LOS ANGELES - The City of Los Angeles just launched a new online portal that will help maximize the value of city property, and more efficiently provide options for affordable housing, homeless service facilities and other priorities. The comprehensive, searchable property database will enable staff to manage city property more effectively, and allow the public to track the development of community assets, like police and fire stations, libraries and public parks. The portal is available at lacity.org/property.

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.

This week, the City Council unanimously approved a citywide plan to create jobs and make Los Angeles more business-friendly. 

LOS ANGELES - Last summer, the City Council passed the most significant minimum wage law in the country so far, increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2020, something that will put more money into the pockets of hundreds of thousands of hardworking Angelenos and more money into our local economy. Councilmember Krekorian played a leading role in shaping the law and his support was critical to its passage.

Our economy is strong and growing in Los Angeles, which is good news for local businesses, residents and the city as a whole. In July of last year, I took on the task of heading up the City Council's new Jobs Committee with the purpose of finding ways the city can help stimulate job creation and focus on community-driven economic development throughout Los Angeles. Although this committee is relatively new -- we've had six very fruitful meetings so far -- the topic is something I've been working on for years.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - In the mood for a frozen dessert or cold-pressed juices? Ice Krave in NoHo's Arts District has it all.  

You may have heard on the radio this week a series of stories about manufacturing jobs in the United States. One segment, called "What Gets Made in LA is Way More Than Movies," highlights that the LA area is the biggest manufacturing hub in the country. With a great climate -- weather and business -- and the two biggest ports in the Americas, the aerospace, technology, apparel, medical equipment, printing, plastics and furniture industries, among others, are still going strong and remain home to hundreds of thousands of good jobs. The importance of LA to aerospace manufacturing is clear when you consider that 80 percent of the nuts, bolts and other fasteners that hold airplanes together are made right here in Southern California. One of the challenges this and other industries face, however, is finding a pool of skilled workers ready to accomplish the technical work. There is a need for government and industry to partner with more local schools to make them useful training grounds for these types of good, middle-class jobs.

This week was an extraordinarily busy and productive one at City Hall. The City Council not only considered significant items related to homelessness and moved forward with our citywide El Niño preparations, we also held committee hearings on topics that likely will be extraordinarily important to the present and future well-being of our city.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Local prop house Jackson Shrub Supply, Inc. has helped Hollywood set the scene and keep it green since 1937. Councilmember Krekorian recently stopped by to tour the facility.