Recently, I hosted a Public Safety Town Hall with LAPD Deputy Chief John A. Sherman and the top brass of the West Valley and Topanga Divisions. Due to the two hour time constraint, not all of the submitted questions were able to be asked to our panel. Since I wanted to make sure that all of those questions got answered and shared with all who attended as well as our community members who couldn’t make it, my team and I have prepared written responses to all of the questions.

If you were unable to attend the event, it can be viewed here.

Each year, ahead of deliberations of the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee, I turn to West Valley residents to determine their priorities for the upcoming budget year. The City continues to pursue ambitious solutions to the most pressing issues affecting our City including homelessness, housing, transportation accessibility and more, while maintaining the high quality of our police and fire services.

The Budget and Finance Committee's deliberations on the 2017-18 budget are set to begin on April 26. Hearings are broadcast live on the City’s public access network on Channel 35 and are streamed online here.

In order to help us make these tough decisions, please rank your budget priorities below:

As many of you know, Westfield has submitted a plan to the City that outlines their vison for the future of the Promenade site in Woodland Hills which they own.  With any site of this magnitude, this plan must be thoroughly vetted by relevant City agencies and your voice is a crucial in this process. Over the next few months, Westfield has been planning community meetings throughout the West Valley to discuss the details of the project with residents. I want to ensure that my constituents’ voices are heard and that each step of this process is transparent and meaningful.

There are a few dates before the new year that are important to this effort:

On December 14th at 6:30pm, the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council will be hearing a presentation on the potential Westfield Promenade project before taking it under consideration. This is a chance to hear the formal presentation, listen to the questions asked by the neighborhood councilmembers, hear Westfield’s responses and offer your thoughts during their public comment period.

Additionally, if you have a public comment that they would like to share regarding what environmental impacts should be studied for this project, please send it to [email protected] due by Monday December 12th at 4 pm. Doing so insures that it will be part of the official record. You can find more information about the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and the specifics going forward here. There will be future opportunities for comment throughout the process.

For more background on the project in its entirety, here is a piece from the LA Daily News when Westfield officially submitted their plan.  

Each year, ahead of deliberations of the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee, I turn to West Valley residents to determine their priorities for the upcoming budget year. As in previous years, this year, the City of Los Angeles continues to be challenged by a structural deficit. At the same time, the City is pursuing ambitious solutions to the most pressing issues affecting our City including homelessness, housing, transportation accessibility and more, while maintaining the high quality of our police and fire services.

With this week's rains, El Niño is officially underway in Los Angeles.

El Niño is a weather pattern, a warming of the Pacific Ocean near the equator caused by a weakening of the trade winds that normally push sun-warmed waters to the west.

Strong El Niños usually mean above-average precipitation in the southern tier of the U.S. and warmer-than-average temperatures in the northern tier. Rainfall is often below average in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys and the Pacific Northwest. 

From my family to yours, wishing you a happy and a healthy new year ahead! As your Councilmember, I look forward to continuing the important work of bettering our communities in 2016 and beyond.

For more photos from the year that was and the year to come, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

2015 in Pictures

Earlier this year, you let me and my team know that you wanted more dollars set aside for blight removal and community clean-ups, and I delivered. Last week, I headed out to Reseda to check out the incredible neighborhood beautification work being done by the LA Conservation Corps Clean & Green team, work I am pleased to be funding in the West Valley.

In my annual budget survey this year I asked residents their top priority for the allocation of Council discretionary dollars in the district. The results were overwhelming: over 69% of respondents let me know that their top priority was the enlistment of Clean & Green to assist my Neighborhood Beautification Community Action team in beautifying local neighborhoods through clean-ups and blight removal. Consequently, I have brought on Clean & Green as part of my office's ongoing work to make the Valley and even better place to live, play, and do business.

With extreme heat returning to the southland, I want to remind everyone of safety and health info for families as well as pets. -Bob

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for the City of Los Angeles through 8:00 PM. Thursday, September 10, 2015. Expect dangerous heat across portions of Southwestern California through Thursday. Maximum temperatures will reach dangerous levels across much of Southern California this week. The peak of the heat event will be Wednesday and Thursday and Friday will only be a few degrees cooler. It will be cooler over the weekend although maximum temperatures will remain well above normal. Temperatures are expected to return to near normal by early next week. The coastal areas are not included in this warning since the temperatures will not meet warning criteria. Still high temperatures away from the beach areas will reach into 90s making it very uncomfortable for people who do not have air conditioning. While the afternoon temperatures will present the greatest danger, overnight temperatures will be quite warm as well and will not allow for much relief. 

This weekend, I was joined by Costanso Street neighbors and West Valley residents who braved triple-digit temperatures to celebrate the opening of the new Costanso Fire Station 84 Park. We dedicated the park in honor of the brave men and women who served the San Fernando Valley from the small firehouse at the corner of Canoga Ave. and Costanso St. for more than 60 years.

Our friends at United Firefighters of Los Angeles City were on-hand with MOAB: the Mother of All Barbeques, to grill hundreds of hot dogs while families enjoyed the new park which includes a fire truck themed playground under the cover of newly installed shade sails.

In light of extreme heat conditions, I want to remind community of safety and health info for families as well as pets. -Bob

The National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Watch on the night of August 13, 2015. It has been upgraded to an Excessive Heat Warning beginning August 14th at 1:00 p.m. (1300 hrs) until Sunday, August 16th at 8:00 p.m. (2000 hrs) for the following areas: San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, lower mountain areas, Santa Monica Mountains, and Ventura County. The San Fernando Valley, specifically Woodland Hills, is currently experiencing temperatures of 104° F. Temperatures will be increasing tomorrow to 106° F - 107° F, with a possible high of 108° F. The lower mountain areas and the inland coast will also be affected. Downtown Los Angeles will experience highs in the lower 90s. Overnight lows in the Valley areas will be in the 70s. The surrounding Inland Area Empire will also be experiencing excessive heat.

Library Facilities

Hours of operation for libraries vary by facility. Visit www.lapl.org/branches or call (213) 228-7000 for specific hours of operation. 

Recreation and Parks (RAP) FacilitiesThe City will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure accessibility and effective communications for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Hours of operation for RAP facilities vary by facility. For more information, visit laparks.org, laparks.org/dos/senior/senior.htm or call 3-1-1 for specific hours of operation. The City will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure accessibility and effective communications for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

The following West Valley Recreation and Parks facilities will be operating with extended hours starting at 12:00 p.m. (1200 hrs) on Friday, August 14th and extending through 9:00 p.m. (2100 hrs) Sunday, August 16th.

L.A. County Facilities

For information on cooling center locations outside of the City, contact L.A. County 2-1-1.

Tips to Beat the Heat

During periods of extreme heat, there is an increased risk of heat exhaustion, heat cramps and sunstroke. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself against extreme heat: