Volume 4, Number 12 * December 1, 2006 * www.cd13.com TABLE OF CONTENTS A Word from Eric Homelessness and Affordable Housing Urban Environment Around the District Contact Us Councilmember Eric Garcetti A Word From Eric With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror and the winter holidays fast approaching, the end of the year gives us a chance to reflect upon the successes and the losses of 2006. Nationally, we saw the beginning of a new era in federal politics. In California, we saw the passage of more than $42 billion worth of bonds that will help to rebuild transit infrastructure, clean rivers and lakes, and build affordable housing throughout the state. These measures will go a long way towards improving the quality of life in our city, giving Angelenos better access to safe drinking water, creating more open space for children and families to play, and helping to ease the city’s housing crisis. Mayor Villaraigosa signs the living wage ordinance These electoral successes offer a bright future for Los Angeles, but while these changes were happening on the state and national level, the city government has been hard at work in our efforts to improve the quality of life in LA. I joined my colleagues on the City Council to pass three ordinances that protect and improve conditions for hotel workers in the Century Corridor near LAX. This legislation will give a boost to some of the poorest workers in Los Angeles, clustered in communities that are dominated by employment in the tourism and service sectors. Los Angeles is an international symbol of economic opportunity, recognized the world over as a city where one can turn their dreams into reality. The living wage ordinance will help the individuals who work and live in the city of Angels to achieve their very own dreams. A stronger city requires not only a happy and healthy workforce, but safe neighborhoods for these workers and their families to live and thrive in. With this in mind, Council District 13 hosted its first-ever Public Safety Summit, where over 300 area residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns about a wide range of safety issues facing the district, from graffiti to traffic concerns. We formed break-out groups around the various discussion items, where attendees created action plans and had the opportunity to talk to CD13 staff and LAPD officers about the most pressing concerns in their communities. Fellow New Frontier Award Recipient Jane Leu and I at the Institute of Politics I traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I was honored by the Kennedy School of Government’s Institute of Politics and the Kennedy Library Foundation with the New Frontier Award, given to Americans under the age of 40 for their commitment to public service and demonstrating leadership in their communities. It was a tremendous honor, a reflection of the communities that I serve and the staff that helps me serve you. You can find my remarks here. Though much of the news lately has been of our successes, we’ve also battled through some unexpected losses. With a heavy heart, I attended the funeral of Officer Landon Dorris of the LAPD’s Northeast Division who was killed in the line of duty when conducting a routine traffic investigation. A three-year veteran of the department, his enthusiasm for his work was matched only by his enthusiasm for life. Soon thereafter, we learned of the death of Angela Bowden, a long-time researcher for the Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE) organization. Angela worked closely with my office on the Apollo Alliance, a national effort to wean our country off of fossil fuels by developing job opportunities for low-income communities in the green sector. Officer Dorris and Angela have left an indelible mark upon the city, and our thoughts and prayers are with both of their families. HOMELESSNESS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING I ventured into Council District 11 to join my colleagues Jan Perry and Bill Rosendahl at the Ad Hoc Homelessness Meeting in Venice, where we heard comments from concerned residents and homelessness advocates alike. A comprehensive strategy to ending homeless is akin to a three-legged stool. The three legs are outreach to homeless individuals, services to help them transition off the street, and permanent housing. If any one of the three legs is shorter than the other, the stool falls down. Mayor Villaraigosa, Councilmembers Rosendahl and Perry and I announce the dedication of $4.6 million to fight homelessness at PATH I joined Councilmembers Perry and Rosendahl and Mayor Villaraigosa at People Assisting the Homeless (PATH)’s services center in East Hollywood to announce the dedication of $4.6 million towards relieving homelessness in the city. PATH’s innovative approach that incorporates the three legs of outreach, services, and housing is a model for how the $4.6 million will be used - it is an important first step in creating a final and all-inclusive answer to ending homelessness. I joined Enterprise and Gateways Housing in celebrating Enterprise's 200,000th unit of affordable housing The third leg of this strategy - providing stable housing for all members of our community - has been the stated goal of Enteprise Community Investment, an equity investor that provides funding for affordable housing throughout the country. I was proud to join Enterprise at Gateways Housing, whose honors I’ve written about before, to celebrate the 200,000th unit of affordable housing that it has built in the United States. Patricia Van Lieu, a formerly homeless individual, is the proud occupant of this new unit, which represents the latest step in Enterprise’s effort to provide safe and affordable housing to every American. URBAN ENVIRONMENT Kicking off the Million Trees Initiative  I've been working closely with my friend and President of the city’s Board of Public Works, Cynthia Ruiz about the city’s Million Trees Initiative. Trees provide shade, clean the air, help to reduce greenhouse gas, capture urban runoff, and provide a myriad of other environmental and community benefits. Join the drive towards 1 million new trees planting a new tree, or by volunteering with community organizations to plant more trees in your neighborhood. More information is available at www.milliontreesla.org. Speaking of urban greening, I was honored to emcee the 5th Annual People for Parks awards. For nearly two decades, People for Parks has worked with community organizations and others to expand the public park system in Los Angeles and to create more open space in urban areas. Honorees included Brentwood Green for Community Organization of the Year and my former colleague, Cindy Miscikowski, recipient of this year’s People for Parks Woman of the Year Award. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your continued work for a greener, more beautiful Los Angeles. AROUND THE DISTRICT  Echo Park  Opening of the Echo Park Farmer's Market - come on by this Friday! I attended the Inaugural Echo Park Farmer’s Market, where I was greeted by fresh produce and enthusiastic patrons. The market continues to be a huge hit. Seeking healthier alternatives for their families, patrons find not only a source of fresh produce but a gathering place that nourishes the bonds of the community. I joined Councilmember Ed Reyes and former Dodger skipper Tommy Lasorda at Dodger Stadium at the annual Thanksgiving Day giveaway, sponsored by Ralphs/Food for Less, the Dodgers Dream Foundation, and Council Districts 1 and 13. All in all, we gave out over 500 turkeys with all the fixings. Handing out turkeys with former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda at Dodger Stadium Historic Filipinotown Unveiling the nation's first monument to Filipino Veterans  I was joined on Veteran’s Day by Congressmember Xavier Becerra and Filipino veterans from around the country at Lake Street Park in the heart of Historic Filipinotown to unveil the nation’s first monument to Filipinos who served for the US during World War II. More than 120,000 Filipino soldiers served under General Douglas MacArthur during the war; however, as WWII drew to a close, the US Congress stripped them of their veteran status denying them benefits under the GI Bill. The monument commemorates the valor of the soldiers during the war and their struggle to gain recognition afterwards, which was finally granted by Congress in 1990. Appropriately, the monument is fronted by black granite benches that have a single word in both English and Tagalog - "Kagitingan," or, "valor." East Hollywood Walking for Peace My office joined clergy members from the Immaculate Heart Church of Mary and leaders from the East Hollywood community to walk and talk to residents in one of the poorest and most densely populated neighborhoods in the city. The area is plagued by a basic lack of security. Residents are often afraid to walk down the street or play in the local park, let alone build relationships with their neighbors and their communities. Titled the “Walk for Peace,” the CD13-Immaculate Heart Partnership attracted over 100 community members to knock on doors and break down those barriers. CONTACT US Councilmember Eric Garcetti represents the Thirteenth Council District which includes all or part of the communities of Glassell Park, Atwater Village, Elysian Valley, Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown, Silver Lake, East Hollywood and Hollywood. Councilmember Garcetti serves as President of the Los Angeles City Council. He chairs the Council‘s Rules and Elections Committee, is the Vice-Chair of the Energy and the Environment Committee, and sits on the Housing and Community Development Committee. He also sits on the Council‘s Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Los Angeles River. Councilmember Garcetti and his staff can be reached via e-mail at councilmember.garcetti@council.lacity.org or by mail or phone at City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 470, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 473 7013 and 5500 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028, 323/957-4500. www.cd13.com

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