Our Los Angeles River is getting better, more beautiful and more usable by the day. The 51-mile river starts in the San Fernando Valley and winds its way through many Los Angeles neighborhoods, including Studio City. On Saturday, June 21, I proudly joined Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian and the Village Gardeners to mark the opening of Studio City’s North Valleyheart Riverwalk Project. Continue reading

The secret is out: NoHo is a happening place. It isn't just up and coming anymore. We have arrived. Within just a few blocks, you can ride your bike for fun, walk to great shops and restaurants, and hop on the Metro to get to work or anywhere else you want to go. Continue reading

Keeping film and TV jobs in Los Angeles is an urgent priority for our city. We cannot afford to allow jobs to be lured away by lucrative tax credits in other places. On May 30, the City Council passed two motions that I made as Chair of the city’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Film and TV Production Jobs aimed at securing these jobs and creating more in the years to come Creating a Feedback Loop, the first motion, will improve communication with film and TV production companies by having the city survey everyone who gets a film permit or has obtained one in the past two years. We want to be able to evaluate the experiences filmmakers have working with the City of Los Angeles.   Continue reading

We in the San Fernando Valley have a new task this month, helping the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission get back on its feet. On May 3, a fire destroyed the Rescue Mission’s emergency shelter, vehicle fleet, clothing warehouse and food pantry. It started in the early morning at a warehouse next to the Saticoy Street shelter in North Hollywood and spread quickly. The good work of more than 130 brave Los Angeles city firefighters brought the fire under control. Fortunately, all shelter guests got away safely. But the impact on the Rescue Mission’s equipment and operations was devastating. Continue reading

As California continues to compete with other states and countries in the fight for production, entertainment industry workers, local businesses and markets have felt the direct impact of film and television jobs loss. With 44% of the state’s creative economy workers in L.A., this industry is a pillar of the region’s economy. For Los Angeles to remain the entertainment capital of the world, the city and lawmakers need to create a level playing field to compete with other states. Continue reading