Valley cyclists will soon be able to pedal all the way from Burbank to Chatsworth on protected bike lanes. The long-awaited completion of the three-mile gap in the Chandler Boulevard Bikeway will soon be a reality. Protected bike lanes will be added from Vineland Ave. to west of Coldwater Canyon Ave., closing the last gap in a 21-mile “cyclists’ highway” running across the Valley. Continue reading

The 2022 countywide homeless count showed that homelessness in both the City and County had grown far less in the two years of the pandemic than had been feared.  In Council District 2, our housing interventions actually reduced the number of unsheltered persons by over a third during the two worst years of the pandemic.   Continue reading

On December 12, a newly elected Los Angeles City Council held its first meeting, including its five new members.  As one of its first orders of business, the Council unanimously elected Paul Krekorian to continue to serve as Council President.  Councilmember Krekorian had previously been elected to serve as President in October, following the resignation of Nury Martinez.  The Council also unanimously elected Councilmember Curren Price to serve as Council President Pro Tempore.  For the first time in the City’s history, six of the fifteen Councilmembers are women.  Four of the five new members are entirely new to City government.  “At a time when our city has endured agonizing controversy and contentiousness, we now have a tremendous opportunity to turn a new page with this new City Council,” said Council President Krekorian.  “I’m honored that the members have entrusted me to help lead us into a new era that will be marked by greater accountability, effectiveness and collaboration in City Hall.” 

Council President Krekorian has convened an Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance Reform to take up a number of proposals, including several that had stalled under previous leadership.  The goals of this process, Krekorian said, is “to increase transparency, limit corruption, and make City leadership more representative of our communities, with the aim of restoring the faith of the people of Los Angeles in their City government.” Continue reading

The Bureau of Street Services and the Bureau of Sanitation and Environment provide essential city services in our district, such as trash pickup, street repair and tree trimming.  As Chair of the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, Councilmember Krekorian oversaw substantial increases to the funding of these departments, including $250 million in the 2022-23 budget for street and sidewalk repairs and improvements.  In the last year, these enhancements have had a dramatic impact and improved the quality of life in Council District 2.     Continue reading

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Council President Paul Krekorian have sent the following letter to President Biden regarding the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia and Azerbaijan's blockade of Artsakh. Continue reading

  Councilmember Paul Krekorian and community members recently celebrated the long-awaited completion of the sound walls along the 170 freeway running through North Hollywood, Valley Village and Valley Glen.  The sound walls now run continuously for four miles from Sherman Way to the junction of the 101 freeway.   Continue reading

This month the City Council voted to amend Section 41.18 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit camping or sleeping on sidewalks within 500 feet of schools and daycare centers in Los Angeles.  The measure was an important step forward in protecting students and their families from encampments that often block safe passage to schools and daycares, bring children into contact with intoxicated or mentally unstable people, and expose school communities to risks of crime and fire. Continue reading

You may have heard about a ballot initiative called “Land Use and Replacement Housing Requirements for Hotel Developers,” which will be on the ballot in 2024.  If approved by the voters, this initiative would require all hotel owners in Los Angeles to make vacant rooms available to the unhoused on a daily basis.  Continue reading

This summer, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Paul Krekorian, Mitch O’Farrell and Paul Koretz led the City Council in calling for a comprehensive series of reports and actions related to ratepayer funds, conservation, and the drought emergency currently affecting California and the Western United States. Continue reading

Councilmembers Paul Krekorian, Mitch O’Farrell and Paul Koretz also led the City Council in two major votes that will modernize the City’s power grid for electrification and away from fossil fuels. Together, the two motions unanimously approved by the Council will (i) eliminate the purchase of fossil fuel-based equipment at all City facilities, including LAX, the Port of Los Angeles, parks, and libraries; and (ii) direct the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to focus on the planned upgrades needed to modernize, electrify and solarize the City’s power grid infrastructure. Continue reading

As Budget Chair, Councilmember Krekorian ensured that the City will invest $4 million in resurfacing bike lanes this year. Continue reading

Councilmember Paul Krekorian joined Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmembers Mitch O’Farrell and Nithya Raman in launching a new program to make more reclaimed water available for landscaping.  Residents  who bring their own containers can take home up to 300 gallons of recycled water suitable for watering their gardens, saving precious fresh water for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing. Continue reading

Councilmember Krekorian, the City Council, and all City agencies continue their drive to electrify the City’s vehicle fleet, further cutting our carbon emissions.  Our Bureau of Street Services, also known as StreetsLA, recently demonstrated the first of its Lightning F150 electric pickups, a Volvo electric mini-excavator and two new  Beam solar charging stations in a press event at North Hollywood Yard, the City’s showcase for innovative  sustainable transportation technology in Council District 2. Continue reading

Southern California is now in the middle of the most severe drought in our recorded history. Our trees and lawns, our hillsides and open spaces are ready to burst into flames at the touch of a spark.  Although we can now expect wildfires at any time of year, we are at maximum risk in these dry summer months, and the hillsides of the East San Fernando Valley are especially vulnerable. Now more than ever, we need to take seriously that all fireworks are illegal in Los Angeles. Continue reading