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January 2016

Welcome to the first Issue of Mike Bonin's "Neighborhoods First Newsletter" in

2016!

IN THIS ISSUE: We learn about big news for affordable housing in Venice, focus
on the work to combat homelessness in LA and take a look at rate hikes and
Contact Our Office
reform at DWP... b u t f i r s t , please read this month's Neighborhoods First Profile
about a dedicated Mar Vistan who is helping connect art and the environment
through her work to celebrate her neighborhood at art walks on Venice
Connect with Facebook
Boulevard.

You can find out more about Mike , meet your CD11 staff and see the latest Connect with Twitter
videos and updates from the Westside on our website
at www.11thdistrict.com . And remember to like Mike's Facebook page and follow
him on Twitter to always see the latest news about your neighborhood. Councilmember Mike…
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Lenore French and the Mar Vista Art Walk

The story of the transformation
of Venice Boulevard into Mar
Tweets by ​@MikeBoninLA
Vista's "Great Street" has a lot
Mike Bonin
of heroes. Among the @MikeBoninLA
impressive cast of community Proud to have worked with @givingspirit &
members who have made the assembled winter kits for homeless residents. Sign
mission to give downtown Mar up for the 2018 Homeless Count because every

Vista a sense of identity is resident, no matter where they live, matters

bit.ly/2mf7D6W
Lenore French - a passionate
community advocate who works
tirelessly on behalf of Mar
Vista. Lenore is the driving
force behind the Mar Vista Art
Walk along Venice Boulevard,
which is hosting its second Art
Walk event on Thursday, March
They Count Will You?
3 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. The first
The 2018 Greater Los Angeles Homeless …
Art Walk was a tremendous theycountwillyou.org
success, featuring live painting,
a group show of 32-artists (each of whom created art with a toy train set), spoken 5h
word performances, and an environmentally themed scavenger hunt by Dreameco
Crafts. Embed View on Twitter

We asked Lenore a little about the Art Walk, as well as her motivation for giving
back to the Mar Vista community. Please find the full interview below.

Tell us about the Mar Vista Art Walk and why you decided to organize the
walk.
"The Mar Vista art walk is a FREE, fun, art-filled community event that we will
hold the first Thursday evening of each March, June, September and December.
The art walk highlights the amazing outpouring of art and artists happening
organically all around us. It also provides a thoroughly engaging and walkable
destination for people looking to enjoy our neighborhood that showcases all the
wonderful creativity happening on our CD-11 'Great Street' of Venice Boulevard
between Inglewood Blvd. and Beethoven Street. In fact, the original impetus to
organize the Mar Vista art walk sprang from a desire to inspire people to walk
more and drive less... especially locally... through a support of local art.

"The art walk is a collaboration between our nonprofit organization, Green

Communications Initiative (GCI), and the community of local artists and arts
venues. The art walk could not happen without them. I would particularly like to
thank and acknowledge my partner-in-crime, Mar Vista artist extraordinaire
Mitchelito Orquiola. I half-jokingly refer to Mitchelito as the unofficial mayor of
Mar Vista art. In addition, art walk would not happen without the support of our
public officials, especially our Councilmember, Mike Bonin and the Mar Vista
Neighborhood Council. As only one example, people seemed to particularly love
the sidewalk engagement provided by the live painting, music and poetry
readings during our first art walk. Mike’s office streamlined the information
pipeline that allowed us to know what is/isn’t permissible."

Click here to read the full interview.

Mike Short-Circuits Overdevelopment and Proposes New Affordable Housing
in Venice

In a move that could create much-needed affordable housing in Venice, Mike

recently proposed building housing on the site of a controversial Metro bus yard
that closed last month. In his capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of
LA County Metro, the region’s transportation agency, Mike succeeded in shutting
the bus yard and making sure it would not to be sold to the highest bidder for use
as office or commercial space.

The 3.5-acre property, on Sunset Avenue near the beach, has been a bus yard
since 1951, drawing regular complaints about noise and pollution. At Mike's
urging, Metro consolidated operations and closed the yard last month. Thanks to
Mike's motion, which was approved by the Metro board on January 28, Metro will
now proceed with a joint development process for the site. In accordance with
Metro policy, Mike wants at least 35% of the housing to be affordable – for
families with incomes of $35,000 or less annually. Had the property been sold at
auction, it would have likely been built “by right” as a high-traffic commercial or
office use.

Developing the property will likely take a few years, and the first step will be an
environmental assessment to determine what it will take to make a former bus
yard suitable for residential use. An extensive community engagement process
will follow, so neighbors can help shape and design the project. Metro recently
mandated extensive community engagement processes for any development on
its properties.

Find out more about this exciting news in The Argonaut's cover story about the
announcement: http://argonautnews.com/mike-bonins-big-idea/ or in the press
release .

VA Announces Master Plan for West LA Campus

This week, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald came to LA and
announced future plans for the sprawling and under-used Veterans
Administration property that borders West Los Angeles and Brentwood. The plan
makes good on long-delayed promises to serve and house the men and women
who have bravely served this country. The VA Master Plan calls for expanded
medical facilities for veterans, 1200 units of housing for homeless veterans, and
more open space.

The VA is still negotiating with non-veteran entities, such as the City's

Department of Recreation and Parks, to see if those entities can craft proposals
for veteran-centric facilities with an ancillary use for the general community.

Click here to check out the full Master Plan.

Keeping Commercial Vehicles Off Westchester Streets

Neighbors in Westchester were becoming frustrated with the large number of

commercial vehicles parking on neighborhood streets and reached out to Mike's
office at the beginning of January for help. Mike dispatched LAX-Community
Liaison, Omar Pulido to investigate the issue, and Omar soon discovered that an
off-site airport parking garage was responsible for using Westchester streets to
handle overflow parking. After a productive conversation with the garage's
manager, the manager agreed to stop using the Westchester neighborhood to
accommodate overflow parking. Thank you, Omar, and everyone who helped
notify us of the issue!

Long Lines and Neighborhood Issues at Mike's Access 11 at Palisades Farmers

Market
Mike hosted a "Pop Up Office Hours" session at the Palisades Farmers Market on
January 10, meeting with neighbors as they shopped at one of the Westside's
busiest farmers markets. A long line of constituents got a chance to meet Mike
and discuss a wide variety of important issues ranging from homelessness to
mansionization to the Palisades Village project. Mike routinely hosts "Pop Up
Office Hours" as part of his Access 11 program, and is next scheduled to be at the
West LA Farmers Market from 10am - 12pm on Sunday, February 21.

Sunset Traffic Community Workshop - February 6

Late last year, Mike announced a three-pronged approach to alleviating gridlock

on Sunset Boulevard in Brentwood. Mike's Sunset Traffic Initiative is taking three
big steps to address the problem, focusing on unprecedented collaboration,
expert analysis, and community input, to come up with proposed solutions, big
and small.

The Sunset Traffic Solutions Community Workshop will be the Brentwood

community's opportunity to evaluate proposed solutions to gridlock on Sunset
Boulevard, and suggest their own. This will be an interactive, solutions-focused
workshop. The workshop will be held at Paul Revere Middle School on February 6.

Click here to find out more and RSVP for the workshop.

Japanese Institute of Sawtelle Celebrates 90 Years

Mike was honored to join the community in celebrating the Japanese Institute of
Sawtelle's 90th anniversary. JIS has served as a cultural pillar of West L.A.-
Sawtelle's Japanese-American community, and Mike recognized the
organization's milestone anniversary by saluting JIS for putting neighborhoods
first and making Los Angeles a better place in which to live.

Street Resurfacing in Mar Vista and Del Rey

Streets throughout Mar Vista and Del Rey (including Moore Street, Berryman
Avenue, Stoner Avenue, Keesheen Drive, Courtleigh Drive and Maxella Avenue)
received a little love from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services the
week of January 17, when repaving and resurfacing work was completed. The
newly repaved streets help improve road safety and fix tire-damaging potholes
on key neighborhood avenues.

New LAPD Trailers Bring Community Center to Del Rey

Mike was incredibly excited and proud to open the new LAPD Pacific Division
Community Center on January 17, a vision which only became a reality with the
support of Brookfield Residential (developers of Playa Vista), LAPD Police
Commissioner Steve Soboroff, and the donated hard work and labor of a number
of local partners, departments, and CD11 staff.

The 5,000-square foot facility includes 52 workstations for Pacific Division

officers, community meeting rooms for youth programs and events, a children's
library, and much more.

Venice Ice Rink Approved by Coastal Commission

How would you like to take your family ice skating on the beach next winter?

Thanks to the California Coastal Commission, Mike and his team are one step
closer to creating an iconic "only-in-LA" experience at Venice Beach. On January
13, the Commission unanimously approved an application to install a seasonal ice
skating rink at the heart Venice Beach. This idea, which Recreation & Parks, Mike
and his staff have been working on for a long time, will bring positive, family-
friendly programming to Venice -- something that can be enjoyed by local
residents and tourists alike.

This is a big step forward toward a cleaner, safer, healthier, more vibrant beach
environment.

Mar Vista Art Boxes - Submit Your Art!

Mike loves public art, and recently announced that he is expanding the "Utility
Box Art Project" to Mar Vista as a way of adding more neighborhood character to
local utility boxes with fresh, inspiring designs.

Local artists with an idea for an utility box in Mar Vista, should email Mike's
Senior Planner, Ezra Gale, at ezra.gale@lacity.org to find out more about how
they can submit designs for art boxes in Mar Vista.

Brentwood Turns 110

On January 23, neighbors in Brentwood celebrated the community's 110th
anniversary at a gala dinner honoring local philanthropist, Tom Safran. Pretty
much the entire community and nearly every elected official representing the
area showed up for the great community event.

Mike and the guests at the "Centennial +10" celebration thanked Safran for his
commitment and work creating quality, affordable and senior housing, and for
his extensive philanthropy, including work on behalf of the homeless population
of Los Angeles, upgrading the Brentwood Science Magnet School and building bus
benches and trash receptacles in the community.

County Steps Up to Repair Bike Path in Playa del Rey

In early January, El Niño storms devastated a section of the bike path in Playa del
Rey, which is maintained by the LA County Department of Public Works. After
receiving calls and emails from concerned neighbors, Mike reached out to the
County to ask that the path be repaired as soon as possible. Thankfully, staff
from the County Department of Public Works got on top of this issue quickly, and
is now looking at alternative bike path alignments that will minimize the
potential for the same type of destruction in the future.

Please contact the County DPW Road Maintenance Division (310.348.6448) if you
have questions about the progress of the bike path reconstruction.

Mike Meets with Neighbors at Access 11 Community Coffee in Westchester

As part of his “Access 11” program to bring City Hall closer to neighborhoods,
Mike held a community coffee on January 15, meeting with a few dozen
neighbors in Westchester to discuss mansionization, traffic, homelessness, LAX,
and a lot more. Westchester residents Dave and Toni Mannix hosted the event.

Palisades Village Has First Design Review Board Meeting

Rick Caruso’s Palisades Village project is moving forward. The local Design
Review Board considered the project in January and will do so again in February,
giving feedback on design elements for the shops and restaurants proposed for
Swarthmore Avenue. After the DRB weighs in, the project's environmental review
documents will be released (likely in early February), and the community will
have an opportunity to formally comment on the project once the documents are
public. Mike has been impressed with the enormous and widespread vocal
support for the project.

Preventing Flooding in Playa del Rey

On December 19, there was a burst of rain, just an inch or so, that drenched parts
of LA. Just that relatively small amount of rain still wreaked havoc on Playa del
Rey, causing nearly a foot of water to flood some homes near the beach. Thanks
to quick work by our Bureau of Sanitation, the Emergency Management
Department, as well as the County Department of Public Works, we were able to
identify the storm drain that had become clogged with sand from the beach and
work to get that drain cleared before the storms arrived.

Thank you to everyone who worked quickly to protect Playa del Rey from more
flooding as El Niño rainstorms began.

Remember to Prepare for El Niño

After months of preparation and anticipation, with heavy rain in the forecast on
and off for the next few months, El Niño is finally here.

January's storms are just the beginning of the intense weather we have ahead of
us. The entire City family has been working hard to prepare neighborhoods for
the coming storms, and you can find a list of resources to help you prepare at
this link: http://www.11thdistrict.com/elnino .

Thank you for your help making sure our neighborhoods are ready to weather El
Niño. Mike and his staff are ready to help if any unexpected emergencies arrive
and can be reached at 310-575-8461 (West LA) or 310-568-8772 (Westchester).

Progress Toward a Comprehensive Strategy to Combat Homelessness

After months of research, planning and hearings, in early January, both the City
of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles released separate but
complementary reports outlining strategy proposals to combat homelessness.
You can read both reports, and share your feedback with Mike,
here: http://www.11thdistrict.com/homelessness_strategy_reports .

The City report includes a number of things Mike has been calling for, including
ways to move people rapidly from encampments into housing (through rapid re-
housing rental subsidies and master leasing programs), ways to mitigate the
impacts of streets encampments (free storage, mobile showers, restrooms, safe
parking), and a call for revamping the city's shelter system into more of a form of
bridge housing that moves people rapidly off the streets. The reports recognize
that there is no one solution to homelessness, and calls for a broad range of
strategies.

"I am beyond impatient," Mike said about the reports. "We have an action plan.
Now we need action. I look forward to working with Mayor Eric Garcetti, my
council colleagues (especially Marqueece Harris-Dawson and José Huizar, co-
chairs of our homelessness committee) and our partners on the County Board of
Supervisors to get this done."

You can listen to Mike discuss the reports in more detail in this segment of
KPCC's T a k e T w o .

Mike and VA Secretary Robert McDonald Participate in Homeless Count in

Venice

From January 26-28, thousands of volunteers fanned out throughout Los Angeles
to conduct the 2016 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. The Count, which is
organized by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, plays an important
role in policy decisions - especially as the City and County prepare to launch
collaborative efforts to strategically reduce the number of people living on the
street.

Last year, for the first time, teams in every neighborhood in Mike's district took
part in the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. This year, not only were there
teams in every neighborhood, but almost every area had more than the requested
number of volunteers. Mike joined United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Bob McDonald in Venice to volunteer.

OPCC Making Progress in Palisades

Thanks to the extraordinary fundraising efforts of the Pacific Palisades Task
Force on Homelessness, an outreach team from the Ocean Park Community
Center (OPCC) recently began working in the Pacific Palisades to connect people
living on the street with the services they need. Already, the OPCC team has
canvassed nearly all of the Palisades, making contact with dozens of people and
successfully placing three individuals in housing and support service programs.

OPCC has set up a dedicated phone number (310-460-2630) and email address
(pailsadesoutreach@opcc.net) for Palisadians to use if they have tips on where
outreach is needed in the Palisades.

Making LAX a World Class Airport (and a First Class Neighbor)

Progress continues toward making LAX a world-class airport and a first class
neighbor as Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) moves forward with its multi-
billion dollar capital improvement program. LAWA is actively renovating the
terminals at LAX with new passenger amenities including lounges and various
dining and shopping options. LAWA is also completing the construction of the
new West Aircraft Maintenance Area project, a new maintenance hangar for
larger aircraft located just West of the terminals. LAWA is also nearly finished
with the design for the new Midfield Satellite Concourse, just west of the existing
Tom Bradley International Terminal, where new international arrival and
departure gates will be located.

In addition to these improvements, the airport is working on an exciting new

project that will improve how people get to and from LAX called the Landside
Access Modernization Program. This project includes a new Automated People
Mover train to transport passengers to and from the terminals to
the regional Metro Rail system, a new Consolidated Rental Car Center, and two
new Intermodal Transportation Facilities. This project is anticipated to start
construction in 2017 with a completion date of 2024, just in time for the
Olympics. For more information on this project, please
visit http://connectinglax.com/ .

Calling BS on FAA

Since late summer, Mike and his staff have heard from hundreds of constituents
complaining about frequent, consistent noise from aircraft; these complaints
come from neighborhoods that have never mentioned this issue previously. The
FAA says that flight paths have not changed, but Mike was not satisfied with their
response. In a letter to the FAA, Mike made clear that: "Either the FAA is not
telling us something or thousands of people are suffering from mass delusion.
Given my experience with the FAA over the past two decades, I am confident that
it is the former."

Read more about how Mike is "calling BS on the FAA" in The Argonaut's coverage
of the issue at http://argonautnews.com/bonin-calls-bs-on-airport-noise/

Uber Joins Lyft in Offering LAX Pickups

LA is continuing to lead the way in passenger convenience by allowing ride-

hailing companies to operate at LAX, and as of January 21, Uber can pick
passengers up at LAX. Uber joins Lyft, which began service in late December.

Ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft provide more options for passengers,
making it easier and more convenient to get to and from the airport. The
agreement negotiated by the Board of Airport Commissioners protects nearby
neighborhoods with technology that prevents drivers from parking on their
streets while they wait for calls. This is great news for both passengers and
neighborhoods.
GoLA! New Apps Helps You Navigate LA - by Car, Bike or Train

On January 27, Mayor Garcetti helped unveil a new smart phone app that will
help Angelenos get around Los Angeles.

The app, called "GoLA" lets you choose your destination and then compare the
many different ways to get around LA, including bicycling, transit, taxi, ride-
hailing, driving. The app also helps find you a parking spot once you arrive and
allows users to compare modes to see what is fastest, cheapest, or greenest.

Find out more and download the app at http://golaapp.com/

Green Light! Mike Turns on New Traffic Signal in West LA

On January 19, Mike turned on the new traffic signal at Bundy and Exposition in
West LA. The new signal will help protect pedestrian and bike safety as we
prepare to finally open Phase 2 of the Expo Line, connecting downtown LA with
the Westside.

Earlier in January, the Expo Construction Authority (which Mike chairs) officially
handed over control of the Expo Phase 2 track to Metro, marking a significant
step toward opening the line to the public. While the exact date has yet to be
announced, it is likely Expo Phase 2 will open in May, allowing Westsiders to start
enjoying fast and convenient light rail service between their neighborhoods and
downtown!

Westside Mobility Plan Hearings

The Westside Mobility Plan is an important update to the blueprint for
transportation planning in the future that focuses on offering a variety of
options for people to get around, north-south rail connections, and parking
solutions.

There is going to be a hearing about the plan at the Henry Medina West LA
Parking Enforcement Facility (11214 Exposition Blvd) on Tuesday, February 2
from 6pm - 8:30pm. Mike strongly encourages Westsiders to attend and find out
more about the Plan.

You can find out more about the Westside Mobility Plan
at http://www.westsidemobilityplan.com/ .

Short Term Rental Ordinance Expected in Early February

A hot issue on the Westside is how to regulate short-term rentals, like AirBnB and
VRBO.

Concerned about a loss of affordable housing and the impact on residential

neighborhoods with a proliferation of short-term rentals, Mike and Council
President Herb Wesson introduced legislation asking for the city to adopt clear,
fair and enforceable regulations. After hosting public meetings around the city
and gathering input from people on both sides of the often hotly-debated topic,
the Planning Department is now drafting an ordinance. The draft ordinance is
expected to be completed in early February and will then be heard by the
Citywide Planning Commission, the Council's Planning and Land Use
Management Committee and finally, the full City Council. Click here to sign up
for updates about the ordinance's progress and to find out when you can weigh-
in on the substance of the draft .

Mike Demands Extensive Public Engagement for Proposed Martin Cadillac

Project

On January 13, the City Planning Department hosted the first public hearing on a
proposed mixed-use development project at the Martin Cadillac site on the corner
of Olympic and Bundy in West LA. This project is proposing to build residential
units, office space, and retail stores near the soon to be opened Expo station at
Olympic and Bundy. This is a significant project for Westside communities, and
it could have a major impact on the future of our neighborhoods.

Because he feels strongly that transparency and public input are crucial
components of the planning process - especially for a project of this size, Mike
has insisted on much more public input. He directed the Planning Department to
host another public meeting – at a more convenient time and on the Westside - so
that more people have sufficient time and a convenient opportunity to weigh in
on the proposed project. That meeting will be on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 4
p.m. at West LA Civic Center, 1645 Corinth Avenue. In addition, Mike has directed
the project applicant to conduct extensive public outreach, with a series of
community meetings that will collect testimony and feedback to be added to the
official record.

Mike agrees that an auto showroom is not the best use of a property adjacent to
the only Expo Line stop in his district, and thinks a genuine transit-oriented
project makes a lot of sense, but he is insisting it be the best transit-oriented
project in the City – and to shape that kind of project he needs your input on how
to change it and improve it.

Clamoring for Changes to Small Lot Subdivision Rules

Residents in neighborhoods throughout the city have been clamoring for changes
to the City's Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance, which they say threatens the
character of neighborhoods, contributes to an increase in demolitions, and fails
to achieve the primary intention of the ordinance - which is to make it easier for
first-time homebuyers to find affordable homes.

On Wednesday, January 20, the Planning Department held a hearing at the

Felicia Mahood Senior Center in West LA to gather public input on the changes
Mike proposed to the ordinance with his colleagues Mitch O'Farrell, Felipe
Fuentes, Paul Krekorian and José Huizar.

The proposed changes will update the Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance in a way
that will help make projects more compatible with surrounding neighborhoods
and more affordable for homebuyers. The proposal will also codify critical
development standards so it will be more easily enforced by the Planning
Department, and can better ensure efforts to preserve neighborhood character.

Proposed New Rules for Mansionization Expected in Spring

Last year, the City Council took action to curb the proliferation of
“mansionization” in Los Angeles, directing the Planning Department to revise
citywide rules, known as the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance (BMO), which
govern the amount of residential floor area that can be developed on a single-
family lot. Those new rules have been drafted, and the Planning Department
recently conducted community outreach meetings to gather input on the
proposed amendments. You can click here to read the amendments . The Planning
Department is working on potential changes to the amendments in response to
the comments they received at the public hearings, and we anticipate that the
amendments will be considered by the City Planning Commission in May.

Find Out More About the City Council's Work to Put Neighborhoods First

DWP: Rates and Reform

DWP is always a hot topic in Los Angeles, and that is sure not going to change
over the next few months.

DWP is proposing to increase rates for both water and electricity – and its
proposal has been endorsed by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners,
Mayor Eric Garcetti, the LADWP Ratepayer Advocate, and much of the
environmental community.

You can see a video about the rate proposal here and tell Mike what you think as
the Council prepares to consider the rate hike by clicking here . You can also click
here to cal culate how the rate proposal would affect you . The Council may vote
on the proposed rate increases as soon as February.

Meanwhile, the Council will be considering a package of sweeping reforms of how

LADWP is governed and how it does business. Mike's colleague, Councilmember
Felipe Fuentes introduced legislation proposing to: create a full-time,
professional board to oversee the department; eliminate civil service at the
utility; and to place a cap on the transfer of funds from DWP to the City's general
fund. Such changes to the City Charter would require voter approval.

Help Stop Graffiti in Your Neighborhood - Rewards Doubling

On January 13, the City Council approved legislation authored by Councilmember

Paul Krekorian doubling the rewards offered to people who provide information
leading to the arrest and conviction of graffiti vandals. The reward is now
$2,000.

Public art adds character to communities, and especially as more murals appear
in neighborhoods, the City Council's action is intended to increase the number of
people reporting graffiti. If you see graffiti in your neighborhood, please report
it through the City's 311 service. You can also call 800-611-CITY to submit a tip
about taggers in your neighborhood.
SoCal Gas Catastrophe Update

The SoCal Gas disaster in Porter Ranch, where a leaking gas well is releasing huge
amounts of methane into the atmosphere, making people sick and causing untold
damage on our climate, is a catastrophe. Especially since SoCal Gas operates a
similar (but much smaller) gas storage facility in Playa del Rey, Mike has been
paying extremely close attention to the ongoing incident and has been working
with his colleagues - including Councilmember Mitchell Englander, Mayor
Garcetti and City Attorney Feuer - as the city attempts to increase safeguards
against this sort of event happening on the Westside.

Last week, a resolution was submitted to the Council calling on the State to
improve public disclosure requirements, as well as safety precautions and
oversight of active gas wells. The City has also filed a lawsuit against SoCal Gas
over the leak , and Governor Brown has declared a state of emergency over the
leak . Importantly, Governor Brown's emergency declaration includes new
regulations for all natural gas facilities in the state, including stepped-up
inspections and safety measures that would apply to the Playa del Rey facility.

Illegal Marijuana Dispensaries No Longer Getting Tax ID

On January 20, Mike and his colleagues on the City Council voted to stop the City
from doing something really stupid. For years, the City of Los Angeles' office of
Finance had been issuing Business Tax Certificates to illegal medical marijuana
dispensaries, giving customers the false impression they are using a legitimate
and legal business, and complicating efforts to crack down on illegal business.

In 2013, voters legalized a certain number of existing medical marijuana

dispensaries, which provide an important service to patients with a range of
maladies. But hundreds of illegal pot shops have proliferated, skirting the voters'
intentions, and causing serious problems in our neighborhoods. The Council's
unanimous vote, which came after Mike's colleagues Nury Martinez and Joe
Buscaino co-authored legislation to end the foolish practice, will help to end the
insanity.
Details Emerge as Olympic Bid Progresses

Los Angeles is one of four cities in the world still in the running to host the 2024
Summer Olympic Games, and as the 2017 selection date gets closer, the City's bid
is continuing to take shape. In mid-January, the City Council approved a
Memorandum of Understanding with LA24 - the nonprofit organization behind
the City's bid for the 2024 Games. The agreement clarifies the City Council's role
in the bid process, and ensures that the City will not guarantee that any public
money will be spent to bring the Olympics to LA without a vote by the City
Council. (Mike is determined to protect the City’s pocketbook.)

In other Olympic news, LA24 recently announced more details about how the
Games would look, opting to house Olympic athletes in the dorms at UCLA
instead of building a new Olympic village. The decision could save more than a
billion dollars from the total proposed budget for the Games.

Concern Over Police Deployment

On January 22, Mike joined his colleagues Mitchell Englander, Herb Wesson, Paul
Koretz, Paul Krekorian, Curren Price and David Ryu to introduce a motion asking
for the Los Angeles Police Department to appear before the City Council to
answer questions about police deployment and the recent increase in crime rates
in Los Angeles. Mike is becoming increasingly concerned that LAPD may be
pulling officers off patrol and out of the Westside as part of a crime-suppression
redeployment. The motion specifically asks LAPD Chief Charlie Beck to explain
his strategy of doubling the number of officers in the elite Metropolitan Unit and
to discuss what else can be done to reduce the crime rate in Los Angeles
neighborhoods.
January Small Business Spotlights
Local small businesses provide more than jobs for people on the Westside - they
are part of what makes neighborhoods great. Each week, Mike chooses a local
Mom and Pop business to feature on social media in his " Small Business
Spotlight ."
Do you have a favorite business you want to nominate to be featured in Mike's
Small Business Spotlight? You can make a nomination for the “Small Business
Spotlight” at this link.

Helpful Links

Contact Us - Submit a comment, question or concern, using our helpful

website form.
Maps and Directions - Visit us in one of our two district offices, or downtown
at City Hall.
Request City Services - Have a pothole that needs to be filled or a tree that
needs to be trimmed? Submit a service request directly to the city.
Sign Up for Updates - You are already signed up if you received this email,
but are all of your friends? Forward this message, or share this link with your
neighbors so they can get the latest news about their neighborhood as well.

Community Calendar
Find out what's happening in your neighborhood!

LAPL Valentine's Day Amnesty Program

When: February 1 - February 8
Where : All City Public Libraries
Find Out More : http://www.lapl.org/missingyou

Westside Mobility Plan Public Meeting

When : February 2; 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where : Henry Medina West LA Parking Enforcement Facility (11214
Exposition Blvd)
Find Out More : http://www.westsidemobilityplan.com/

Sunset Traffic Community Workshop

When: February 6, 2016; 8:30am - 1pm
Where : Paul Revere Middle School ( 1450 Allenford Ave)
Find Out
More : http://www.11thdistrict.com/sunset_traffic_community_workshop

Cash for College Workshop, hosted by the Latino Resource Organization and
West Los Angeles Family Source Center
When: Monday, February 8
Where: Vera Davis Center, (610 California Ave, Venice, CA 90291)
Find Out More : www.latinoresource.org

Access 11 Pop Up Office Hours with Mike

When: Sunday, February 21; 10am - 12pm
Where: West LA Farmers Market

Cash for College Workshop, hosted by the Latino Resource Organization and
West Los Angeles Family Source Center
When: Monday, February 29
Where: Vera Davis Center, (610 California Ave, Venice, CA 90291)
Find Out More : www.latinoresource.org

Have an event you would like listed? Email updates@11thdistrict.com to

submit events.

With love in the air the two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, the Los Angeles
Public Library will be playing cupid, reuniting you, your overdue books and their
library shelves. These former sweethearts have missed each other, and the library
has missed you! Reconnecting has never been so easy.
Visit http://www.lapl.org/missingyou to find out more about the Valentine's Day
amnesty program.

Thank you for reading the January issue of Mike Bonin's Neighborhoods
First Newsletter.

For more about Mike and Council District 11, please

v i s i t www.11thdistrict.com

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MIKE BONIN -
T AK E AC T I ON MEDIA NEIG HB ORH OODS ISS UES N EW S C OUN CIL STA FF A BOU T MIK E
COUNCIL DISTRICT 11

BRENTWOOD | DEL REY | MAR VISTA | PACIFIC PALISADES | PLAYA DEL REY | PLAYA VISTA | VENICE | WEST LA | WESTCHESTER

As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not
discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure
equal access to its programs, services and activities.
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