You may have heard about the Mayor's Great Streets Initiative and the options being discussed on portions of Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood. My office has held five public meetings with businesses, residents and stakeholders on the topic and we've received much valuable feedback. Because this is an important discussion for people in NoHo and the East Valley, I wanted to share with you my letter to the community with my thoughts on the current options. Continue reading

Budget season in Los Angeles is in full swing. As the Budget and Finance Committee makes its final recommendations to the City Council this week about LA's $9.2 million budget, Metro has also begun deliberating on the agency's fiscal year 2018 $6.1 billion expenditure plan. The budget is a statement of the agency's priorities and reflects the will of riders and voters, who approved Measure M in November 2016. Continue reading

We just made a positive difference in thousands of children's lives. Nearly four years ago, when Mayor Garcetti first took office, he came to visit places in Council District 2 that are important to me. The first place I took him was the Whitsett Sports Fields Park, a city-owned soccer complex in the heart of North Hollywood used by nearly 9,000 residents in the local neighborhood, most of them kids. Continue reading

This month, Angelenos and people across the world commemorated the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, one of the most horrific events of the 20th Century. The Genocide was a defining moment for Armenians, but because the Armenian people have survived and thrived in the years since, the cause of justice and recognition has been taken up by millions of people of all nationalities who care deeply about human rights. Continue reading

  This week, I joined my colleagues at the annual State of the City address by Mayor Eric Garcetti, where he also discussed his fiscal year 2017-2018 budget proposal.  In the coming weeks, I will once again lead the Budget and Finance Committee in deliberations on the budget. This intense three week process will help shape our city's priorities and set the path for our future as a safer, more prosperous, sustainable, livable and well-run city.  Continue reading

Lankershim Boulevard is home to an incredible array of community businesses that add tremendous vibrancy to our neighborhoods, play a great role in the local economy, and are an important part of the history and character of the San Fernando Valley.  Continue reading

  As a Councilmember, I attend many groundbreaking events, but this week I attended a very special one. Over my nearly seven years on the City Council, I don't think I've been involved in a groundbreaking for a project that is this tied to the history of the San Fernando Valley as well as its future. NOHO West has ushered in a historic moment for our region. This is the beginning of a renaissance in the East San Fernando Valley. Continue reading

Lankershim Boulevard runs through the heart of the East Valley. It is a major corridor that connects our communities to one another. In 2014, this busy thoroughfare between Magnolia Boulevard and Vanowen Street was one of the first 15 streets to be designated as part of the Mayor's LA Great Streets Initiative. Continue reading

Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world and the film industry remains our region's heritage industry and the source of tens of thousands of good jobs. Throughout my years of work in public service, keeping this industry thriving in our backyard has been one of my top priorities. Continue reading

  I'm sure you've noticed that transit in the San Fernando Valley is improving quickly in ways that add both ease and comfort to your morning commute. Continue reading

  Just a year ago, more than 90 percent of California was in a state of drought. As a city, Los Angeles called Angelenos to action, asking residents to do their part to conserve water and reduce water waste in all aspects of their day-to-day lives.  Continue reading

On Tuesday, March 7, another important local election will take place. LA area voters will head back to the polls to cast ballots on city and county measures, and Angelenos will vote on citywide offices, on City Council races in odd-numbered districts, and for Los Angeles Unified School District board members and Los Angeles Community College District trustees. The people we elect and the issues at stake will impact the future of our neighborhoods now and in the years to come. Continue reading

Last Friday night, emergency crews rushed to the scene on the 4200 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Studio City to rescue a woman from her car. The vehicle was trapped in a large, dark sinkhole filling rapidly with rushing water. The cause of the sinkhole was a collapsed sewer main below the street. It appears that the severe storm we endured was the catalyst. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt by the sinkhole.  Continue reading

This week, I joined dozens of community members to kickoff my 2017 community lunch series, Lunch with Paul, at the newly opened North Hollywood pizzeria, The Pizza Press. Continue reading

This week, the LA Department of Transportation announced its Vision Zero Action Plan to reduce traffic related fatalities to zero by 2025. Continue reading