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.

Created in 1988 for off-track middle and high school students, Clean & Green is one of the LA Conservation Corps’ oldest ongoing youth and workforce development programs, providing approximately 500 middle school and high school youth the opportunity to gain environmental work experience. Crews work to remove graffiti, clean-up trash from neglected streets and alleys, and plant trees to beautify communities. Clean & Green participants work closely with my team to identify problem areas based on constituent requests.

In addition to Clean & Green teams, you may have seen my Neighborhood Beautification BobCAT Truck conducting targeted clean-ups throughout the district--you may have even caught me throwing an abandoned shopping cart or two into the truck for proper disposal. Have you spotted blight in your neighborhood? Let me know. You can report blight and request clean-ups at (818) 774-4330.