congressman and tell a story about something they experienced which serving in the military. There are a wide range of stories from inspirational and funny to, scary and sad. The idea is to acknowledge what the veteran experienced and show our appreciation to our veterans for their experiences while serving our country.
DATE: Sunday, Nov. 7 , 2021
LOCATION: Facebook.com/RepTedLieu Event time: 2 PM to 4 PM
Thank you for helping us show our veterans how much we care about them.
From the West / Metro LA District Director –October 12, 2021
The encampment near the West LA Veterans Administration known as “Veterans Row” is receiving intensive outreach in the weeks to come in order to ensure that all veterans are provided interim and permanent housing options by November 1.
We are able to bring additional resources to this effort thanks to a new public-private partnership.
As of the beginning of this month, approximately 50 people, most of them veterans, lived at this encampment. Since the beginning of this month more than a dozen housing placements have been achieved already.
This effort is led by the LA Homeless Services Authority in partnership with the LA County Sheriff’s Department HOST team, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),several local nonprofit service providers, and LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s office. As veterans themselves, the HOST deputies are uniquely qualified to build trusting relationships with the veterans in this encampment.
In accordance with best practices, the effort focuses on connecting encampment residents to services and housing, making use of VA resources as well as services and housing available to non-veterans. If you have any questions, we’ll do our best to answer or connect to LAHSA and other partners to ensure that you have the latest information. Thanks!
LOS ANGELES – On Wednesday, October 6, three tiny shelters were delivered to the VA’s West Los Angeles campus and placed on asphalt pavement recently installed in anticipation of their arrival. The shelters came fully equipped and ready for occupancy, complete with a bed and mattress, fire life safety equipment, and air conditioning and heating.
The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) is currently transitioning a portion of its current Care, Treatment and Rehabilitative Services (CTRS) initiative from tenting to tiny shelters. Asphalt pavement has been installed to support up to 60-70 tiny shelters for Veterans who are experiencing homelessness. The area, which is bordered by San Vicente Boulevard to the southwest and Wilshire Boulevard to the southeast, is the current site of the CTRS initiative, a low-barrier-to-entry outreach program that provides homeless Veteran participants a safe, clean, designated tented living area and regular access to medical care, behavioral health services, and housing services on campus.
“VA would like to thank non-profit organizations AyZar Outreach and Inner-City Law Center for their partnership in bringing these tiny shelters to West Los Angeles campus. The tiny shelters are an important addition to the CTRS initiative,” said Dr. Steven Braverman, Director, VAGLAHS.
The Community Engagement and Reintegration Service (CERS), which oversees this initiative and all other programming for homeless Veterans in the Greater Los Angeles area, is implementing policies to assign interested Veterans experiencing homelessness to these shelters. VA is concurrently working with partners to secure the delivery of additional shelters over the coming days.
“AyZar Outreach is committed to serving those in need and is very pleased to be part of this important initiative to provide homeless Veterans another stable, clean, and comfortable living option on the VA WLA Campus. Our sincere hope is that the shelters will provide its occupants a stable launching pad from which to begin their journey to health and fulfillment,” said Shirin Zarkesh, Founder and CEO, AyZar Outreach.
If you know a homeless or at-risk Veteran who could use VA services, call the WLA Campus Welcome Center at (310) 268-3269. Veterans in crisis should call 1 (800) 273-8255 and press 1.
For any media queries, please contact the VAGLAHS Office of Public Affairs at (310) 268-3340 or at [email protected]. Media interested in covering the story of the tiny shelters may call to arrange for a tour and interview with a VA employee who works with our CTRS initiative.
ABOUT VAGLAHS: VAGLAHS is one component of the VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network (VISN22) offering services to Veterans residing in Southern California. VAGLAHS consists of two ambulatory care centers, a tertiary care facility and eight community-based outpatient clinics. VAGLAHS serves Veterans residing throughout five counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. There are approximately 1.4 million Veterans in the VAGLAHS service area. For more information, call (310) 268-3340 or visit us at www.losangeles.va.gov. Veterans in need can call the VA hotline toll-free at 877-4-AID-VET.
ABOUT AYZAR OUTREACH: AyZar Outreach is a California non-profit organization with a mission to help level the playing field for those in need and positively impact deserving lives in ways that wield lasting impact. For more information about AyZar Outreach, visit ayzaroutreach.org.
ABOUT INNER CITY LAW CENTER: Inner City Law Center (ICLC) is a non-profit poverty-law firm serving the poorest and most vulnerable residents of Los Angeles. ICLC is committed to fighting for justice for individuals experiencing homelessness, low-income tenants, working-poor families, immigrants, people living with HIV/AIDS or other disabilities, and homeless Veterans. The only legal services provider located in Skid Row, ICLC advocates for equitable housing policies and provides legal services to prevent and end homelessness. For more information about ICLC, visit innercitylaw.org.
VA Greater Los Angeles (GLA) Healthcare System is now offering Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shots under Emergency Use Authorization. This decision follows the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization and CDC recommendation for a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
In order to receive a booster dose, you must have received the Pfizer vaccine and it must be at least six months after you completed your vaccine series. Per the CDC’s recommendations, GLA is offering booster shots to the following groups:People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccinePeople aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccinePeople aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, based on their individual benefits and riskPeople aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, based on their individual benefits and risksVeterans’ spouses, caregivers and CHAMPVA recipients under the authority of the SAVE LIVES Act, may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine as supply and capacity permitsBooster vaccines are available at all of GLA’s medical facilities during scheduled vaccine clinic hours. Those who aren’t part of the first two groups listed, must schedule an appointment by calling 310-268-4900. GLA has the ability to administer booster doses at the West Los Angeles (WLA) campus on a walk in basis; our other sites will accommodate walk-ins as vaccine supply allows. If you belong to one of the groups listed and do not receive care at WLA, please call 310-268-4900 to schedule an appointment at the GLA medical facility closest to you in order to ensure timely receipt of your booster vaccine.
Great news for Westside families! This week I helped lead an effort to secure free, unlimited transit passes for K-14 students in Los Angeles County.
Working with Supervisor Holly Mitchell and Mayor Eric Garcetti, we led the board of LA Metro in the groundbreaking action, which will benefit more than 750,000 students across Los Angeles. Beginning in October, it will apply to all LAUSD students, students in 40 other school districts, and most community college students. Here’s how it will work: if you have a student enrolled in LAUSD, they’ll be given a TAP card at school, along with instructions to create a corresponding account online, and… that’s it. No complicated verification processes, no weeks of waiting for approval. (For participating non-LAUSD districts, check with your school administrator for signup process.) Plus, it’s not just Metro: Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, and Culver CityBus are in as well, ensuring seamless Westside fareless transit for students, no matter their route.
There are so many benefits to making Metro fareless for students. Educationally, it removes mobility as a barrier to student success. It will also untap unquantifiable benefits in personal growth, as these students will now be able to use Metro to get to parks, museums, lessons, and jobs without a second thought. And it doesn’t just improve their lives today, it makes them safer tomorrow: increasing use of public transportation gets cars off the road and helps prevent pollution and climate change.
To find out more about the program, click here. To check if your school district is participating, click here.
Warm regards, Pedestrian Improvements for Palisades Schoolgoers Pacific Palisades parents and students have safer walks to and from school, thanks to improvements near Corpus Christi School. The neighborhood now boasts more effective stop signs and curb extensions. Bulky Items Removed in SawtelleA team coordinated by Mike’s office removed a pile of illegally dumped items in Sawtelle this past week. If you would like to report bulky items for pickup, download the MyLA311 app, which makes it easy to do so. Council Unanimously Supports Housing NowMike has often been a lonely legislative voice calling for faster, urgent, more cost-effective solutions to homelessness, but this past week the City Council unanimously approved a quick and nimble solution he has been championing for years.
The council approved the Housing Now legislation, co-introduced by Mike and his colleagues Councilmembers Mark Ridley-Thomas and Curren Price. It will build on successful models that get people off the streets and out of encampments quickly and permanently. We need quick action with tangible results to address homelessness. With the Venice Beach Encampments to Homes effort, we showed that with real, dedicated resources we can move people out of encampments, indoors, and on a path to permanent housing. #HousingNow Is how we do that all around LA.
The plan directs city staff to work with the County to expand one of the most successful homeless solutions — the Flexible Housing Subsidy program, which provides rent subsidies and master leased units to house people quickly, with needed services. The county has pioneered the approach with Housing for Health, which has been incredibly effective in that arena for just shy a of a decade, placing more than 14,000 people in long-term housing with an over 92% retention rate – particularly impressive given that this program was built to support some of the most extreme cases, including repeat emergency room visitors.
Mike has been pushing for the City to partner with with the County on this program since 2015. It is smart, effective, cost-effective – likely less expensive than shelters, tiny homes, or other interventions – and fast, allowing people to get off the streets almost as quickly as they say yes, and get access to services that help with any significant health, mental health and other needs.
Following the council vote, city staff will begin negotiating with LA County to enter into the program in an effort to rapidly house 10,000 people. Reimagining Public Safety: Mental Health ResponseIn order to improve public safety and emergency response to people experiencing mental health episodes, the City is piloting a new program that will deploy teams of trained mental health staffers to mental health emergencies, much like the celebrated CAHOOTS program in Oregon.
Under the program, specialized teams comprised of a Clinical Driver, a Peer Support Specialist, and a Licensed Psychiatric Technician that will be on call 24/7. These teams will operate out of LAFD stations, and one of the five stations in the pilot is Fire Station 59 in West LA, which will serve the Westside.The type of program was a key element of the “reimagining public safety” discussions that followed the murder of George Floyd. Mental health experts and law enforcement officials agreed he first response to a mental health crisis should be people with specific training and an ability to de-escalate situations.
More details on the program and its launch date coming soon. Real Stories of Encampments to Homes: Jimmy Jimmy’s ardent love for fashion and music is only outweighed by his desire to give back and work with the homeless community. After growing up in foster care, he found himself homeless and living in a tent on Venice Beach. He looks back upon his hardship and experience as lessons that enable him to work with the unhoused population. The stability and resources provided by moving indoors through the Encampments to Homes program has allowed him the freedom to see his future in a hopeful and positive light. Thanks to St. Joseph’s Center and LAHSA for their continued hard work. Housing – how much, what kind, and where we build (or don’t build) – touches just about every aspect of our lives here in Los Angeles, and particularly on the Westside. Every eight years, Los Angeles revises what’s known as the Housing Element, a legally required planning document that guides the next eight years of planning in the city. Currently, city planners are finalizing the 2021-2028 Housing Element, the most recent revision of which is available online. To learn more about “The Plan to House Los Angeles,” click here. Assistance for Renters AvailableThe City of Los Angeles is partnering with the State of California to allow Angelenos to access additional state and federal rental assistance funds. Under a new framework, the State will be responsible for processing applications and distributing relief funds for Angelenos. Eligible LA renters and landlords can apply for emergency assistance at HousingIsKey.com or by calling 833-430-2122. Additional information is also available at HCIDLA.lacity.org. HAWK at Venice and Shell Nearing CompletionThe intersection of Venice Boulevard and Shell Avenue is getting a lot safer for pedestrians, thanks to sophisticated new crosswalk improvements.HAWK beacons – High-Intensity Activated Crosswalks – emit multiple flashing red lights that send motorists an unmistakable signal that they need to slow to a stop and allow pedestrians to pass. They also feature significantly more effective signage and pavement markings. The new beacon in Venice is slated for activation in the coming week. Safer Streets in Mar VistaWestside Fast Forward continues to deliver safety, efficiency and mobility. This week, Mar Vista got a new left-turn signal activated at Inglewood and Washington Boulevards. The signal will create a better traffic flow for drivers, safer crossing for pedestrians, and ease of mind for everybody. Thanks to LADOT, as always, for the great work! People Mover Progressing As seen above, the automated people mover – an elevated tram – at LAX is starting to take shape. It will make getting in and out of LAX signficiantly easier, and it is just one part of a series of projects that will improve the passenger experience, and reduce traffic congestion and pollution. Universal Fareless Transit in LA? With the launch of fareless passes for K-14 students, LA Metro has taken a major step, but Mike and some of his colleagues are continuing to push for the big picture item: an entirely fare-free transit system for everyone in Los Angeles County.
At this week’s Metro meeting, the board approved Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s motion to enhance the agency’s low-income fare program, simplifying the application process and attempting to double enrollment. It is a vital action for LA Metro, given that 70% of passengers are low-income and transit-dependent. (The median income of a Metro passenger is $18,000 per year.)Mike and Supervisor Mitchell are laying the groundwork for a universal fare free transit system, which is the fastest and most impactful way to make serious progress on improving ridership, mobility, equity, and efficiency – all deeply held Metro goals – and fighting climate change.
To apply for the low-income fare program, click here. But please note that the application is going to get a lot simpler in the next few weeks, as a result of the board action. California Climate Action WeekIt is California Climate Action Week.
All week, the California Volunteers Office has been sharing useful and actionable tips on greening our individual lives. Recently released data showed that as a state, there’s much more we can do to conserve water. There are detailed resources for planting trees, diversifying your energy consumption and production, reducing organic waste, preparing for and preventing wildfires, and conserving water – click through for these resources and chip in for a greener California. Live Theater Lives in WestchesterChristopher Durang’s hilarious classic, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, is currently in production at the Westchester Playhouse, presented by the Kentwood Players. Head to kentwoodplayers.org for tickets and more information.
At the Getty, In Focus: ProtestThe Getty’s powerful exhibit of protest photography is coming to a close on October 10. Featuring work from Dorothea Lange, Robert Mapplethorpe, John Simmons, Robert Flora, William James Warren, An-My Lê and Kris Graves. Redistricting: Time to Make Your Voice Heard Every ten years, following the results of the census, Los Angeles modifies the shape of its city council districts to maintain their balance. Right now, crucial decisions are being made about how representation works in Los Angeles, and it is time to weigh in. New draft maps have been released, and they will be discussed this week and throughout October before being presented to City Council, which must accept new boundaries by December. Here is exactly what happens between now and then:This Monday, September 27, the Redistricting Commission will meet to discuss the existing draft maps and the feedback they’ve received on them.This Thursday, September 30, the Commission will meet to adopt a draft map. On October 6, 9, 13, and 16, the Commission will present the draft map.On October 21, the Commission will adopt the final map.Finally, on October 28, the Commission will adopt its final report.The current map drafts under consideration by the Redistricting Commission are available here.
Important Message from Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly
Posted by LA Unified on 7/29/2021
Dear Los Angeles Unified Family,
As part of our efforts to maintain the safest possible environment for students and employees, we are closely monitoring evolving health conditions and adapting our response in preparation for our full return to in-person learning on August 16.
Los Angeles Unified continues to collaborate with our health partners at the county and state levels, as well as our panel of medical experts and university partners and we review updates to county, state, and federal guidance on a daily basis.
We believe Los Angeles Unified has the highest COVID safety standards of any public school district in the nation. Our preparations for the start of the new school year include continuing to require masking for all students, staff, and visitors; maximizing physical distancing as much as possible; continuing comprehensive sanitizing efforts, including frequent hand washing; upgraded air filtration systems; regular, ongoing COVID testing and community engagement; and collaborating with health partners and agencies to support free COVID vaccination.
All students and employees, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, returning for in-person instruction must participate in baseline and ongoing weekly COVID testing. This is in accordance with the most recent guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Baseline testing begins on Monday, August 2. More information can be found at https://achieve.lausd.net/covidtestingappt .
Ultimately, the greatest protection against COVID and the Delta variant is vaccination. We encourage everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated. For the latest information on school-based vaccination sites, please visit https://achieve.lausd.net/covidvaccineappt .
Together as a united Los Angeles Unified community, we need to all work together to ensure the safety of our schools. See you at school on August 16!
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
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