If you need to contact the manager of the Barrington Post Office, 200 S Barrington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049, you can reach Brandon Anderson, Manager, at 310-476-4057.
You might also remind everyone to let their neighbors know if something is stolen.
LAPD mail theft reporting:
From LAPD Senior Lead Officer Matt Kirk [email protected] l 310-444-0744 about LAPD and mail theft:
“For mail theft: if it was taken from a front porch or an outside mailbox it can be reported with LAPD either online or with our front desk officers. If there was forced entry into an apartment or condo building then it would be considered a Burglary because of the forced entry into a structure. But all of them should also be reported to the USPS also.”
USPS Informed Delivery – As a resource along the same lines, we could include the info on USPS “Informed Delivery”. This is important for those with lost mail. The images that are sent each day are a record of what mail should have been received. (I’ve been using it for a long time and think it is very useful.) Here is the sign up: https://reg.usps.com/entreg/RegistrationPortalAction_input
UPDATE Thank you for the strong response to rekeying group mailboxes for safety. We have new information.
For Group Mailbox Security Re-Keying Please contact USPS Operations Manager Christian Pulido [email protected] 323-586-1431 – Receptionist (6AM – 3PM, M-F) 323-586-1443 – Direct Dial Please provide exact address, number of mailboxes and zip code in all communications for re-keying.
Response Time Please note that Mr. Pulido and his staff receive a high number of requests to rekey mailboxes and his voicemail often fills up with messages. Email may be the better choice. Should you not receive a response from Mr. Pulido after 2 full business days, please contact his Supervisor, Mr. Tamayo, who can pitch in to help.
Wall Mounted Group Boxes Some wall mounted group mailboxes may be significantly older and require a full replacement. If the USPS believes this to be the case, they may replace them at no cost. However, USPS must physically inspect the site and sometimes changing locks is all that may be required.
MAIL THEFT Reminder Remember to report all actual mail theft! This can be done 3 ways: By Phone to the US Postal Inspector: 1-877-876-2455 Online via the US Postal Inspector: Link Here Submit Congressmann Lieu’s privacy form – at this link – and his team will work with you to resolve the issue. This form does require a real ink signature, so you need to print it, sign it and email it back – see form for instructions.
FYI In an effort to be as accommodating as possible to the Brentwood community, the Postal Inspector inadvertently released an internal number at the USPS at the BCC meeting, which some external callers may not be able to reach. We’ve updated the phone numbers, see above, and added the relevant email addresses, which are generally not released to be public, however, we were provided permission to share them.
Here are some of the latest updates on important news for our community.
Included in this week’s Westside Bulletin: City Budget Updates, COVID-19 Updates, Low-Rise Housing Challenge Winners, Purple Line Extension Update, Hire LA’s Youth, Naturalization Virtual Fair, Business Relief, and Community Events
CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MAYOR GARCETTI’S JUSTICE BUDGET
Last week, the City Council unanimously approved the $11.2 billion City Budget for the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year 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.The 2021-22 City Budget reflects the beginnings of economic recovery following a challenging year of devastating losses due to the pandemic.
Here are some new expenditures that build upon the remarkable programs from Mayor Garcetti’s Justice Budget:
Adding $5M to Basic Income Guaranteed: LA Economic Assistance Program (BIG: LEAP) for a total of $29M.
$10M for the expansion of the Senior Meals Program, in partnership with restaurants in disadvantaged communities.
$25M for Business Assistance Programs in Disadvantaged Communities with $5M specifically set aside for the implementation of the JEDI (Jobs and Economic Development Incentive) Zones and Good Food Zones Programs.
$30M to fund the expansion of solar energy, energy storage and EV charging stations at City facilities.
$10M for Utility Assistance Debt Relief.
$10M set aside for Child Care Business Assistance.
$20M for the operation of eight childcare centers in disadvantaged communities.
$75M for deferred maintenance at Recreation and Parks facilities.
Last week, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the next phase of the City’s vaccination program, transitioning from the mass vaccination model to a mobile-first strategy designed to bring vaccines directly and conveniently to L.A.’s hardest-hit communities. The City’s vaccination program is expected to transition entirely to mobile clinics by August 1. Now, the City will expand the number of mobile units and deploy more agile teams based on community assessments that determine areas with high vulnerability and low vaccination rates. Mobile units will also focus on high traffic locations and special events to meet communities where they are and make it even easier to get vaccinated. This new phase focuses on three primary components:
Expanding the mobile program with more agile teams
A partnership with Toyota will allow the City to add new van-based mobile vaccination teams that will help reach more neighborhoods and can be deployed to high traffic locations and special events.
Amplifying strategic deployment
Building on the existing MOVE model, the Mayor’s Office and the Los Angeles Fire Department will continue to operate in areas with high vulnerability and low vaccine rates, while developing weekly strategic deployment plans that focus on high traffic locations and special events, in collaboration with community groups.
Expanding access and incentives
Mobile clinics will offer more evening and weekend vaccination options, in convenient locations, while working with local partners to provide vaccination incentives.
Scaling down the mass vaccination sites will happen gradually, and these centers will remain open to the public over the next two months. On June 19, the mass vaccination site at Pierce College will close permanently, followed by Los Angeles Southwest College on June 26.
Here are the facts you need to know:
· ELIGIBLE NOW: All Angelenos 12 and older are eligible to receive their vaccine at City sites. Eligible Angelenos can pre-register for a vaccination or find the nearest location. Please note that only the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for those 12 years and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for those 18 years and older.
· ‘MOVE’ MOBILE VACCINE PROGRAM: We’re still vaccinating Angelenos in our hardest-hit neighborhoods through our MOVE vaccination program. Since launching this initiative, we’ve delivered over 113,842 doses to Angelenos, with over 90% given to people of color. These sites are offering the vaccine Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. appointment-free. These mobile sites visit new areas of our city weekly. You can find the latest information plus locations and hours on our website.
· BY THE NUMBERS: The City of Los Angeles has administered 1,310,996 vaccine doses at our City-run vaccination sites and mobile clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and fire stations. Since last Monday, our centers have provided 39,268 life-saving vaccinations.
· VACCINATION SITES: More than 755 locations are currently vaccinating people in L.A. County. Remember to bring proof of age to the site. While appointments are not required, you can still pre-register for your vaccine ahead of time by contacting the County’s Call Center –– open from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. –– at (833) 540-0473.
· NOTIFY LA: As we continue expanding our vaccination efforts, it’s important to get the latest news. You can sign up for Notify LA to receive text alerts from the City about vaccine rollout, locations, and more.
· STAY INFORMED: As we continue expanding our vaccination efforts, it’s important to get the latest news.
o You can sign up for Notify LA to receive text alerts from the City about vaccine rollout, locations, and more.
o Sign up for email updates from the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
Last week, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a bilingual public service announcement campaign to encourage vaccination among Latino communities in Los Angeles, featuring artists Angélica María, Danny Trejo, Pepe Aguilar, Ángela Aguilar, and Leonardo Aguilar. Titled Vacúnate Ya, Los Ángeles / Get Vaccinated, L.A., this effort is focused on ramping up vaccination rates, reaching residents deeply impacted by COVID-19, and helping Los Angeles move closer to the end of the pandemic. Vacúnate Ya, Los Angeles and Get Vaccinated, L.A. will air on local news networks and appear on social media platforms, thanks to donated air time. The first 30-second Spanish language PSA will be broadcast starting this week on Telemundo 52 Los Angeles/KVEA, Univision Los Angeles KMEX Ch. 34, and EstrellaTV’s Los Angeles flagship station KRCA-62. The English PSA will air next week on FOX’s local stations KTTV and KCOP.
Eds. The ¡Vacúnate Ya, Los Ángeles! PSA can be viewed here.Lea este comunicado de prensa en español aquí.
FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
FEMA began accepting applications for Funeral Assistance on Monday, April 12, 2021. Call 844-684-6333 to get a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application completed with help from FEMA’s representatives. Multilingual services will be available. There is no deadline to apply. More information will be available on this page.
MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF LOW-RISE HOUSING CHALLENGE
Last week, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the winners of Low-Rise: Housing Ideas for Los Angeles, an international, first-of-its-kind design challenge to produce appealing, accessible visions of new housing options to boost the City’s housing stock in areas zoned for single-family housing and low-rise apartments. Together, the designs offer a compelling, achievable vision for how Los Angeles can add more housing in single-family and low-rise neighborhoods — areas that make up more than 80 percent of residential land in the city. At the same time, the entries offer new paths to homeownership, protect against displacement, and take measurable steps to reverse the damaging environmental impact of sprawl.
Winners were selected in each of the following categories:
· Fourplex, which imagines four units on a lot covering 7,500 square feet;
· Subdivision, a freestanding duplex on a 50-foot-by-50-foot parcel;
· Corners, with six to ten units spread across two newly combined residential parcels;
· (Re)Distribution, which asked entrants to reimagine famous single-family houses, by architects including Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright and R.M. Schindler, as fourplexes.
A fact sheet will the names of the winning teams and other details can be found here, with downloadable renderings here.
MAYOR GARCETTI BREAKS GROUND ON THIRD PURPLE LINE EXTENSION PROJECT
Mayor Eric Garcetti today broke ground on a 2.5-mile subway extension of the Purple Line (Metro’s D Line) from Century City to Westwood, which will ease congestion and improve access to the Westside from Downtown Los Angeles. Scheduled for completion in 2027, Section 3 of the Metro Purple Line Extension Project is part of a larger three-phase, 8.9-mile, seven-station project that will extend the Purple Line from the current terminus at Wilshire/Western to the Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Medical Center (VA) just west of the 405 Freeway. The 2.5-mile stretch will connect to the final station of the Purple Line Section 2 in Century City, and include one station at Westwood Village and another at the VA.
Metro is now actively building all three sections of the subway extension, which are planned to open in 2024, 2025 and 2027, respectively. The first section between Wilshire/Western and Beverly Hills is nearly 70 percent complete, and the Section 2 extension is now nearly 45 percent complete. Metro has established a $3.6 billion budget for the Section 3 project, applying a $1.3 billion federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation that will be delivered through a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program. The grant is a stand-alone agreement with no required loans. More than $2 billion for the project will come from the half-cent sales tax increases generated by Measures R and M, local measures approved by voters in 2008 and 2016.
MAYOR GARCETTI JOINED COMMUNITY AND INTERFAITH LEADERS IN CALL FOR NON-VIOLENCE AND UNITY
Mayor Garcetti joined City Attorney Mike Feuer, Councilmember Paul Koretz, public safety officials, and interfaith and community leaders to call for non-violence and unity after recent hate crimes in LA. “Los Angeles stands against antisemitism,” said L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. “We stand against the ideas that Jews should be singled out and attacked because of who they are. It mirrors what we have done too many times together, when we have stood up against Islamophobia or racism.”
HIRE LA’s YOUTH
This year, Hire LA’s Youth is offering virtual and in-person jobs for young people, between the ages of 14 and 24, who live in the City of Los Angeles and meet the eligibility criteria. All COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at in-person job sites. The program will help youth prepare for a summer or year round job. The program will also help youth write their resumes, practice interviews and learn how to manage the money they will be earning. Applications are available here.
NATURALIZATION VIRTUAL FAIR
Mayor Garcetti’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) are collaborating to bring a Naturalization Virtual Fair to your community to help eligible immigrant Angelenos learn more about applying for naturalization and becoming a U.S. citizen. We want to encourage our eligible Angelenos to apply for citizenship as soon as possible. The waiting period for someone to become a citizen once the application is filed can be lengthy, it is best to start now! Citizenship is also the best protection against deportation .
Angelenos that want to participate in the Naturalization Virtual Fair must sign up using this link or call CARECEN at (213) 814-5248 to set up a virtual screening appointment with CARECEN. After the screening, individuals who qualify to become citizens will receive a free, legal consultation with CARECEN to start their naturalization application on Saturday, June 5, 2021 between the hours of 9am-2pm. Assistance with fee waiver applications will also be available and all services provided by CARECEN in this effort are free of charge.
If you know folks who may be interested in participating in the Naturalization Virtual Fair, please have them sign up through this link or call CARECEN at (213) 814-5248 by Monday, May 24, 2021. All information will be kept confidential. Here is the link to the google form: tinyurl.com/CITIZENSHIPLOSANGELES
BUSINESS RELIEF
FEDERAL UPDATES
PPP Extended:
President Joe Biden signed the PPP Extension Act of 2021 into law on March 30, extending the Paycheck Protection Program an additional two months to May 31, 2021, and providing an additional 30-day period for the SBA to process applications that are still pending.
Shuttered Venue Operators Grant:
The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. The program includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Application opened Thursday, April 8, 2021. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees. Please click here for more information, and to apply.
Restaurant Revitalization Fund
The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. More information is available here.
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.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness Webinar
Monday, May 24th from 7pm-8pm
Join the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelssness to hear from Dr. Jonathan Sherin, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, who will discuss pathways to addressing issues related to mental illness among unhoused Angelenos. Register here.
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.
Best,
Brad
—
Brad Fingard West Area Representative & Citywide Interfaith Liaison Mayor’s Office of Legislative & External Affairs p. (213) 309-2116 | e. [email protected] coronavirus.lacity.org
The Low-Rise design challenge was organized by the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Chief Design Officer for the City of Los Angeles, Christopher Hawthorne, and was free to enter. It received a total of 380 submissions from around the world, responding to a brief with four categories: Corners, Fourplex, (Re)Distribution, and Subdivision.
Details on the categories, as well as the community-engagement listening sessions that were required viewing for all entrants, can be found at www.lowrise.la. The website also includes a list of jury members and other information.
Of the 12 winners of first-, second-, and third-place awards, seven are from Southern California (with six of twelve from the City of Los Angeles specifically); two from New York City; two from the UK; and one from Austin, TX.
Each of the four first-place winners will receive a cash award of $10,000. Each of the four second-place winners will receive a cash award of $3500. Each of the four third-place winners will receive a cash award of $1500. Total prize money is $60,000.
An additional 23 submissions received Honorable Mention citations. Of these, 11 were from teams with members from Southern California. In all 35 entries, or 9 percent of total submissions, were selected to receive an award or Honorable Mention recognition. Of those, 18 — or more than half — were from Southern California teams.
Support for Low-Rise: Housing Ideas for Los Angeles was provided by the James Irvine Foundation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Citi, and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. Other partners include the L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design and the Los Angeles chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Green Building Council. The challenge is part of a larger research effort into new paths to homeownership and affordability led by the Mayor’s Office in collaboration with the Urban Institute and other partners.
What are the next steps for Low-Rise? We will organize a series of re-engagement sessions to get feedback on the winning designs from our community partners and other groups, including architects, planners, and affordable-housing developers, over the next several months. We will then work with our colleagues at City Hall to incorporate the most compelling and feasible ideas from the design challenge into updates to our affordable-housing, zoning, and land-use policies. More broadly, our hope is that these winning designs, with their focus on community amenity and self-determination, will set the stage for a more productive and less polarized conversation about the future of our low-rise neighborhoods.
LIST OF WINNING ENTRIES:
Corners Category
First Place:
Vonn Weisenberger (Brooklyn, NY)
Team Members:
Vonn Weisenberger
Second Place:
Studio TAAP (Austin, TX)
Team Members:
Amaya Lucas
Anna Lake-Smith
Patrick Till
Trent Tunks
Third Place:
Kevin Daly Architects (Los Angeles, CA)
Team Members:
Kevin Daly
Ciro Dimson
Jeff Rauch
Courtney Gibbs
Connor Verteramo
Honorable Mention: 1+1+ Architects (Chicago, IL), for its proposal’s critique of existing land-use approaches in Los Angeles and its calls to reorient zoning “from a focus on transactions to kinship” and to address “the scale of the anthropocene itself”; Built for NELA (Los Angeles, CA), for the proposal’s deep familiarity with its context, emphasis on new models of multigenerational living, and thoughtful ideas to promote stability and self-determination in communities of color; Ignacio Espigares and VIQ architecture (Jersey City, NJ), for flexibility at the level of residential units, turning a low-rise community into a “canvas painted by its inhabitants, giving them a sense of identity”; LowDO + KDI + Positive Energy (Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA), for a focus on multi-unit housing that finds “new ways to bring people together” and brings “balance to a technology-saturated world”; Neighbourhood/Morris + Company (Kent, UK), for updating the bungalow-court typology to include a productive communal garden, private outdoor spaces for each unit, and lively public space at the street corner; PIE Design Collective (Los Angeles, CA), for an emphasis on community outreach and cooperative housing models and use of existing architecture to guard against displacement in Venice; RADAR, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA), for its proposal’s ingenuity about financing models, phasing, and streamlined approvals and careful analysis of its site and the surrounding Pacoima neighborhood; and Ericka Song and Justin Oh (New York, NY), for proposing a “generative landscape” weaving among compact and well-designed housing units while producing food, collecting rainwater, and providing shade.
Fourplex Category
First Place:
Omgivning and Studio-MLA (Los Angeles, CA)
Team members:
Albert Escobar (Omgivning)
Shahr Razi (Omgivning)
Taylor Carlin (Omgivning)
Amy Kaplin (Studio-MLA)
Ian Miller (Studio-MLA)
Second Place:
Bestor Architecture (Los Angeles, CA)
Team members:
Bestor Architecture
SALT Landscape Architects
ARUP
Third Place:
Danielian Associates and Urban Arena (Irvine, CA)
Team members:
Danielian Associates and Urban Arena
Honorable Mention: Lever Architecture and Urbanworks (Portland, OR), for creative thinking about parking, modular construction, and maximizing shaded outdoor space; Damian Madigan and Alysia Bennett (Adelaide, Australia), for a thoughtful balance of individual autonomy and collective care and focus on a financing and design model that can be applied to existing housing stock as well as ground-up construction; Riley Projects (Los Angeles, CA), for an elegant update of the bungalow-court typology to suit the needs of 21st-century Los Angeles, as well as an emphasis on inclusiveness and universal design; Shin Shin (Santa Monica, CA), for a thoughtful deployment of unconditioned and semi-enclosed spaces to make residential units more flexible, livable, and cost-effective, especially for multi-generational households; and TOLO Architecture (Los Angeles, CA), for a careful analysis of the needs of and obstacles facing younger renters in Los Angeles and arrangement of interior and exterior spaces to maximize privacy and autonomy for residents.
(Re)Distribution Category
First Place:
Arts and Creatives Designs Ltd (Banstead, UK)
Team Members:
Sonda Mvula
Lola Tartakover
Chandni Rakhra
Sameera S. Rauf
Verity Roweth
Second Place:
Henry Aldridge (Kent, UK)
Team:
Henry Aldridge
Third Place:
ROART (New York, NY)
Team Members:
Ran Oron
Tara Hagan
Ajin Ryu
Danny Hudson
Jeff Evans
Honorable Mention: Anna Richter (Hamburg, Germany), for the use of technology in service of a communitarian approach to rethinking the Schindler House; ARCHDUX (Jawaharnagar, India), for proposing contextual yet thoroughly contemporary additions to the South Seas House; Cal Poly LA Metro: Erica David (Los Angeles, CA), for the sharpness of the proposal’s analysis of Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House and its neighborhood context in service of a plan that stays true to the house’s basic ethos without seeking to preserve it in amber; Kendall Mann and Xile Zhang (Los Angeles, CA), for the layered approach of its call to reimagine Irving Gill’s late Dodge House as a series of “cooperative residences rooted in engagement and care,” reached by ramps in place of stairs, and surrounded by fruit and vegetable gardens as well as new public park space; offTOP & RALX (Los Angeles, CA), for the strength of its narrative’s critique of colonialism in Los Angeles architecture and its ideas for advancing “the development of a Black aesthetic in architecture” by remaking the Hollyhock House without a shred of nostalgia; and Twin Projects (Chicago, IL), for its nuanced proposal to reimagine the original design for sleeping baskets at the Schindler House “using the ancient Persian concept of the Badgir, or wind-catcher.”
Subdivision Category
First Place:
Green Alley Housing (Los Angeles, CA)
Team Members:
Louisa Van Leer, Louisa Van Leer Architecture
Antonio Castillo, Urban Planner
Garen Yolles, Urban Planner
Aang Castillo, Cal Poly Pomona, College of Environmental Design, Dept. of Architecture
Galin Aghkyan, Cal Poly Pomona, College of Environmental Design, Dept. of Architecture
Don Chavez, Cal Poly Pomona, College of Environmental Design, Dept. of Landscape Architecture
Second Place:
Omgivning and Studio-MLA (Los Angeles, CA)
Team members:
Karin Liljegren (Omgivning)
Albert Escobar (Omgivning)
Dawn Dyer (Studio-MLA)
Third Place:
Elaine Kwong and Kristy Kwong (Los Angeles, CA)
Team Members:
Elaine Kwong (Architectural Designer and Urban Designer)
Kristy Kwong (Sustainability Engineer and Building Performance Specialist)
Honorable Mention: Joanna Grant, Jimenez Lai, Kyoung Eun Park, Kevin Pazik and Tanvi Rao of Bureau Spectacular (Los Angeles, CA), for the strength of their ideas for rethinking city codes and protocols and applying design pre-approval programs to multifamily projects; KEAZU (Providence, RI), for its proposal’s use of modular, movable features to give residents more control and agency, as well as design elements that appeal to “the people who are already in the community” and not solely “the people contractors are trying to attract”; Plataforma AR (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), for its proposal’s thoughtful balance of well-designed interior space with generous green space, especially the public-minded “green laneway” at the back of the lot; and Georgi Todorov and Petya Petrova (Chicago, IL), for exploring in depth the argument that the Subdivision category, while taking on fewer units per site than the other categories, has the potential to produce housing solutions for Los Angeles with wide impact.
Creating a Cleaner, Healthier CityToday, L.A. Controller Ron Galperin released a report on illegal dumping in the City of Los Angeles. He found that piles of trash, debris and hazardous items in dumped public areas has jumped 450% from 2016 to 2020, with some neighborhoods seeing 500% to 600% increases. His report also revealed that the City’s Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN) is working harder than ever, yet having trouble keeping up with the ever-increasing amount of waste dumped on L.A. sidewalks, streets and alleyways, making it unsafe for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and all residents. Galperin called for urgent action to eliminate illegal dumping and hold responsible those accountable for the harm it causes local communities.
Accompanying the report is an interactive illegal dumping dashboard mapping the location of illegal dumping cleanup requests and tracking the numbers over the past four years. The dashboard shows Downtown, East L.A., South L.A., the East San Fernando Valley and Watts to the Harbor had the most illegal dumping cleanup requests.
“Public spaces meant to be used by everyone are being abused by too many,” said Controller Galperin. “Businesses and individuals are illegally dumping thousands of tons of trash, debris and hazardous waste on our sidewalks and streets, lessening the quality of life nearby. The City needs to do more to prevent neighborhoods, especially historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, from becoming dumpsites for scofflaws who either don’t know or refuse to obey our illegal dumping laws. This is an issue of equity as much as it is of health and safety.” Explore the dashboardClosing the Gender Gap Last week, the Los Angeles City Council approved recommendations from Controller Galperin’s report on gender equity, which pointed out that Los Angeles has fallen short of its goals to recruit and hire more women, and to promote women into well-paying jobs. Controller Galperin recommended that the City take critical steps toward gender equity, including developing a strategic plan; creating a working group of City officials and community and labor partners; and requiring the largest City departments to submit annual reports on their efforts.
“My report showed that the City has a long way to go when it comes to gender equity,” said Controller Galperin. “The Council’s action approving my recommendations demonstrates a strong desire to close the gender gap and overhaul the way women are recruited, hired, promoted and paid. I applaud the Council President’s leadership on this issue and will keep working with City leaders to make sure Los Angeles walks the talk on pay equity, which is long overdue.” Read the full reportTime to Pivot on HHH Homelessness remains the leading social and humanitarian crisis in Los Angeles — only further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year. And despite many efforts to address it, the numbers are on the rise. Controller Galperin recently offered his thoughts and ideas on the issue in an opinion piece published by the Los Angeles Daily News, and sat down for an interview with John Gregory of ABC 7 to talk about what the City needs to do to help people off the streets and get the most out of Prop. HHH.
“Growing up, my parents told me: ‘If something isn’t working, try a new approach,’” said Controller Galperin. “These days, we’d call it a pandemic pivot. Los Angeles needs to heed that advice with Prop. HHH to get people off the streets today and create more supportive units overall.” Check out the articleTonight: Join the Conversation To commemorate Women’s History Month and mark one year after the pandemic first impacted L.A., Controller Galperin is hosting a discussion in his “Conversations with the Controller” series featuring local leaders serving on the front lines of the crisis. The conversation will highlight issues of health equity, housing and homelessness, the economic repercussions of COVID-19 on women and low-wage workers and, most importantly, how to create a better Los Angeles for everyone. Catch this discussion tonight, March 24, on Zoom and Facebook Live at 5:00 p.m. PST.
“One year after COVID-19 first took hold in the area, there is so much that needs to be done to address challenges created by the pandemic and to build a more equitable, responsive Los Angeles for all,” said Controller Galperin. “I am looking forward to hosting this conversation and hope that you can join us for this important discussion.” Tune in on Facebook LiveVaccines for Angelenos The City is on track to provide more than 70,000 vaccine doses to Angelenos across its permanent and mobile vaccination sites this week, which will account for both first and second dose appointments. Currently, first dose appointments are still available online, with eligibility open to essential workers in education/childcare, emergency services, food/agriculture, janitorial, custodial and maintenance services, transportation and logistics, as well as people 65+, healthcare workers, and individuals with health conditions and disabilities.
“Our City was the epicenter of the pandemic during the late fall and winter months, but now we are vaccinating large numbers of residents and are on our way to a healthier Los Angeles,” said Controller Galperin. “I hope that all Angelenos will get their vaccine as soon as they are eligible. We need to do our part to protect ourselves and our loved ones, and help put an end to this pandemic.” L.A. County vaccine data
U.S. Congressional Representative Ted Lieu – representing the 33rd District of California
This week, we learned the horrifying news of a mass shooting in Atlanta. My heart goes out to the families of the victims. Although we await more details, we know that at least six of the eight victims were Asian, and that the alleged murderer targeted three locations where the victims would disproportionately be Asian women. This unspeakable tragedy comes at a time when harassment, discrimination, and hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise. We must do more to Stop Asian Hate, condemn these attacks, and hold former and current public officials accountable for the rhetoric they have used and continue to use when describing COVID-19.
Although the events of this week have been difficult, there is good news. With gratitude to the Biden-Harris Administration and my Democratic colleagues in Congress, I can proudly say that Help is On the Way to the American people. The American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law last week, will save lives and livelihoods by mounting a national vaccination program, helping children return safely to schools, putting money in people’s pockets, and putting people back in jobs. As of March 17th, the U.S. has issued 90 million stimulus checks to the American people – and more are on their way. To check the status of your payment, please go to irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment. HAVE YOU RECEIVED YOUR STIMULUS CHECK YET?YESNO With the delivery of the life-saving resources of the American Rescue Plan and with the President’s new actions to crush the virus — including making all adults eligible for the vaccine by May 1st and taking further action to safely re-open schools, we can say that hope is on the horizon. However, we must continue to wash our hands frequently; engage in social distancing; and wear a mask in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which remains highly contagious.
If you would like to continue receiving weekly vaccine and COVID updates, please sign up here.VACCINE DISTRIBUTION UPDATESWhat phase are we in?As of Monday, March 15th, people ages 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions and disabilities are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in LA County. People with these conditions should check with their health care provider first to see if they can be vaccinated by their health care provider.In addition, the following groups remain eligible: LA County Residents 65 and olderEducation and childcare workersFood and agriculture workersEmergency service workersPeople who live or work in congregate living spacesJanitorial, Custodial, and Maintenance ServicesTransportation and logisticsIf you are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit VaccinateLACounty.com to book an appointment. Residents with disabilities or without computer access may call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm 7 days a week for assistance.
The West LA VA is now offering COVID-19 vaccines to veterans of ALL ages who are eligible for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) healthcare and enrolled with VAGLAHS. Veterans can call the VAGLAHS COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Line at (310) 268-4900 to schedule an appointment.Are all the vaccines safe and effective?Yes! The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all safe and effective in preventing symptomatic, moderate, and severe COVID-19 illness. Last week, LA County received the first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Similar to Pfizer and Moderna, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is extremely effective in preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Please click here for more information on each vaccine. STATE AND LOCAL COVID-19 UPDATESFrom the State
The State of California announced the launch of the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program, designed to help income-eligible households pay rent and utilities during these challenging times. The program provides financial assistance to income-qualified tenants experiencing housing instability and provides rent reimbursements to landlords for unpaid rent accrued from April 1st, 2020 through March 31st, 2021. For more information on how you can receive assistance, please visit HousingIsKey.com. From LA County
Los Angeles County has met the threshold to reopen critical sectors in line with the red tier on California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The new tier will permit a wide range of indoor operations to resume in sectors including middle and high schools; restaurants; movie theaters; gyms and museums; and zoos and aquariums – all with the proper safety protocols in place. The LA County Department of Public Health has updated the community’s Health Officer Order to reflect the recent changes.TESTINGAll LA County residents who would like to get tested for COVID-19 should first contact their Primary Care Provider to see if they offer tests. If you cannot access a test through your health care provider, please visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing or corona-virus.la/covid-19-testing to sign up for a no-cost COVID-19 test. Testing is recommended for those who:Have symptoms related to COVID-19.Were asked to get tested by LA Public Health because of a contact tracing investigation.Were in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks.Work or live in a skilled nursing facility; group home; residential care facility; homeless shelter; or correctional facility.Are experiencing homelessness.Are essential workers with frequent contact with the public.Don’t have symptoms but believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19. If you live in the City of LA and are unable to drive to a testing site, you can receive a free COVID-19 test at a mobile pop-up location (no appointment necessary). Please click here to view current and upcoming pop-up testing sites. ADDITIONAL RESOURCESNeed health care? Enroll now! Due to COVID-19, Covered California established a special enrollment period that allows any eligible Californian to enroll in health coverage through May 15th. If you’ve lost your job and health care because of COVID-19, you can shop and compare new plans and get covered for 2021 at CoveredCA.com.The IRS announced this week that it will extend the 2020 tax filing deadline for individuals to May 17th, 2021. For more information, please click here. 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.Sign up to get notified when it’s your turn to receive the vaccine. 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.Get your flu shot to stay healthy this season.Learn about vaccine misinformation and how to avoid vaccine scams.How COVID-19 vaccines work (CDC).As more vaccines continue to be distributed across LA County and California, we are hopeful for a safer and brighter future. However, we must not let our guard down in the fight against COVID-19. Please continue to wash your hands frequently; practice social distancing; and wear a mask in public. For more information on COVID-19 and vaccines, please visit covid19.ca.gov/vaccines and VaccinateLACounty.com and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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
Max Mednik, SBRA Advisory Board Member:
From Max Mednik, SBRA Advisory Board Member
Free email alerts for crime and safety near us
FYI in case it could be helpful to anyone: CrimeMapping and CrimeReports both have free email alerts of crime activity near us. Signing up is pretty fast, and you can choose what area and types of crimes you want to hear about. I just signed up on both myself to stay on top of what’s going on around us.
https://www.crimemapping.com/Alerts
Note from Judie:
We are getting increasing reports of people wanting access to property under false pretenses – rat check, water leakage, wire access.
Might be a good idea to let everyone in the household know what to do when someone comes knocking at your door – staff, visiting relatives and friends, etc.
First rule, always let them know that you are home, but do not open the door.
Video doorbells are very useful tools.
It goes without saying–Don’t open your door to any stranger.