NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Councilmember Krekorian joined Hermanidad Mexicana Nacional to congratulate members of our community on becoming United States citizens. This week's ceremony celebrated more than 50 individuals who took their citizenship oath, possibly the most meaningful milestone in their long journey as immigrants. Their stories of struggle, hard work and determination show us all what it means to be an American.

STUDIO CITY -  A Valley institution for 60 years, PINZ Bowling Center is located in the heart of Studio City's entertainment and business district. It is a 60,000 square-foot facility with 32 bowling lanes, an arcade and space for private events. On it's 60th anniversary, Councilmember Krekorian joined PINZ's co-owner, Eleda Cohen, and it's general manager, Scott Frager, to honor it's contributions to sport and family fun.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - This week, Councilmember Krekorian joined Costco CEO W. Craig Jelinek to celebrate the opening of Costco's first Business Center in Los Angeles, located in North Hollywood. Krekorian's office worked closely with Costco for two years to help them navigate the city's planning process and open their doors for business in the Valley.

VALLEY VILLAGE - Dozens of community members joined this year's National Night Out celebration in Valley Village to promote community safety and strengthen partnerships with local law enforcement. Councilmember Krekorian greeted event goers and shared community updates about the city's continued work to improve services and resources for residents. 

I don't have to tell you that Los Angeles is facing a homeless crisis greater than we've seen before. Economic dislocation from the Great Recession, a reduction of mental health services, the challenge of finding good jobs, along with the dearth of affordable housing in LA have made Southern California ground zero for the problem over the past few years. We understand the problem well as we see its manifestations each day, but our response has matured in recent months. This year, the City Council dedicated $176 million -- more funding than ever before -- to fight homelessness. And we are currently exploring the best ways to use that money, taking necessary steps toward mapping out permanent solutions.

LOS ANGELES - At this week's Budget and Finance Committee hearing, members discussed an initial report on how the White House's proposed budget, as well as its threats on immigration, could impact the city's coffers. Councilmember Krekorian, who chairs the committee, authored the motion calling for the report with the aim of clarifying the degree of danger the city faces if Congress approves massive federal budget cuts.

This week, hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District students returned to school, and in the coming weeks, nearly every young student in the city will be back in the classroom to kick off the new school year. As students get back to learning, I would like to remind parents, families and students to be safe and smart while making your way to school.

Los Angeles just made history. Today, the City Council authorized a contract that will make Los Angeles the host city for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. LA will be the first city in modern times to host the Summer Games on three occasions, most recently in 1984, a year still etched in the minds of anyone living in our great city at the time.

LOS ANGELES - The City of Los Angeles recently launched a new waste collection program, recycLA, which aims to expand recycling services to an estimated 80,000 apartment buildings and commercial properties across Los Angeles.  

You might remember that, last year, the City Council launched LA's first-ever comprehensive sidewalk repair program. We pledged to invest more than $30 million a year and a total of $1.4 billion over the next 30 years to make all 11,000 miles of city sidewalks safe and accessible for everyone. The program, called Safe Sidewalks LA, is one of the biggest and boldest infrastructure projects in LA's history.