Earlier this week, our nation celebrated Veterans Day and paid tribute to the men and women who have heroically served our country and defended the values we cherish. They sacrificed so much to maintain the freedoms, progress and traditions of this great country. Continue reading

Can you believe it? Metro's Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit is 10 years old. Since its beginnings on Oct. 29, 2005, the Orange Line has become one of the most innovative and successful transit lines of its kind in the nation. It has more than earned its reputation as "the Valley's best shortcut" and exceeded all ridership expectations. Continue reading

Our country is beset by gun violence. Since 1970, there have been more Americans killed by private guns than the total number of all Americans killed since the Revolutionary War. Something has to be done, and I'm proud to say that in Los Angeles we are doing everything we can to stop this epidemic from taking more innocent lives. Continue reading

As a parent, I know how precious the time is we spend with ourchildren. Our schedules are full of other important things, like work, school and commuting, which draw attention away fromour families. But this city was founded by families, and the San Fernando Valley has blossomed because of families living in, working in and playing in our communities. Continue reading

Whether you’re taking a stroll down Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, hopping on the Red or Orange Line in North Hollywood, or driving down Laurel Canyon in Valley Village, you can see right away that Los Angeles is a great place to do business. Not just in the San Fernando Valley, but all across the city. Continue reading

It takes a village to raise a child, and it certainly takes one to protect them. Earlier this week, I was proud to join community leaders to celebrate the activation of a long-awaited traffic signal in Studio City's Tujunga Village.  Continue reading

Earlier this week, I joined Mayor Eric Garcetti and my City Council colleagues to announce the first step of a comprehensive strategy to address the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles. Continue reading

Did you know that Los Angeles has a large urban forest, including an extensive network of mature trees that line our streets? If you've driven through the hills and the San Fernando Valley, including many parts of Council District 2, you surely do. These trees are often decades old and provide shade, aesthetic beauty, improved air quality and myriad additional benefits to our unique and precious urban ecosystem. Continue reading

Earlier this month, the City Council approved a measure I introduced that urges the state to act on tougher background checks and the city to study fingerprint-based background checks on all transportation services that provide rides in Los Angeles. Continue reading

Los Angeles is a world class city with a growing population that is vibrant and increasingly diverse. Meeting the transportation and mobility needs of such a large and expansive city requires a comprehensive package of transportation strategies. Continue reading

  The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved (14-0) a policy that I authored, which will require all handgun owners in Los Angeles to store their handguns in a locked container or disable them with a trigger lock when kept in the home. The only time a handgun need not be stored or locked is when it is carried on the owner's body or within the owner's close proximity and control. Continue reading

In late July, I stood on Ventura Blvd. after a man came to a busy area, waved a gun and fired into the air. Thankfully, no one died. Our law enforcement professionals did their jobs and kept us safe. But, it easily could have ended differently. It could have been much worse. Continue reading

On July 23, the Los Angeles Police Dept. and Valley community leaders in collaboration with my office welcome athletes, law enforcement officers from around the world, and the Special Olympics Flame of Hope to the historic Campo de Cahuenga in Studio City.  Continue reading

On Wednesday, the first day of business for the new City Council, I was appointed by Council President Herb Wesson to chair a new committee tasked with crafting a comprehensive jobs plan for Los Angeles - the Ad Hoc Committee on Job Creation. Continue reading

This week I kicked off another year of the Summer Night Lights program in Valley Plaza Park to provide a our community with a safe and enriching place for young Angelenos to spend their summer days as the school year ends.   Continue reading