Neighborhood councils of Los Angeles

Neighborhood Councils in the City of Los Angeles are city-certified local groups made up of people who live, work, own property or have some other connection to a neighborhood. Neighborhood Council Board Members are elected or selected to their positions by the neighborhoods themselves. There are currently 99 Neighborhood Councils within the city limits, and a corresponding Department of Neighborhood Empowerment within City Hall. [1]

History

In 1999, voters approved a new City Charter that established the Neighborhood Council System and the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment “to promote more citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs…”.[2] Specifically, the charter ensures each neighborhood council receives early warning of upcoming city decisions and has the opportunity to be heard.

The charter also requires that neighborhood councils be consulted in the budget process. Article IX, Section 909 of the city charter mandates that each neighborhood council “may present to the Mayor and Council an annual list of priorities for the City budget.” The mayor must “inform certified neighborhood councils of the deadline for submission so that the input may be considered in a timely fashion.”[3]

Public participation
Membership

The standard for membership is often more liberal than the location-specific approach used by most political subdivisions ("you vote where your house is" standard). Participation is based on "stakeholder status"—a broader definition—a businessperson or someone representing a local church, or hospital, or charity would qualify—on that basis—even if they do not live in the exact area. Several positions on neighborhood councils may be set off—specifically—to guarantee that those local business people, church, and charity participants are included. This resident—local businessperson alliance hopefully encourages acceptable, practical, economic development for an area.

Meetings

To effect their interests, neighborhood councils organize a monthly "town meeting", not unlike the historic model demonstrated in New England towns. An agenda is posted on issues under discussion, relevant community reps or City of LA or LAPD officials may be invited, discussion is opened to members of the council and the public attending, and then the council votes to take its position. Basic parliamentary rules are followed, and the California standard for open public meetings, the Brown Act, guarantee designated "public comment" periods.

Organizational structure

Administration

The neighborhood councils have been allocated $42,000 each per year for administration, outreach and approved neighborhood projects.

Vision

The vision of a citywide system of independent and influential neighborhood councils, and the creation of a city department to guide that process, was the centerpiece of the new City Charter that was approved by the voters in June 1999. There are currently (as of early 2019) more than 90 neighborhood councils in the City of Los Angeles, and a list of neighborhood councils can be found on the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment's website.[4]

Mission statement

To promote public participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs by creating, nurturing, and supporting a citywide system of grass-roots, independent, and participatory neighborhood councils.

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment Pledge
  1. We will treat the public with courtesy and respect.
  2. When explaining a restriction, making a suggestion, or reporting a delay, we will always explain the reason why.
  3. We will ensure that people who call during working hours will always have an opportunity to speak to someone.
  4. We will avoid using insider or bureaucratic language.
  5. We will be good listeners.
  6. We will honor the Mayor's "no wrong door" policy, and never use the words, "It's not my job!" We will find out whose job it is.
  7. We will never say, "Because that's the way we've always done it," or "We tried it that way once but it didn't work."
  8. We will keep the promises we make.
  9. We believe that everyone deserves an answer.
  10. We will strive to be the best friend that neighborhood councils have.
The Plan for a Citywide System of Neighborhood Councils (Plan)

Starting with a skeleton staff in 1999, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment held 16 public workshops throughout the city to begin teaching people about grass-roots participatory democracy, and to hear the public's needs, dreams, and suggestions. By the time the Plan for a Citywide System of Neighborhood Councils (Plan) was adopted, nearly 50 more public hearings had been held.

Plan

The Plan was approved on May 25, 2001 by the City Council through an ordinance. The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) and the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners reviewed years of extensive study regarding neighborhood councils, and received months of public comment before presenting a proposed plan to the Mayor and City Council in December, 2000. For six months, City Council committees received public comment on the proposed plan, and made revisions before submitting it to the Mayor for final approval in May, 2001. The Plan establishes a flexible framework through which people in neighborhoods may be empowered to create neighborhood councils to serve their needs. The Plan also sets minimum standards to ensure that neighborhood councils represent all stakeholders in the community, conduct fair and open meetings, and are financially accountable.

Formation

Neighborhood councils are groups of people that, once certified by the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, will elect or select their own leaders, determine their own agendas, and set their own boundaries. The goal is to make them as independent as possible from government so that they will have the influence and power to affect citywide and local decision-making far beyond what neighborhood groups have done. People would be truly empowered to guide the futures of their neighborhoods.

Functions and services

Through the Early Notification System (ENS), neighborhood councils receive notice of issues and projects that are important to them as soon as possible. In this way, they will have a reasonable amount of time to understand, discuss, and develop positions before final decisions are made.

Neighborhood councils are first formulated to fit coherent neighborhoods within the City, from a process to elect a council certified by the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners. With an approved charter of organization, neighborhood councils are set free, in principle, forever, to run their open neighborhood elections and continue. Residents inside the neighborhood council area are empowered to elect a board, which then chooses its own leaders, determines its own agendas, and take locally discussed positions on issues of zoning, policing, community development, and the design of the Los Angeles City Charter. The goal is to make neighborhood councils independent from elected officials, and street-savvy enough to define their own community's positions on public issues so that they can develop the influence and power to affect citywide and local decision-making.

City Hall and other councils

A funding level of $50,000 a year per Neighborhood Council was established—to be used for any appropriate community use—with a dedicated percentage on outreach and community building—subject to City of Los Angeles auditing and contracting standards. This has since been reduced to $42,000 per NC per year.

List of Neighborhood Councils[5]
Neighborhood CouncilMeeting DayMeeting Location
Arleta3rd TuesdayOsborne Neighborhood Church
13501 Osborne Street
Arleta, CA 91331-5306
Arroyo Seco4th MondayRamona Hall
4580 Figueroa
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Atwater Village2nd ThursdayChrist’s Church of Griffith Park
3852 Edenhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Bel Air-Beverly Crest4th WednesdayAmerican Jewish University
15600 Mulholland Dr.
Room 223
Los Angeles, CA 90077
Boyle Heights4th WednesdayBoyle Heights City Hall Community Room
2130 East First Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033
CANNDU4th ThursdayLos Angeles Ascot Public Library
120 West Florence Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90003
Canoga Park4th WednesdayCanoga Park Community Center
7248 Owensmouth Ave.
Canoga Park, CA 91303
Central Alameda1st SaturdayVernon Branch Library
4504 S. Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90011
Central Hollywood4th MondayHollywood Neighborhood City Hall
6501 Fountain Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
Central San Pedro2nd TuesdayPort of Los Angeles High School
250 W. 5th Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
Chatsworth1st WednesdayLawrence Middle School
10100 Variel Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
Coastal San Pedro3rd MondayCabrillo Marina Community Bldg.
Cabrillo Plaza Berth 28
San Pedro, CA 90731
Del Rey2nd ThursdayDel Rey Square
11976 Culver Boulevard
Del Rey, CA 90066
Downtown Los Angeles2nd TuesdayLos Angeles Theatre
615 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Eagle Rock1st TuesdayEagle Rock City Hall
2035 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
East Hollywood3rd MondayArmenian Youth Center
1559 N. Kenmore Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Echo Park4th TuesdayN/A
Elysian Valley Riverside2nd WednesdayDorris Place Elementary School
2225 Dorris Place
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Empowerment Congress CentralGeneral: 4th MondayWestern Avenue Elementary School
1724 W. 53rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90062
Empowerment Congress North1st ThursdayN/A
Empowerment Congress Southeast4th TuesdayNew Prospect Baptist Church
10910 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90061
Empowerment Congress Southwest3rd MondaySt. Andrews Recreation Center
8701 S. St. Andrews Place
Los Angeles, CA 90047
Empowerment Congress WestCommunity Town Hall Meeting
1st Saturday
Board Meeting
3rd Monday		Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Community Room
(near Sears)
3650 W Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
Encino4th WednesdayEncino Community Center
4935 Balboa Blvd.
Encino, CA 91316
Foothills Trails District3rd ThursdayLake View Terrace Recreation Center
11075 Foothill Blvd.
Lake View Terrace, CA 91342
Glassell Park3rd TuesdayGlassell Park Community Center
3750 Verdugo Rd.
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Granada Hills North1st TuesdaySaint Euphrasia Parish Hall
11766 Shoshone Ave.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Granada Hills South1st ThursdayGranada Hills Charter High School
Rawley Hall
10535 Zelzah Ave.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Greater Cypress Park2nd TuesdayCypress Park Recreation Center
2630 Pepper Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Greater Toluca Lake3rd TuesdayToluca Lake Elementary School Auditorium
4840 Cahuenga Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Greater Valley Glen1st MondayValley College Cafeteria
Conference Room
5800 Fulton Ave.
Valley Glen, CA 91401
Greater Wilshire2nd WednesdayWilshire Ebell Theatre
743 S. Lucerne Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Harbor City3rd WednesdayHarbor City/Harbor Gateway Library
24000 Western Ave.
Harbor City, CA 90710
Harbor Gateway North2nd Tuesday
4th Tuesday every 3rd month (January, April, July, and October)
General Membership Meeting at 7 pm		135th St. Elementary School
801 W. 135th St.
Gardena, CA 90247
Harbor Gateway South2nd ThursdayHalldale Avenue School Auditorium
21514 Halldale Ave.
Torrance, CA 90501
Hermon2nd Thursday of Every Odd Numbered MonthThe Hermon Fellowship Center
5800 Monterey Road
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Historic Cultural2nd Tuesday222 S Hewitt St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Historic Cultural NorthN/AN/A
Historic Highland Park1st ThursdayHighland Park Senior Center
6152 N. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Hollywood Hills WestVariesWomen’s Club of Hollywood
1749 N. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Hollywood Studio District2nd Monday5500 Hollywood Blvd
(1st Floor – Gallery Space Corner of Hollywood and Western Ave.)
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hollywood United2nd MondayFire Station 82 Annex
Second Floor
1800 N. Bronson Ave.
Los Angeles, CA, 90028
LA-321st WednesdayEl Sereno Senior Center
4818 Klamath Place
Los Angeles, CA 90032
Lake Balboa1st WednesdayGault Street Elementary School
17000 Gault Street
Lake Balboa, CA 91406
Lincoln Heights3rd ThursdayLincoln Heights Senior Citizens Center
2324 Workman St.
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Los Feliz3rd TuesdayElysian Masonic Lodge
1900 N. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA, 90027
MacArthur Park1st and 4th MondayMacArthur Park NC Office
685 S. Carondelet St.
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Mar Vista2nd TuesdayMar Vista Recreation Center Auditorium
11430 Woodbine St.
Mar Vista, CA 90066
Mid City2nd MondayLAPD Wilshire Division
Community Room
4849 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019-5664
Mid-City West2nd TuesdayNational Council of Jewish Women
543 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Mission Hills1st MondayMission Community Police Station
Falco Room
11121 Sepulveda Blvd.
Mission Hills, CA 91345
NoHo2nd MondayNorth Hollywood Senior Center
5301 Tujunga Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(North side of NoHo Park)
North Hills East1st MondayPenny Lane’s Rainbow Room
15314 Rayen Street
North Hills, CA 91343
North Hills West3rd ThursdayNew Horizon Center
15725 Parthenia Street
North Hills, CA 91343
North Hollywood Northeast3rd ThursdayLA Fire Station 89
7063 Laurel Canyon
North Hollywood, CA 91605
North Hollywood West4th WednesdaySaticoy School
7850 Ethel Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91605
North Westwood1st WednesdayUCLA Weyburn Commons Village View Room
4th Floor
11020 Weyburn Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Northridge East3rd WednesdayNorthridge Woman’s Club
18401 Lassen Street
Northridge, CA 91325
Northridge South4th Thursday
(except Nov and Dec meetings)		Northridge Middle School
17960 Chase Street
Northridge, CA 91325
Northridge West2nd TuesdayNorthridge Christian Church
18901 Chatsworth St.
Northridge, CA 91326
Northwest San Pedro2nd MondayPeck Park Auditorium
560 N. Western Ave.
San Pedro, CA 90732
Olympic Park1st MondayCatch One
4067 W. Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
P.I.C.O.2nd WednesdayClaude Pepper Senior Citizen Center
1762 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Pacoima3rd WednesdayPacoima City Hall
13520 Van Nuys Blvd.
Pacoima, CA 91331
Palms1st WednesdayIman Cultural Center
3376 Motor Ave.
Palms, CA 90034
Panorama City4th Thursday
(3rd in Nov & Dec)		Mission Community Hospital
Medical Office, 2nd Floor
14860 Roscoe Blvd.
Panorama City, CA 91402
Park Mesa Heights2nd SaturdayYES Academy
3140 Hyde Park Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90043
Pico Union1st MondayKolping House – Auditorium
1225 S. Union Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Porter Ranch2nd WednesdayPorter Ranch Community School
Multipurpose Room
12450 Mason Avenue
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Rampart Village3rd TuesdaySt. Anne’s
155 N. Occidental Blvd. #236
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Reseda3rd MondayReseda Neighborhood Council Community Space
18118 Sherman Way
Reseda, CA 91335
Sherman Oaks2nd MondaySherman Oaks Elementary School
14755 Greenleaf St.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Silver Lake1st WednesdayIvanhoe Elementary School Auditorium
2828 Herkimer Street
Los Angeles, CA 90039
South Central3rd TuesdayAll People Community Center
822 E. 20th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90011
South Robertson3rd ThursdaySimon Wiesenthal Center
1399 S. Roxbury Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Studio City3rd WednesdayBLDG. 8 MPR-3
4024 Radford Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604
Sun Valley Area2nd TuesdayVilla Scalabrini Retirement Center
10631 Vinedale St.
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Sunland-Tujunga2nd WednesdayNorth Valley City Hall
7747 Foothill Blvd.
Tujunga, CA 91042
Sylmar4th ThursdaySylmar High School Spartan Hall
13050 Borden Ave.
Sylmar, CA 91342
Tarzana4th TuesdayTarzana Elementary School (Auditorium)
5726 Topeka Dr.
Tarzana, CA 91356
United Neighborhoods1st ThursdayCouncil District 10 Field Office
1819 S. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
Valley Village4th WednesdayFaith Presbyterian Church
Social Hall
5000 Colfax Avenue
Valley Village, CA 91607
Van Nuys2nd WednesdayMarvin Braude Constituent Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Venice3rd TuesdayWestminster Elementary Auditorium
1010 Abbott Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
Voices2nd TuesdayVermont Square Library
1201 W 48th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90037
WattsN/AKulick Youth Opportunities Center
1501 E. 103rd St.
Los Angeles, 90002
West Adams3rd MondayVineyard Recreation Center
2942 Vineyard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Westchester/Playa1st TuesdayWestchester Municipal Building
Council Community Room
7166 W. Manchester Ave.
Westchester, CA 90045
West Hills1st Thursdayde Toledo High School
22622 Vanowen Street
West Hills, CA 91307
West Los Angeles4th WednesdayFelicia Mahood Center
11338 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Westlake North2nd ThursdayCentral City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP)
501 S. Bixel Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Westlake South4th ThursdayMacArthur Park Community Room
2230 W. 6th Street
3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Westside2nd ThursdayWestside Pavilion
10800 W. Pico Blvd.
Community Meeting Room B
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Westwood2nd WednesdayBelmont Village
10475 Wilshire Blvd.
1st floor Community Room/ Town Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Wilmington4th WednesdayPhineas Banning High School
1527 Lakme Ave.
Wilmington, CA 90744
Wilshire Center-Koreatown2nd MondayPio Pico Library
694 S. Oxford Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Winnetka2nd TuesdayWinnetka Convention Center
(Next to Canoga Bowl)
20122 Vanowen Street
Winnetka, CA 91306
Woodland Hills-Warner Center2nd WednesdayAmerican Legion Hall
5320 Fallbrook Ave.
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Zapata-King3rd WednesdayAvalon Carver Community Recreation Center
4920 South Avalon Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90011

References
  1. "About Neighborhood Councils". Empower LA. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  2. "LA City Charter Section 900: Neighborhood Empowerment" (PDF). EmpowerLA. 1999. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  3. Sonenshein, Raphael J. (2006). Los Angeles: Structure of a City Government. THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF LOS ANGELES. p. 139.
  4. Box, Enci. "Councils". Empower LA. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  5. http://empowerla.org/councils/
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