Los Angeles’ work to build back better from the COVID pandemic has begun. Last week, the City Council unanimously approved an $11.2 billion budget that focuses on reopening our city, improving our neighborhoods, and fulfilling long-delayed promises of equity and justice.
This new budget includes significant funding for solutions to homelessness, responses to increases in crime, expanding neighborhood sanitation efforts, improvements to our parks, enhancing our urban forest, repaving our streets, and fighting climate change. It also includes resources to help small businesses, renters, seniors, and parents with young children.
Here’s a rundown of some of the key items impacting you and your neighborhood:
HOMELESSNESS There is no more immediate crisis than homelessness, and this budget devotes an unprecedented $1 billion to confront the crisis. The budget includes:
• More than $360 million from HHH to build more than 5,600 permanent housing units in 89 different projects throughout Los Angeles. • $140 million in hotel and motel conversions to provide 1,500 rooms for housing and shelter to get people out of encampments and off the street quickly. • $100 million to increase the supply of affordable housing, homeless and eviction prevention, and homeless outreach programs. Increased mobile hygiene stations and sanitation services to help keep areas with encampments clean and sanitary. A pool of funds that I am proposing to tap for Encampment to Home programs that move people from areas of large encampments, such as Venice Beach, into long-term housing. Funding for a multi-disciplinary team to do dedicated outreach to unhoused neighbors in Council District 11, offering help for those suffering from mental health and substance abuse problems. $3 million for the Los Angeles Regional Initiative for Social Enterprise (LA RISE), which provides job development activities for homeless individuals and for participants at A Bridge Home sites. These activities include subsidized employment for individuals with a history of homelessness, supportive case management designed to help prepare participants for continued employment, and training in both hard and soft skills. PUBLIC SAFETY The budget invests in the beginning of reimagining public safety, using non-armed civilians to handle an array of issues while freeing up sworn officers to respond to crime. The budget: • Pays for additional police patrols in Westside neighborhoods that have seen an increase in crime over the past year, including the Venice boardwalk. • Funds a one-year pilot program for a new crisis response team that will be dedicated to providing a 24/7 community-based response to non-violent emergencies involving unhoused neighbors in Venice. • Funds a pilot program with the Department of Mental Health and the Los Angeles Fire Department for a program that will dispatch trained mental health professionals to deal with urgent calls about people experiencing a mental health crisis. • Increases funding for gang reduction and youth development programs. • Provides funds for constant staffing of LAFD platoons to keep open LAFD engine companies, like Station 69 in Pacific Palisades, that my colleagues and I restored in recent years.I still felt the public safety programs did not go far enough, and I proposed $18 million for additional smart and cost-efficient programs for unarmed response to a range of issues, including traffic enforcement.
SUPPORT FOR SENIORS, FAMILIES, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THE ARTS As we emerge from the COVID pandemic, the 2021-22 city budget uses funds from the American Rescue Act to support those most affected by the pandemic-fueled economic turndown. The budget includes: • $25 million to support restaurants and small businesses, as well as an additional • $25 million in efforts to focus small business support on disadvantaged communities. • $10 million to a program to serve meals provided by restaurants in disadvantaged communities to low-income seniors. During the pandemic, home-delivered meals from local businesses were a lifeline for seniors. Funding is also increased for congregate meals, a critical nutritional program for seniors. • $2 million to make some of the Al Fresco outdoor dining opportunities set up by local restaurants during the pandemic permanent. • $10 million for child care businesses, enabling parents to return to work as Los Angeles emerges from the effects of the pandemic. • More than $5 million in programs for seniors, including services and programming at senior centers. • $20 million to operate eight childcare centers that will serve hundreds of children. • $10 million to expand broadband services in disadvantaged communities. • Improvements to the Business Assistance Virtual Network, which will open up the supply chain of major public infrastructure projects and sporting events to the City’s small business community. • Our targeted local hire program will get $30 million to hire 750 positions in various departments from underserved and underemployed communities in LA. • $2.8 million for a summer youth jobs program. • $1 million to the Youth and Creative Workers Mural Program will ensure restoration of treasured murals citywide. • $1.5 million for LA’s Best afterschool programs. • Increases funding to the Department of Cultural Affairs for community arts programming at art centers and theaters, including solo and group art exhibitions, outreach programs for underserved populations, and numerous events during the year that celebrate the cultural diversity of our communities. • Creates a new Youth Development Department to coordinate youth programs city-wide and give young Angelenos tools to shape their own futures. • Creates a Community Investment for Families Department to run family source centers, domestic violence interventions, and other social services. PARKS This year’s budget provides funding to restore services, programming, and investment in the Department of Recreation and Parks to levels not seen in more than a decade. The budget includes: $75 million dedicated to deferred maintenance and improvements at parks throughout LA. This funding will pay for things like new playgrounds, ballfields, lighting, bathrooms, security, and air conditioning in recreation centers. Funding to renovate and restore the pool operated jointly by LAUSD and Recreation & Parks at Venice High School. Money to the Department of Recreation and Parks to expand its capacity in aquatics programming, construction efforts to improve parks, and efforts to connect with unhoused neighbors living in parks. Funds to restore programs through the LA2028 Youth Sports initiative, which provides free sports programming at 80 qualified recreation centers in disadvantaged communities. Additional resources for sanitation efforts to clean up trash and remove bulky items from parks.
STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND SANITATION This budget focuses on the essential services neighbors rely on every day, especially streets and sidewalks. The budget: • Allocates $183 million for street repairs and reconstruction, an increase of $13 million over last year. • Provides funds so that 1,700 lane-miles of roadway will be repaired in the next year, an average of five miles a day. Not only will this fix potholes and cracks in the road, but it will put Angelenos to work by hiring workers locally from underserved and underemployed communities in LA. • Expands and accelerates the City’s commitment to pedestrians and our neighbors with disabilities by committing to $44.5 million for sidewalk repairs, a 27% increase over last year. • Restores funding for important neighborhood improvements, including median island maintenance, alley paving, and speed humps on residential streets. • Expands street sweeping programs, allowing StreetsLA to expand street cleaning to more streets throughout the city, and to do a comprehensive street sweeping optimization study, with further recommendations of how to improve the services. • Funds expanded sanitation services for neighborhood cleanups, graffiti removal, and bulky items pickup. • Dedicates funding to improve a portion of La Cienega Boulevard in Ladera and Westchester to be a “Green Street” that includes landscaped medians to help filter and clean stormwater.
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE Los Angeles is leading the way toward a clean energy future and investing in a just transition away from the fossil fuels that have polluted and poisoned our air and water. This budget: • Spends $3.5 million to begin the process of phasing out oil and gas production in LA. • Hires staff to ensure more robust and frequent inspections of oil wells and ensure verification of bonding and insurance requirements to ensure oil companies are held liable for clean-up costs; and a team to develop and launch a pilot version of the Oil and Gas Well Site Facility Compliance Program as part of the Office of Petroleum and Natural Gas Administration. • Provides funding to plant 200,000 new street trees and to hire new crews to trim 38,000 trees in LA in the next year. • Provides staff to advance efforts to create wildlife corridors, protecting critical habitat and tree canopy for the City’s precious wildlife. • Provides staff to make environmental justice and climate action more ingrained elements of our planning process. Invests $30 million in expanding the use of solar panels and energy storage at city facilities. • Provides $4 million to expand municipal EV charging stations and nearly $5 million to invest in cost- and carbon-saving energy efficiency projects in city buildings.
EQUITY & JUSTICE The budget makes good on commitments to invest in efforts that focus on equity and justice. This budget includes: • Funding is directed to enhance existing employment programs including the city’s youth employment program, LA RISE, and day laborer services. • Funding is also provided for new pre-apprenticeship opportunities for transitional workers to learn a trade. • $24 million is provided to launch BIG LEAP, a landmark guaranteed basic income pilot to provide $1,000 a month to 2,000 households for an entire year. • $8.7 million is provided to launch Clean LA jobs, an initiative to clean up neighborhoods most dramatically impacted by illegal dumping and litter, while implying employing 200 young adults. • $5 million for Angeleno Corps, a one-year program of 400 students committing to a year of service in environmental justice, community wellness, tutoring and mentorship, arts education, immigrant services, and closing the digital divide. • $10 million to launch LA REPAIR Innovation Fund, providing grants to support job creation, racial healing, justice, and reconciliation work. • $2 million is to launch LA REPAIR Peace and Healing Centers in partnership with community and faith organizations to establish safe spaces where youth and adults can dialogue around racial justice and reconciliation. • Continuous funding for an Office of Civil, Human Rights, and Equity. • Creates the Office of Racial Equity to develop and implement racial equity service programs and policy analysis. • $3 million to support the Social Equity Program within the City’s Department of Cannabis Regulation and promote equitable ownership and employment within the cannabis industry.
We have an opportunity to rebuild Los Angeles stronger than ever before as we emerge from the pandemic, and the budget approved by the City Council last week is an excellent start to that work. I am proud to work with neighbors to move Los Angeles forward, do good, and get things done for our neighborhoods.
Regards, MIKE BONIN Councilmember, 11th District P.S. Even though many City facilities – including my offices – remain physically closed to the public, my staff and I are at work and available to serve you. If you want to reach us, please call 213-444-3508. It is a new central number that allows you to reach us even when my staff is telecommuting. You can also email us, and you can call 311 to request basic city services. We are committed to continuing throughout this public health crisis the work we do every day to help solve problems in our neighborhood. Share Tweet Forward
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.
COVID-19 Update When Los Angeles County reinstated universal masking indoors three weeks ago, the number of COVID-19 cases was doubling every 10 days. Thankfully, we are now seeing a slowing down in the increase of cases. Since LA County was the first county in the state to reinstate masking, it is valuable to compare trends in LA County with those in the rest of the state.When we compare cases that were reported in the week ending August 1st with those that were reported in the week ending August 8th, Los Angeles County went from seeing 19,704 cases to seeing 20,979 cases, an increase of 6.5%. Meanwhile, in the remainder of the state, reported cases went from over 46,000 in the week ending August 1st to 55,422 in the week ending August 8th, an increase of 20.2%. Although there may be reasons beyond masking contributing to this difference, data from around the world and from our county has repeatedly shown that masking is a valuable layer of protection, and we are grateful to everyone who is doing their part by masking up to help slow the spread.Vaccinations remain the most powerful tool to slow the spread, as high rates of vaccination allow us to remain fully open and protect those not yet eligible or able to get vaccinated. We also need to use masking, distancing, and infection control. All of these strategies are necessary right now and provide the best opportunity to blunt the spread of this virus. Reopening Schools in Los Angeles County With the recent increases in cases in both adults and children, many parents are anxious about sending their children back to school. In LA County, we recently revised our K-12 school reopening protocols to layer in a variety of protections in order to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in schools.Face coverings will continue to be required indoors for everyone regardless of vaccination status, including during indoor PE classes, unless a person is alone in a room.Students who are exempt from mask wearing because of a documented disability or other condition should not be excluded from in-person education, and appropriate accommodations should be made on a case by case basis. Students who are excluded from campus because they elect not to wear a face covering should be offered alternative educational opportunities.We continue to recommend physical distancing as long as it does not interfere with full-time attendance for all students, and infection control remains essential.Many schools have established routine testing programs to provide an additional layer of protection.All unvaccinated students and staff should be included in routine testing and where resources are sufficient, fully vaccinated individuals should also be included.Every school will have a plan on how to manage cases and outbreaks and will notify the public health department whenever there are cases. All positive cases are required to isolate, and all close contacts of each case should be tested and are required to quarantine unless they are fully vaccinated and without any symptoms.And while schools have been working closely with us over the summer to create environments that promote safety, communicating with your child’s school ahead of the start of the school year can help ensure they’re prepared to help keep themselves and their friends safe. We recommend you:Talk to your kids about hand hygiene and appropriately wearing their mask. Also, it’s a good idea to send your child to school with extra face coverings so they can easily change masks if theirs gets wet or dirty.Ensure you have a strategy for checking daily for symptoms at home, and as best you can, have an emergency childcare plan in place so that if your child becomes ill, they are able to safely stay home from school.If any of your children are 12 or older, please let them know about the importance of getting vaccinated and help them get to a vaccine site where they can get the Pfizer vaccine.Parents can also get involved through the Parent Ambassador Program, where they can learn about COVID-19 and how to keep schools safe. Homebound VaccinationsIn-Home COVID-19 vaccinations are available! Los Angeles County residents can apply for an in-home vaccination in 2 ways:Call the DPH Vaccine Call Center 833-540-0473 open daily 8am to 8:30pm, orFill out the online request form: English | Español | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | العربية | հայերեն | អក្សរខ្មែរ | 日本語 | 한국어 | Русский | Tiếng Việt | فارسى | Tagalog. Please note that availability may be delayed due to high demand. Long Beach residents can apply for in-home vaccination here and Pasadena residents can call the Pasadena Citizen Service Center at 626-744-7311, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. at 4 p.m.Watch how nurses are fanning out across the county to make vaccinations available to homebound residents. Public Health Virtual Town Hall Join us for a virtual town hall on Wednesday, August 11th for the latest updates on COVID-19. You can also submit a question at: TinyURL.com/LACountyTownHall. Vaccination Sites Expand operating Hours Public Health has expanded the hours of a number of our vaccination sites in order to make getting vaccinated as easy as possible. These newly expanded hours give residents the ability the get their vaccination on the weekends. Market Street Center (new location) 22900 Market St. Santa Clarita Mon-Sun 12:00pm – 7:00pm Balboa Sports Complex 17015 Burbank Blvd. Tues-Sun 8:30am – 3:00pm Palmdale Oasis Park Recreation Center 3850-A East Avenue S Mon-Sun 12:00pm – 7:00pm Obregon Park 4021 E 1st Street Tues-Sun 8:30am – 3:00pm Commerce Senior Citizens Center 2555 Commerce Way Tues-Sun 11:00am – 6:00pm Ted Watkins Memorial Park 1335 E 103rd St Tues-Sun 11:00am – 6:00pm Norwalk Arts & Sports Complex 12000 Clarkdale Avenue Tues-Sun 11:00am – 6:00pm Additional Resources The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has developed a wide array of documents, guidance documents, and resources for the workers, businesses, partners, and the general public on a variety of topics related to COVID-19, including: COVID-19 Vaccine Information and Community Resources Information for the Public MasksTravelReducing RiskPublic SettingsSick?Workers’ Rights Pamphlet Best Practices for Businesses Food and BeverageIndoor FitnessLarge EventsOfficesPersonal CareRequest a Mobile Vaccination Clinic It is recommended you follow @lapublichealth on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for when appointments will be made available. Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:Los Angeles County Department of Public Health http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/ California Department of Public Health https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspxCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/index.html Spanish https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus LA County residents can also call 2-1-1
The Department of Public Health is committed to promoting health equity and ensuring optimal health and well-being for all 10 million residents of Los Angeles County.Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health comprises nearly 4,500 employees and has an annual budget of $1.2 billion. To learn more about Los Angeles County Public Health, please visit www.publichealth .lacounty.gov.
Here are some of the latest updates on important news for our community.
Included in this week’s Westside Bulletin: COVID-19 Updates, HCIDLA Renter Protections Webinars, Street Sweeping Changes, Free Tax Prep Information, Business Relief, Youth Opportunities, and Upcoming Community Events
COVID-19 UPDATES
Here are the facts you need to know:
ELIGIBLE NOW: On Monday, teachers and workers in education and childcare, food and agriculture, and emergency servicesbecame eligible for vaccination at City of Los Angeles sites. Vaccinations remain open for those who were already eligible: residents 65 and older, healthcare workers, certain essential frontline workers, and residents and staff of skilled nursing facilities.
FREE RIDES TO USC: Tonight we launched a new partnership to give Angelenos a ride to our newest vaccination site at USC. We’re starting with an extraordinary contribution from Uber, which will provide 15,000 free rides –– and another 20,000 rides half-off –– to pick up residents in South L.A. and take them to get vaccinated. This is the largest commitment of its kind anywhere in the country.
‘MOVE’ VACCINE EQUITY PROGRAM: Our MOVE initiative is deploying mobile vaccination clinics to the most vulnerable parts of Los Angeles. We’ve partnered with trusted community organizations to administer over 11,500 shots –– 93.5 percent of which have gone to people of color.
VACCINE ACCESS FOR ALL ABILITIES: This week, Mayor Garcetti announced a new program to get life-saving vaccines to L.A. residents who are homebound due to chronic disease, disability, or other reasons. This initiative builds off our other successful efforts to bring critical COVID-19 services to vulnerable communities –– and aims to vaccinate 300 homebound seniors in the coming week and soon reach residents of public housing, senior centers, and other long-term facilities.
EXPRESS LANE: Additionally, an express lane at Dodger Stadium is serving customers of Access Services, the agency that provides transportation to Angelenos with disabilities. Access riders can book their appointment (pending availability) as well as a round-trip ride to Dodger Stadium by calling (626) 532-1616
BY THE NUMBERS: To date, the City of Los Angeles has administered 495,610 vaccine doses (93% of doses received) at our City-run vaccination sites and mobile clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and fire stations. Since last Monday, our centers have provided 126,642 life-saving vaccinations despite supply and weather challenges.
VACCINATION SITES: More than 500 locations are currently vaccinating people in L.A. County. As more doses become available in the coming months, more sites and providers will administer shots. When your turn arrives, you can make an appointment through the County hub and bring your ID to the site. If you are 65 or older, 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 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. –– at (833) 540-0473. You can also talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated.
AVOIDING VACCINE FRAUD AND SCAMS: There have been reports of fraudsters impersonating vaccination workers and setting up fraudulent sites to steal peoples’ money and personal information. Remember: no one legitimate will ever try to sell you the vaccine –– online, over the phone, or in person. Learn more about protecting yourself against vaccine scams.
NOTIFY LA: The City will occasionally send targeted text updates about new appointment availability to communities with high cases of COVID-19. To receive text updates, sign up forNotify LA.
STAY INFORMED: It can be challenging to keep up with ever-changing vaccine news. Get key information by signing upforemail updates from the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Tell your friends and family to sign up for this VaxFacts newsletter or follow us at @MayorOfLA on Twitter. You can check out our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more.
City of Los Angeles COVID-19 Residential Tenant Protections Webinar
Join the Housing + Community Investment Department at one of their weekly webinars to discuss the City’s “COVID-19 Residential Tenant Protections.” This webinar will provide an overview of the City’s current tenant protections and the State of California’s COVID-19 eviction protections. These workshops are for landlords, property managers, and renters in Los Angeles who want to know their rights and responsibilities. They are also recommended for landlords and their family members who assist them in managing their properties, banks, lenders, trustees, servicing companies, listing agents, and anyone contemplating buying or selling rental property in the City of Los Angeles.
The workshops will be presented by HCIDLA’s Rent Stabilization Division staff.
MARCH 2021 – English MARCH 2021 – Spanish
3:00 PM, Wednesday, March 17 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 10
3:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 24
Click here to register or call 213-928-9075 to sign up to attend.
Sweeping Changes – Street to Be Swept Every Other Week
Staff shortages due to the financial crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting Citywide hiring freeze necessitate that StreetsLA reduce the frequency of street sweeping: routes that had received weekly sweeping will now be swept biweekly, meaning on either the first and third weeks of the month or the second and fourth weeks of the month.
Sign up for notifications when your street will be swept! Notifications will be sent 24 and 48 hours before we sweep the location that you register for. Fill out the form on this page, or use the map to explore other streets where you commonly park and to register for multiple locations.
We encourage all residents to be mindful of street signage to avoid being ticketed. Vehicles will be cited if they are parked in restricted areas on days when street cleaning is scheduled. The Street Sweeping Near Me webpage and notification system will let you know when sweeping is planned for your street so you can plan accordingly. For more information about parking and parking enforcement, please visit the LA Department of Transportation’s parking information pages.
FREE TAX PREP L.A.
The 2021 tax-filing season is here, and Los Angeles is excited to launch its fifth year of the Free Tax Prep LA program at FamilySource Centers and other locations across the city. The idea is simple: every Angeleno deserves the chance to access any tax credits available to working families, even if you can’t afford to hire an accountant. So, we have experts and volunteers ready to offer free tax help to individuals and households who make less than $57,000 a year and qualify for the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit. For a list of locations and hours, visit FreeTaxPrepLA.com. Assistance is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Persian, Armenian, and Korean.
BUSINESS RELIEF
U.S. SBA Paycheck Protection Program
President Joe Biden announced changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provides loans to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. In order to reach the smallest businesses, SBA will offer PPP loans to businesses with fewer than 20 employees and sole proprietors only from Wednesday, February 24 through Wednesday, March 10, 2021. President Biden has also announced additional program changes to make access to PPP loans more equitable and borrowers may be eligible for PPP loan forgiveness. More information can be found here.
Small Business Stabilization Loan Program
Los Angeles County has launched the Small Business Stabilization Loan Program designed to provide eligible businesses with a competitive interest rate for loans ranging from $50,000 to $3 million. The Small Business Stabilization Loan Program application portal will remain open indefinitely. The Program offers technical assistance from partners who offer complementary online webinars, one-on-one financial consultations, application assistance, and an evaluation of a business’ readiness to submit an LACDA loan application. For more information on the requirements to apply for the Small Business Stabilization Loan Program, please visit BizStabilization.lacda.org.
Technical assistance is available in various languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), and Korean.
Free PPE for Small Businesses
The PPE Unite™ program is a joint effort to give small business owners and their employees access to much-needed personal protective gear. This public and private partnership program creates access to PPE, promotes PPE use, and provides additional resources for businesses. We need to work together to safely reopen our local economy for the health of our businesses and the general public. Get your 30 day supply of free Personal Protective Equipment to keep your business compliant and employees safe. Sign up now to get PPE while supplies last.
L.A. Optimized
LA Optimized provides individualized tech support to help small businesses adapt to the digital marketplace. The program helps businesses create or optimize websites, increase online sales, create business listings, and access branding and marketing help.
Open For Business
Open For Business is designed to support local restaurants and stimulate economic activity in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. Open For Business provides Los Angeles restaurants commission-free digital ordering tools to expand contactless options for customers, as well as access to an over $1 million marketing budget to incentivize customers to order.
BusinessSource Centers
Technical assistance for COVID-19-related business loans and grants. Click here for more information.
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES
EWDD & Facebook Career Connections
Facebook’s Career Connections program, in partnership with Hire LA’s Youth, is seeking to train digitally-minded youth for paid internships with local LA businesses. Participating youth will receive training, resources, and support from a Facebook employee mentor and will receive a Facebook Digital Certification. Participating businesses will benefit from a Facebook trained and vetted intern who will help amplify your online presence. Interested youth can apply by contacting your local YouthSource Center no later than Friday, March 12, 2021. See attached flyers for details.
USC Annenberg Youth Academy for Media & Civic Engagement
The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is accepting applications for the Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement (AYA), a three-week online summer intensive academy for 28 talented high school students from Los Angeles County and beyond. AYA strengthens students’ skills in writing, critical thought, public speech and debate, multimedia production, interviewing and ethnography — all essential competencies required for excellence in and out of the classroom in the 21st century. For more information please visit this website. To complete the application click here. Application closes on Friday, March 19, 2021.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Youth Advisory Council
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking dedicated, enthusiastic and motivated youth to join its 3rd cohort of the Youth Advisory Council. The DPH Youth Advisory Council will serve as an advisory board to identify, discuss, and inform DPH leadership on youth issues and programming. The mission of the DPH Youth Advisory Council is to raise awareness of health issues affecting our communities, while working in collaboration with DPH leadership to advise on public health solutions that improve the health and well-being of youth in Los Angeles County. Visit the MCAH website and download an application here. Submit application to [email protected] by Friday, April 2, 2021.
Latino Equality Alliance’s (LEA) LGBTQ+ Youth College Scholarship
The Latino Equality Alliance Scholarship program supports LGBTQ+ students who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the mission of the LEA and the LGBT movement. Scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to participate in a series of Career and Professional Development workshops led by Latinx LGBTQ+ Leaders. Scholarship application is available here. Applications are due Friday, April 2, 2021 at 11:59 PM. Awardees will be informed by April 29th, 2021. For more information and questions, please email [email protected].
EVENTS
3rd Annual Westside Safety and Preparedness Fair
Sunday, March 7th, 2021 from 11am-3pm
The Westside Neighborhood Council is excited to be a sponsor of the 3rd Annual Westside Safety and Preparedness Fair which is an important and highly informative community preparedness event. There will be a terrific line-up of keynote speakers, presentations and training such as Hands-Only CPR, Stop the Bleed, and Pet First Aid and CPR. With this event being entirely virtual, you can learn important safety and disaster preparedness topics from the comfort of your own living room. Bring the kids too — there will be presentations just for them! See attached flyer for more details and register via the Event page.
Let’s Chat About the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 and DACA
Monday, March 8th at 6pm
On behalf of the Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, in collaboration with Clark Hill and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), we would like to invite you to “Let’s Chat About the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 and DACA” webinar on Monday, March 8, 2021 at 6pm. You will learn about the latest immigration changes under President Biden. We will discuss the U.S. Citizenship Act, Executive Orders, and DACA. Panelists will also share information on how to protect yourself from immigration fraud and obtain free legal services among other services for immigrants.
This webinar will be in English and Spanish, and is open to all. To register and submit your questions to speakers, visit clarkhill.zoom.us/webinar/register.
Department of City Planning: Supporting Economic Recovery Through Planning
Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Department of City Planning is hosting a town hall to apprise local business owners, groups and individuals of current policy efforts. We invite you and your members to attend, and look forward to creating a forum for future discussions on how best to engage with a broad cross section of business interests within the City. Register here. Meeting materials: Agenda, Processes & Procedures Ordinance, Restaurant & Beverage Program, and Local Emergency Ordinance.
LAHSA: 2021 State of Homelessness Town Hall
Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
You are invited to join LAHSA for a town hall on the system’s efforts to end homelessness. During the event, they will provide an update on their COVID-19 response, the rehousing system, and host a Q&A discussion about the system’s 2020 performance and their goals for 2021. Registration link: The State of Homelessness
Brentwood Community Council Food Drive
Saturday, March 27th from 10am-2pm
The Brentwood Community Council is hosting a food drive benefiting the Westside Food Bank. Westside Food Bank has specifically requested non-perishable items including canned goods, dry foods, pasta, peanut butter, etc. Folks can drop off these items on Saturday, March 27th from 10am-2pm in front of the Brentwood Science Magnet School, located at 740 S Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles, CA 90049. See attached flyer.
Please forward this along to anyone who may find it useful. As always, if you have questions about anything mentioned in this email––or if the Mayor’s Office can help you with something else––please don’t hesitate to be in touch.
We are now offering a fantastic Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten experience. complete with a rigorous academic foundation along with a strong science focus. This is a free education because Brentwood is your home school. TK must be 5 years old between September 2 and December 2, 2018. Please come take a look or tell friends and relatives to call the school for more information.
Thank you,
Reginald Brunson, Principal
310-826-5631
ATTN: sat down with will.i.am to discuss how he hopes the song will spark conversation about what’s happening in society today — especially when it comes to education.
will.i.am was bused to Brentwood Science Magnet Elementary:
will.i.am: If I wasn’t bussed out across town to Brentwood Science Magnet School, I would still be in the projects. More importantly, the projects — not physically, but here. I wouldn’t have known the difference. Poor is poor in the hood. You don’t know what rich is until you go outside. When I say rich, I’m not talking rich, like money. I’m talking rich here. So education is — it’s a broad — it’s not just what they’re teaching you to learn. School teaches you how to learn. Learn about yourself, learn about how you contribute, learn about what you mean in the world.
Thank God there was a magnet program when I was growing up. But guess what? The neighborhood that I came from? Those schools are still messed up. And guess what? Where I was able to go to school in Brentwood? That neighborhood is still awesome.
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