Addressing Homelessness in 2021

Homelessness in Los Angeles continues to be an intolerable crisis situation, but 2021 has seen notable progress in housing those who are unsheltered and reclaiming order and hygiene in our neighborhoods.  Continue reading

Getting Things Done: City Services In Council District 2

In Council District 2 alone, over the last year Team Krekorian has ensured that the City of Los Angeles:   Made 36,644 square feet of pothole repairs   Repaired 1,416 streetlights   Resurfaced 110 lane miles of public streets Continue reading

Cleanup Efforts Continue

Hazardous encampments have been removed from many locations in Council District 2, such as the underpasses of the 134 at Lankershim Blvd. and the 101 at Moorpark.  One especially  troubling location was Strathern Park West, the strip that runs along the west side of the 170 in Sun Valley.  Councilmember Krekorian’s District Office coordinated the efforts of multiple agencies to move the occupants to safer shelter, and to clear the area of graffiti, litter and debris. Continue reading

Jobs and Business Recovery

Increased Opportunities for Small BusinessAs the local economy recovers post-COVID, local small businesses will have dramatically improved opportunities to benefit from public infrastructure projects and large sporting events thanks to improvements in the City’s procurement platform, the LA Business Assistance Virtual Network (LABAVN). Continue reading

A Year of Progress On Energy and the Environment

LA100:  Building Our Clean Energy FutureIn August 2021, the City Council approved a motion by Councilmembers Krekorian and O’Farrell committing Los Angeles to a target of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by the year 2035.  This bold and nationally-significant achievement was made possible by the LA100 Plan, initiated by Councilmember Krekorian five years ago, which began an intensive study and planning process  by LADWP and the National Renewable Energy Lab.   Continue reading

Transportation: On the Move in 2021

Councilmember Krekorian serves as the San Fernando Valley’s representative on the board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro), the agency that plans, operates and coordinates funding for transportation throughout Los Angeles County. Continue reading

District 2 to Remain Largely Intact in East Valley

On November 8, the City Council approved a tentative new redistricting map, keeping the vast majority of the Second District intact. As happens every ten years, population shifts required that the tentative map would make some substantial changes in the Second District (including the loss of parts of Studio City and the addition of Toluca Lake). Still, 90% of the district’s current constituents will remain in the Second District. Continue reading

Vaccine Requirement Update

The City of Los Angeles has adopted a vaccine requirement for admission to some indoor public places and participation in some public activities. This ordinance officially took effect on November 8; enforcement efforts began on November 29, the Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday. Continue reading

Krekorian Partnership With LA:RISE Changes Lives

In 2015, Councilmember Krekorian began an innovative program in his district to create sustainable employment and housing for people experiencing homelessness, partnering with the Los Angeles Regional Initiative for Social Enterprise (LA:RISE).  The program uses the LA:RISE partnership to connect housing providers located in the district with employment social enterprises, WorkSource Center partners, and retention providers.  Too often, these critical services have not been coordinated to produce the best outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness.  The Council District 2 program aligns housing and employment opportunities and services to ensure the greatest likelihood that participants will remain housed and remain employed. Continue reading

Revenue Report Confirms: L.A. is Back in Business

A recent revenue report to the Budget and Finance Committee, chaired by Councilmember Krekorian, confirmed what we’re seeing all around us. In the City of Los Angeles and across the region, business is making a strong recovery from the recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing businesses are reopening or expanding their hours, and new businesses are opening and creating new jobs. Continue reading

Plastic Foodware Ordinance Takes Effect

Get ready to say goodbye to all the unused plastic knives and forks that clutter our kitchen drawers and cupboards. Continue reading

Innovation Challenge Creates Faster, Cheaper Supportive Housing

Addressing homelessness requires a panoply of solutions, including preventive measures and temporary bridge housing and shelter to enable the unhoused to get off the streets quickly. But for many who have experienced chronic homelessness and face special challenges in being rehoused, permanent supportive housing is imperative. Supportive housing combines permanent homes with the kind of intensive on-site social services that enable residents to turn their lives around and remain housed. Continue reading

Cool Streets, Cool Neighborhoods

On October 4, 2021, the City announced the second phase of its “Cool Streets L.A.” program. Dubbed “Cool Neighborhoods,”  the plan aims to lower the temperature of L.A.’s warmest neighborhoods by planting new street trees and resurfacing the pavement with a reflective surface that absorbs less heat than traditional black asphalt.  Continue reading

Amanda Gorman Mural Brings Inspiration to Chandler Tiny Homes

The year 2021 marked the debut of the Chandler Tiny Homes Village in North Hollywood. It is also the year that the brilliant Amanda Gorman, a native Angelino, became the youngest poet ever to recite her work at a presidential inauguration. Now the Chandler Village is the site of a stunning new mural celebrating Gorman and her stirring words.  Continue reading