First Year in Review: Bringing Common Sense to City Hall

From the Desk of Councilmember Mitchell Englander

Twelfth District Dear Friends, On March 8, 2011 you honored me by electing me to represent you on the Los Angeles City Council. I am truly grateful for the trust you have placed in me and would like to share some of the things that have been accomplished on your behalf since I took office on July 1, 2011. I want to also thank every community member who has communicated and worked with me and my staff over the past year. Your support and input have been extremely valuable to creating the goals of my administration. You’ve made it clear that public safety and clean, livable neighborhoods that support our community are your top priorities. I’ve heard you when you’ve expressed your dissatisfaction with the status quo at City Hall. It’s your feedback and participation that have helped to shape my guiding principles for bringing common sense back to our local government. Over the past year I’ve sought to change the culture at City Hall through common sense budget solutions, a much-needed focus on infrastructure improvements and a steadfast commitment to the safety of our families and community. I am dedicated to providing excellent customer service to you, and requiring that City departments do the same. Streamlining downtown bureaucracy and creating efficiencies saves taxpayer dollars that can then be used to provide vital services for our neighborhoods. It also creates an environment that supports economic development and job creation. I hope you will take the time to read this update and to share it with your neighbors and friends. As always, please continue to contact me with your suggestions and ideas for how we can continue to improve our community. Sincerely, MITCHELL ENGLANDER Councilmember, Twelfth District P.S. This year, as part of our efforts to make City services more accessible to you, we consolidated our Northridge and Chatsworth offices into a single Community Service Center in Chatsworth. In addition to serving as our Valley office, it offers community members a location where they can meet one-on-one with representatives from City Departments to get assistance and information.

CONTENTS

Keeping Our Families & Communities Safe

p. 1

Changing the Culture at City Hall p. 5

Creating Common‐Sense Budget Solutions

p. 7

Clearing Hurdles to Economic Development & Job Creation

p. 10

Investing in Infrastructure & Community Improvements

p. 12

Preserving Livable Neighborhoods p. 14

Fostering Community Partnerships p. 16

Council District 12 Boundary Map p. 21

The Council District 12 Staff p. 20

FIRST YEAR IN REVIEW — BRINGING COMMON SENSE TO CITY HALL

Councilmember Mitchell Englander



Focused on Fixing Our Fire Department — Introduced FIRESTAT‐LA, a new sys‐tem modeled after the LAPD’s highly successful COMPSTAT, incorporating leading‐edge technology and innovative management techniques to improve deployment and operational efficiency. FIRESTAT‐LA will use real‐time, central‐ized data collection and mapping, rapid and concentrated deployment of re‐sources and constant follow‐up and assessment. It will help the Fire Depart‐ment find efficiencies and improvements, and create clear communication among all levels of the Fire Department.

Shut Down Illegal Marijuana Storefronts — Together with LAPD Devonshire Division Narcotics Enforcement Officers, we shut down 85 illegal storefront marijuana shops that were operating in our District. Co‐Authored Citywide “Soft Ban” on Storefront Pot Shops — Co‐authored a citywide ban on illegal marijuana storefronts. The proposed ordinance would outlaw storefront pot shops while allowing small groups of legitimate patients and their primary caregivers to grow medical marijuana on their own. Closed Nuisance Illegal Group Homes — Formed a task force with LAPD, Build‐ing & Safety Department officials, and the City Attorney to investigate and shut down over a dozen nuisance illegal group homes in Council District 12.

“Public Safety is the Foundation Upon Which Our Quality of Life is Built.” As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, as an LAPD Reserve Officer, and as a father of two daughters, I know that ensuring the safety of our families, our homes and our communities is the City’s highest mandate and most important service. ‐ Mitchell Englander

About the LAPD Reserve Police Officer Program — Serving as a volunteer LAPD Reserve Police Officer is a highly rewarding way to make a valuable contribution to the safety and well‐being of the City, develop deep and lasting ties to the community, and be part of the greatest Police Department in the nation. Reserve Officers un‐dergo the same rigorous training and Police Academy as full‐time LAPD Officers, and can work in nearly all of the LAPD units. To learn more, call (213) 486‐4730 or visit www.JoinLAPDReserves.com.

Councilmember Englander has been an LAPD Reserve Police Officer since 2005, and he regu‐larly patrols our District in uniform.

Councilmember Englander joined Narcotics En‐forcement Officers as they shut down illegal storefront marijuana shops in the Northwest Valley. The Police seized large amounts of guns, cash, and narcotics.

Councilmember Englander visiting the Firefight‐ers serving our community at LAFD Station 106 in West Hills.

Councilmember Englander with members of the LAPD Bicycle Patrol Unit at National Night Out 2011 at Northridge Park.

Page 2



Demanded Accountability for Loss of Police Communications — Called for a full investigation of and accountability for an incident that shut down the en‐tire citywide Police dispatch system for one day, leaving the public and Police Officers vulnerable to unacceptable risks because dispatchers lost the ability to directly communicate with Officers. Called for new procedures to prevent fu‐ture outages. Preserved Public Safety Resources — Restored six ambulances citywide and a Fire engine company in the Valley in the 2012/2013 Budget. Required New Revenues to Be Set Aside for Fire Department — Secured budget provision so that any unexpected increases in Fire Department revenue are required to go only toward restoring the Fire Department to full strength. Fire False Alarm Fee Implementation— Authored motion for LAFD to imple‐ment a fee to recover the costs associated with responding to recurrent false alarms, which account for 30% of fire alarm calls, wasting LA Fire Department time and adversely impacting response times. Brought Leading‐Edge Technology to the Fire Department — Called for an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system on all Fire and Emergency vehicles. The system would function like a GPS system, allowing the LAFD to centrally track all vehicles in real time, enabling a faster, more efficient deployment of resources to emergencies. LAPD Devonshire PALS (Police Activity League Supporters) — Co‐sponsored and partnered with PALS on their annual Holiday Toy Drive. Secured funding to expand PALS’ after‐school programs for at‐risk youth at the PALS Youth Center, supported and promoted the first exhibition of artwork by PALS kids. Supported Public Safety Volunteer Organizations — Secured surplus radio equipment for California Emergency Mobile Patrol, an all‐volunteer group that offers specialized search and rescue services to assist the Police Department. Earthquake & Disaster Alert Systems for Smartphones — Co‐authored a mo‐tion calling for development of a smartphone app and text message early warning system for earthquakes, disasters and other emergency events to help you stay informed and be prepared.

Councilmember Englander with representatives of County and State emergency preparedness agencies at the Great Southern California Shake‐Out earthquake preparedness drill.

Councilmember Englander secured funding to retrofit and increase the water‐dropping capabil‐ity of three LAFD firefighting helicopters.

Councilmember Englander restored six ambulances citywide and a Fire Engine Company to the San Fernando Valley in the 2012/2013 City Budget.

Public Safety Meetings Councilmember Englander, an LAPD Reserve Officer, along with our Public Safety Deputy Jim Dellinger, a former LAPD Officer with 26 years on the force, regularly attended and provided organizational support to a wide range of public safety, crime prevention and community outreach meetings. 10 LAPD Basic Car Groups in the Devonshire, Topanga, and West Valley patrol areas — Provided community members and LAPD Officers organizational support, answered questions, and gathered community feedback, ideas and concerns. San Fernando Valley Coalition on Gangs — Participated in a nationally recog‐nized coalition providing outreach and intervention for at‐risk youth, which included LAUSD, L.A. County Probation, Recreation and Parks Department and various faith‐based organizations. Collaborated on Numerous Community Public Safety Meetings — Collaborated on Neighborhood Watch, LAPD Town Hall, and Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) meetings in the Northwest San Fernando Valley. Strengthened Encryption of LAPD’s Mobile Communications — Called for the Police Department to explore technologies to prevent criminals from using free smartphone apps to listen in on Police Communications in order to commit crimes and evade arrest. S.O.L.I.D. — Served on the Board and supported events to raise funds for Sup‐porters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire, which supplies materials and equipment to the Police Officers at Devonshire Division that the City does not provide. Topanga Boosters — Supported the LAPD Topanga Division Boosters, a volun‐teer organization that supports the Officers of Topanga Community Police Station by raising funds for community services, materials, and equipment not supplied by the City. Improved Fire Fighting Helicopters — Secured funding for a $271,875 retrofit of three LAFD helicopters to increase their water‐dropping capability and en‐hance their ability to fight fires. Keeping More Police Officers on the Streets — Kept 159 civilian LAPD employ‐ees from being laid off so that uniformed Police Officers would continue to be out on patrol protecting our community instead of sitting at a desk doing ad‐ministrative and clerical work.



Councilmember Englander speaking about public safety and crime prevention at a middle school in Chatsworth.

Councilmember Englander with members of the Civil Air Patrol Cadets at National Night Out 2011 at Northridge Park.

“Year of Preparedness” ‐ Councilmember Eng‐lander’s awareness raising campaign, offering weekly items on a year‐long checklist to get families prepared to survive earthquakes and other disasters.

Safeguarded the City's Electrical Grid — Ordered an analysis by the Depart‐ment of Water & Power on the reliability and safeguards of the City's electrical distribution grid, following the record‐breaking power outage in the South‐western United States in 2011. LAPD In‐Car Video — Proposed to reduce the cost and enhance the implemen‐tation of LAPD in‐car‐video programs by creating a data management policy that examines data storage and retention. Improved Public Safety Resources & Technology — Called for a third‐party review of Fire Department deployment, dispatch and protocols, and sought more funding for more advanced technology and methodology for Fire Depart‐ment dispatch systems. Required the LAPD to Use Existing Funds to Pay for Patrol Cars — Called for LAPD to use existing funds to purchase 117 patrol vehicles rather than financ‐ing, saving the LAPD enough money to purchase an additional patrol car. Hosted the Police and Fire Recognition Luncheon — Hosted the annual cele‐bration of the contributions to the community made by Police Officers, Fire‐fighters, Paramedics and other public safety officers in the San Fernando Val‐ley, a tradition for over three decades. Provided More Resources for Police at Devonshire Division — Supported, through S.O.L.I.D. (Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire), the acquisi‐tion of a new training building and related office materials for the Devonshire Training Unit and established a permanent room to house the LAPD’s man‐dated Force Option Simulator, a crucial piece of technology used to train LAPD Officers. Supported Police Officers at Devonshire Division — Sponsored the annual S.O.L.I.D. Pancake Breakfast and Pasta Dinner events to help raise funds to pro‐vide non‐City supplied materials for Police Officers at Devonshire Division. Fought Graffiti Vandalism — Co‐authored a resolution that got Aaron Bros. art supplies stores to stop selling their “Artrageous Graffiti Starter Kit,” with paint, markers and instructions on how to make graffiti, which was marketed to kids. Worked to Increase Public Safety Awareness — Co‐hosted an annual National Night Out event together with LAPD Devonshire Division in Northridge Park to raise awareness about crime prevention and build strong community‐police relationships. Increasing Emergency Preparedness — Launched “A Year of Preparedness,” an earthquake and emergency preparedness awareness campaign. Each week in our E‐News newsletter, we featured another item in a preparedness check‐list that everyone should complete in order to be prepared for earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters in one year’s time.



As an LAPD Reserve Officer, Councilmember Eng‐lander volunteered at Tip‐A‐Cop in Northridge to raise funds for the Special Olympics.

Councilmember Englander with LAPD Officer Mark Cronin and CSUN Police Department Sgt. Frank Gudani.

Councilmember Englander and members of our Field Staff visiting the Firefighters at LAFD Station 8 in Porter Ranch.

Implemented the City’s first Performance‐Based Budgeting System — Intro‐duced Performance Based Budgeting to start using strategic planning and per‐formance metrics to measure the effectiveness of City programs and services. This will hold Department General Managers accountable for providing the excellent service our community needs and deserves. It also initiated a process to measure customer service and the overall effectiveness of City Depart‐ments. Advanced Pension Reform — Expanded on proposed pension reforms to in‐crease cost cutting and save taxpayer money. Rooted Out Waste, Fraud & Abuse — Prioritized Worker's Compensation in‐vestigators in the City Attorney's office to prevent waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Moved Reform of DWP Forward — Voted NO on all of DWP’s proposed rate increases prior to review by the Rate Payer Advocate, which voters demanded to ensure greater transparency and accountability to the public. Worked to Ensure Responsible Use of Taxpayer Dollars — Called for a com‐plete accounting of all costs to taxpayers incurred by the Occupy L.A. protest encampment and its removal. Called for Accurate Accounting of Fuel Use — Called for the Bureau of Sanita‐tion and the Department of General Services to develop a reporting system that will give an accurate accounting of fuel use and costs for the Solid Waste and Recycling Program and the Waste Water Collection Program. This will al‐low the Department to reduce fuel use and hold down fuel costs. Worked to Improve Customer Service — Provided funding for the first phase of a Customer Relationship Management System to help streamline service requests, make City service delivery more efficient and give people updates on the status of their service requests.


Changing the Culture at City Hall

“It’s Time to Fundamentally Reform How Your Local Government Works.” I am committed to finding common sense solutions to make the City more efficient, more responsive, more transparent and more accountable. — Mitchell Englander

City Council Committee Appointments

Public Safety Committee Chair

Budget & Finance Committee Vice Chair

Planning & Land Use Management Committee

Rules Committee for Redistricting

Councilmember Englander speaking with report‐ers about the need to uphold the LAPD’s 30‐day impound for unlicensed drivers, at a Police Com‐mission meeting in Northridge.

Councilmembers Englander and Buscaino with Controller Greuel at a press conference announc‐ing audit findings that LAFD had inaccurately reported response times, making them appear faster than they were.

Improved the City Planning Processes — Proposed moving responsibilities for Plan Check and Inspection from the Building and Safety Department to the De‐partment of City Planning to eliminate redundancies and streamline projects. Required a Capital Plan for L.A. — Introduced a plan to examine the City’s long‐term infrastructure and capital needs for the first time. Found Efficiencies to Save Taxpayer Dollars — Worked to constantly seek out efficiencies in City purchases of technology, equipment, fuel and other com‐modities to save taxpayer dollars. Comprehensive Approach to Technology Improvements — Called for a city‐wide strategic technology plan, requiring the City to take a comprehensive ap‐proach to its technology infrastructure ‐ rather than one Department at a time, to act more efficiently, address top priorities first and take advantage of economies of scale. Worked to Improve LAPD In‐Car Video — Proposed to reduce the cost and enhance the implementation of LAPD in‐car‐video programs by creating a data management policy that examines data storage and retention. Improved the Way the City Purchases Goods & Services — Introduced legisla‐tion to give a bid preference to businesses located within the City of Los Ange‐les on City purchases and services to boost the local economy and help create jobs. Worked to Ensure City Gets Lowest Prices for Purchases — Introduced legisla‐tion calling for new policies to ensure the City gets the lowest prices for the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of materials and supplies the City pur‐chases every year, in order to save taxpayer money. Improved the Employee Disciplinary System — Called for the Chief Legislative Analyst, City Attorney, Personnel Department, and other departments to change the disciplinary system so that the statute of limitations on disciplinary actions starts with the discovery of an act, not with the commission of the act. Demanded Full Reimbursement of “Carmageddon” Expenditures — Called for and received a full accounting of and reimbursement for costs the City in‐curred as a result of the 405 Freeway closure when the Mulholland Drive Bridge was demolished as part of the freeway widening project.


Changing the Culture at City Hall

Councilmember Englander speaking with a re‐porter about his motion calling for full account‐ing and reimbursement of the costs associated with the Occupy L.A. protest encampment.

Councilmember Englander demanded account‐ability for the shut down of the citywide Police dispatch system for a day and created a process to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Councilmembers Englander and Garcetti signing their motion to eliminate the business tax for new car dealerships in L.A. to help boost the economy and create jobs, as the Mayor and Bev‐erly Hills Porsche owner Geoff Emery look on. Emery announced that his dealership is moving to L.A.

Implemented the City’s first Performance‐Based Budgeting System — Applied strategic planning and performance metrics to measure the effective‐ness of City programs and services, holds Department General Managers accountable for providing the excellent services our community needs and deserves, and initiates a process to measure customer service. Restored Emergency Services — Restored 6 ambulances citywide and a Fire Engine Company in the San Fernando Valley. Prioritized Public Safety Services — Made a Budget provision requiring any state reimbursements in Fire Department revenue go only toward restoring the Fire Department to full strength. Improved Fire Safety Services — Called for a third‐party review of Fire deploy‐ment, dispatch and protocols in order to improve our ability to ensure public safety. Preserved Service for Our Community — Restored local District 12 services that were cut in the Mayor’s proposed budget, including tree trimming, addi‐tional street paving, and funding for local events and weekend park mainte‐nance. Improved Fire Department Technology — Provided funding to improve Fire Department dispatch technology and methodology as part of FIRESTAT‐LA. FIRESTAT‐LA is our plan, modeled in the Police Department’s COMPSTAT to use real‐time incident mapping and innovative management techniques to im‐prove the Fire Department’s resource deployment. Keeping Police Officers on the Streets — Preserved funding to keep 159 civil‐ian LAPD employees from being laid off so that uniformed Police Officers would continue to be out on patrol protecting our community instead of sitting at a desk doing administrative and clerical work.


Creating Common Sense Budget Solutions

“We Need to Make Sensible Financial Decisions, as the Families in Our Community Do Every Day.” As Vice Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, I worked to adopt a balanced Budget, restore crucial City services and protect services that our community needs, proving that, even during these extremely difficult financial times and with dwindling resources, we can do more with less. — Mitchell Englander

Councilmember Englander serves as Vice Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, where he is constantly seeking ways to provide crucial City services, especially public safety, more effi‐ciently, and ensuring the City is acting responsi‐bly with taxpayers’ money.

Councilmember Englander is constantly seeking ways to enable the City to continue to provide crucial services amidst major budget deficits.

Advanced Pension Reform — Expanded on proposed pension reforms to in‐crease cost cutting and save taxpayer money. Fought Waste Fraud & Abuse — Prioritized Workers’ Compensation investiga‐tors in the City Attorney's office to prevent waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Protected & Maintained Public Parks — Restored funding to maintain our public parks to include weekends and two extra days during the week, so that trash is removed and bathrooms are cleaned regularly. Improved Customer Service — Provided funding for a Customer Relationship Management System to help streamline service requests, make City service delivery more efficient and give people updates on the status of their service requests. Funded Street Maintenance — Added funding for an additional 65 miles of street paving and 50,000 additional pothole repairs citywide. Restored Library Service Hours — Restored Library hours to include evenings on Mondays and Wednesdays (10:00 am to 8:00 pm) and Fridays (10:00 am to 5:30 pm) at Branch Libraries. Expanded the City Reserve Fund — Brought the Reserve to its highest level ever. This helped the City receive the highest rating for short‐term debt by all three credit ratings agencies, which is crucial to maintaining our bond rating and saves millions of taxpayer dollars by guaranteeing lower interest rates. Required the LAPD to Use Existing Funds to Pay for Patrol Cars — Called for LAPD to use existing funds to purchase 117 patrol vehicles rather than financ‐ing, which will save enough money to purchase an additional patrol car with no future debt. Infrastructure & Capital Plan — Made it a requirement for the City to imple‐ment a long‐term infrastructure and capital plan for the first time. Provided Funding for Community Events in CD12 — Restored funding for CD12 cultural and special events, including the Granada Hills and Chatsworth Holiday Parades, 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular, and the Valley Greek Festi‐val. Maintained Public Safety Facilities — Utilized leftover bond proceeds to make vital repairs to Fire and Police facilities. Streamlined City Planning Procedures — Proposed moving responsibilities for Plan Check and Inspection from the Building and Safety Department to the Planning Department to eliminate redundancies and streamline projects.



Councilmember Englander restored funding in the budget for CD12 cultural and special events, including parades and community festivals.

Councilmember Englander restored funding to maintain public parks on weekends and two ex‐tra days during the week, so that trash is re‐moved and bathrooms are cleaned regularly.

Councilmember Englander instructed the LAPD to purchase 117 patrol vehicles using use existing funds rather than financing, saving enough money to purchase an additional patrol car with no future debt.

Business Tax Reform — Moved forward on additional business tax reforms to improve the business climate in Los Angeles. Eliminated Gross Receipts Tax to Keep Car Dealers and Jobs in L.A. — Co‐authored a motion to eliminate gross receipts taxes to help attract and re‐tain new car dealerships in L.A., help them thrive and create high‐quality jobs and revenue. Worked to Start an Economic Development Entity — Provided seed money for a new Economic Development Entity to help create local jobs and boost our economy. Worked to Restore Disabled & Low Income Senior Discounts — Restored ad‐ditional funding for the Low‐Income Senior and Disabled Solid Waste Fee Life‐line program. Saved Taxpayer Money on Purchases — Worked to implement efficiencies in City purchases of technology, equipment, fuel and other commodities to save taxpayer dollars. Improved the City’s Approach to Technology Infrastructure — Called for a citywide strategic technology plan, requiring the City to take a comprehensive approach to its technology infrastructure ‐ rather than one Department at a time, to act more efficiently, address top priorities first and take advantage of economies of scale. Improved Police In‐Car‐Video Systems — Advanced a proposal to reduce the cost and enhance the implementation of LAPD in‐car‐video programs by creat‐ing a data management policy that examines data storage and retention. Launched Plan for Free Wi‐Fi — Initiated plans to install free Wi‐Fi networks at all Recreation and Parks Facilities in Los Angeles. Provided Youth Job Opportunities — Restored funding to create thousands of summer youth jobs that provide vital work experience to help keep young peo‐ple on track, out of gangs and away from drugs. Funded Tree Trimming — Added funding to trim 5,000 trees, which was totally eliminated in the Mayor's proposed budget for 2012. Protected Our Neighborhoods — Expanded funding for critical Planning De‐partment functions by adding Zoning Administration and City Planner positions so that we can protect our neighborhoods. Preserved Services Through Public‐Private Partnerships — Set the ground‐work for future public‐private partnerships to preserve recreation, senior and cultural services and activities.



Councilmember Englander worked to reduce the cost and improve the implementation of LAPD in‐car‐video programs.

Councilmember Englander restored funding in the budget to create thousands of summer youth jobs to offer vital work experience that will help keep young people on the path to success.

Councilmember Englander restored evening li‐brary hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fri‐days at Branch Libraries, such as Mid‐Valley Branch Library (above).

Business Outreach and Assistance Northwest Valley Business Roundtables — Launched a Business Roundtable, bringing together heads of businesses from the Chatsworth/Northridge Indus‐trial Zone to meet with Department of Water and Power and Building and Safety officials, the Valley Economic Development Center, L.A. County Eco‐nomic Development Corp. and other business development organizations. Pro‐vided information about water and energy‐saving incentive programs, em‐ployee training programs, and information about how to take advantage of the Enterprise Zone in our District. Business Outreach Team — Conducted site visits to numerous companies in our Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone. Created an extensive outreach list and made cold calls to companies in our District every week to hear about ideas and challenges, and build strong working relationships. Regularly pro‐vided businesses valuable information about incentives, small business training programs, loan programs, and other City services.

Business‐Friendly Legislation Eliminated Gross Receipts Tax to Keep Car Dealers and Jobs in L.A. — Co‐authored a motion to eliminate gross receipt taxes to attract and retain new car dealers in L.A. and help them thrive and create high‐quality jobs and additional sales tax revenue for the City. Expanded Industrial Zoning — Introduced a motion to expand the uses allowed in the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone to boost the economy and create jobs. Current zoning code had not been updated since the 1990s, requiring technology, manufacturing and green‐technology companies to go through a long and expensive variance process. Hosted Valley Manufacturers Business Forum — Hosted a business forum with over 100 San Fernando Valley manufacturing and industrial business lead‐ers at Chatsworth‐based TIG/m Modern Street Railways, a manufacturer of trolley cars, to discuss economic growth, job creation and ways to help L.A. businesses thrive.



“We Need to Help Businesses Thrive to Create Jobs and Fix the Economy.” I have made it one of my top priorities to cut red tape and bureaucracy and reduce costs and hurdles for businesses so that they can thrive, create jobs and boost our economy. — Mitchell Englander

Councilmember Englander speaking with Valley business leaders at the Business Forum in Chatsworth.

Councilmember Englander speaking to reporters about his motion to eliminate the gross receipts tax for new car dealers in L.A.

Councilmember Englander addressing attendees at the Valley Green Team Building Conference.

Launched Plan for New Economic Development Department — Provided seed money for a new Economic Development Department to help create local jobs and boost our economy. Reduced the Tax Burden on L.A. Businesses — Co‐authored a motion to ex‐tend the three‐year business tax waiver for new or relocating companies in L.A. until 2015 in order to help businesses grow the economy and create jobs. Offered Incentives to Local Bidders — Authored legislation to give a bid pref‐erence to businesses located within Los Angeles that are competing to supply goods and services to the City, to boost the local economy and help create jobs. Increased Local Control for Van Nuys Airport — Called for more local control and accountability to help improve Van Nuys airport, the nation's busiest gen‐eral aviation airport, used by more than 320,000 people every year. Van Nuys Airport is one of the City's most valuable assets, contributing more than $1.3 billion to the local economy and supporting over 12,300 jobs. Because of its small size and distance relative to L.A. International Airport, the neighboring community members, business partners, airport users, and other Van Nuys Airport stakeholders have been under‐served for years. Protected Manufacturing Zones to Boost the Economy & Help Create Jobs ‐ Authored a motion to expand the uses allowed in the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone to improve the economy and create jobs. The current zoning code had not been updated since the 1990s, requiring computer, technology, manufacturing and green technology companies to go through a long and ex‐pensive variance process.



Councilmember Englander on a site visit to Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. Following the visit, Coun‐cilmember Englander put together an expediting team to help Pratt & Whitney with their move from Woodland Hills to Chatsworth.

Councilmember Englander with ICON owner & founder Jonathan Ward and his wife Jamie at ICON’s new facility in Chatsworth.

Councilmember Englander discussing challenges and opportunities facing manufacturers in Chats‐worth.

“Maintaining Streets, Sidewalks, and Infrastructure is a Core City Service.” I am working to get the City re‐focused on our core services ‐ those things that the community cannot do without, and which no one else can provide: Public safety, street and sidewalk repair, sewer construction, water and power, trash collection, tree trimming and planning. ‐ Mitchell Englander

Ensured That Repairs to City Streets Are Always Done to Quality Standards — Introduced a motion requiring that all road repairs by private contractors are done to City quality standards. Work crews doing 10,000 utility repair jobs every year often dig up public streets and then repave them after‐ward. Despite requirements for permits, notification and inspection, the repav‐ing work is very often such bad quality that it compromises traffic safety, traffic flow and damages the vehicles of residents and businesses. Launched Plan to Overhaul L.A.’s Streets and Sidewalks — Proposed a com‐prehensive infrastructure bond to address thousands of miles of crumbling streets and sidewalks, and maintain them at a higher grade in perpetuity. Worked to Reduce Abandoned Shopping Cart Blight — Ensured that aban‐doned shopping carts on streets and sidewalks were reported to and removed by shopping cart retrieval companies. Cleaned Up Our Community — Provided organizational support and supplies and participated in numerous volunteer community clean‐up projects by Neighborhood Councils and other community organizations in our District to remove trash, weeds, graffiti and debris from streets, sidewalks and medians. Repaired Police & Fire Facilities — Utilized leftover bond proceeds to make vital repairs to Fire and Police facilities. Deterred Crime in Parks ‐ Installed signs at Palisades Park stating that the brush‐covered hillside park is closed from sundown to sunrise in order to deter vandalism, drug and alcohol use, and especially illegal fires at night.



Councilmember Englander took a turn filling pot‐holes during our April Pothole Project.

Community members helped find the worst pot‐holes in our District so we could fill them quickly.

We filled thousands of potholes in one month during our April Pothole Project, and continue to do so every day.

IN OUR FIRST YEAR

Street Resurfacing 27 miles Slurry Sealing 61 miles Street Crack Sealing 16 miles Small Asphalt Repairs 36,100 Sidewalk Repairs 31 Trees Trimmed 306 Tree Stumps Removed 170 Trees Removed 325



Worked to Increase Public Transit — Launched a proposal to add a shuttle bus service at the end of the Metro Canoga Orange Line Extension busway, to im‐prove commuters’ access. The Orange Line Extension will connect Warner Cen‐ter with Chatsworth Depot Train Station, and the shuttle would serve employ‐ees working in the Northridge/Chatsworth Industrial Zone and at CSUN, the District’s largest employer. Repaired & Maintained Streets — Added an additional 65 miles of street pav‐ing and 50,000 additional pothole repairs to the 2012/2013 Budget. Improved Street Lighting — Had LED (Light Emitting Diode) street and solar‐powered street lights installed throughout the Northwest Valley, saving energy and reducing maintenance costs. Reduced Bulky Item Blight — Responded to requests by community members to remove bulky trash items quickly to prevent blight in our neighborhoods. Improved Street Maintenance — Launched “April Pothole Project,” a special month‐long effort with the Bureau of Street Services to engage and empower our community members to help identify the worst potholes in our District in order to get them filled. We created a special interactive form on our website and encouraged residents to log on and report the worst potholes in their neighborhood.

Councilmember Englander joining in one of the numerous community beautification efforts we supported together with Neighborhood Councils.

Councilmember Englander believes strongly that services such as paving streets, repairing sidewalks, and trimming trees are among the City’s most basic core ser‐vices, and he is always seeking ways to ensure that the City can continue to pro‐vide them, even in these difficult financial times.

Councilmember Englander at the opening of the Canoga Ave. Orange Line Busway Extension.

Saved Granada Hills Youth Sports — Negotiated a 45‐year lease with MWD to allow 3,000 kids to continue to play soccer and baseball at Jensen Fields in Granada Hills. Banned Mobile Billboards — Led the fight to ban mobile billboard advertising displays in the City of Los Angeles, eliminating safety hazards, traffic obstruc‐tions and blight in our communities. Maintained Parks — Restored maintenance levels in our public parks to in‐clude weekends and two extra days during the week, so that trash is removed and bathrooms are cleaned more regularly. Shut Down Illegal Marijuana Storefronts — Together with LAPD Devonshire Division Narcotics Enforcement Officers, shut down 85 illegal storefront mari‐juana shops that were operating in our District. CD 12 is the only Council Dis‐trict with no storefront marijuana shops. Implemented Citywide “Soft Ban” on Storefront Pot Shops — Co‐authored a citywide ban on illegal marijuana storefronts. The proposed ordinance would outlaw storefront pot shops while allowing small groups of legitimate patients and their primary caregivers to grow medical marijuana on their own. Advanced Community Care Facilities Ordinance — Led development of com‐mon‐sense legislation to address the proliferation of unlicensed, illegal nui‐sance group homes and boarding facilities that have had a huge negative im‐pact on single‐family neighborhoods in our District and across the City. It would regulate unlicensed facilities operating as businesses in residential ar‐eas, with up to 50 people in a single home, often without supervision, pro‐grams, security or adequate parking. The Ordinance is carefully crafted to not discriminate against any groups, and it enables licensed, well‐run group homes to continue providing their services. Closed Nuisance Illegal Group Homes — Formed a task force with LAPD, Build‐ing & Safety Department officials, and the City Attorney to investigate and shut down over a dozen nuisance illegal group homes in Council District 12.

Councilmember Englander on the annual ETI Corral 54 Horseback Ride. He strongly supports the equestrian community.


Preserving Livable Neighborhoods

“We Have the Best Quality of Life in the City, and That’s Worth Fighting For.” We are blessed with a very high quality of life in the Twelfth District. I am committed to preserving open space, protecting our equestrian commu‐ nity, preserving the character of our neighborhoods, sensible growth, elimi‐ nating blight, and keeping our community clean, safe and beautiful. ‐ Mitchell Englander

Councilmember Englander with his daughter Lauren joining the California Coastal Clean‐Up Day.

Councilmember Englander at Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council’s Summer Social.

Restored Funding for Community Events — Worked to restore the funding for community cultural and special events, including the Granada Hills and Chats‐worth Holiday Parades, 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular, and the Valley Greek Festival. Improved Public Safety in Old Granada Hills — Authored a motion restricting oversized vehicle parking in the Old Granada Hills business corridor to limit food truck congregations to one day a week, and added a crosswalk on Chats‐worth St. at Zelzah Ave. to improve pedestrian safety. Fought Graffiti Vandals —Authored a motion calling for allowing the City to pursue civil as well as criminal penalties against graffiti vandals to improve the City's ability to prevent and punish graffiti vandalism. Restored Library Service Hours — Restored Library hours to include evenings on Mondays and Wednesdays (10:00 am to 8:00 pm) and Fridays (10:00 am to 5:30 pm) at Branch Libraries. Funded Tree Trimming — Added funding to trim 5,000 trees, which was totally eliminated in the Mayor's proposed budget for 2012. Protected Our Neighborhoods — Expanded funding for critical Planning De‐partment functions by adding Zoning Administration and City Planner positions so that we can protect our neighborhoods. Preserved Services Through Public‐Private Partnerships — Set the ground‐work for future public‐private partnerships to preserve recreation, senior and cultural services and activities. Preserving & Protecting Oakridge Estate — Participated in the Oakridge Park Advisory Board meetings and continued work toward preservation and resto‐ration of the cultural‐historical landmark. Our office purchased the property for the City to protect it as a cultural, green, open space for the community. Hosted Tours of Oakridge Estate — Organized docent‐guided tours for hun‐dreds of community members of the interior and grounds of the historic cul‐tural landmark. Protected Children’s Health — Moved to eliminate sugar‐sweetened bever‐ages in City Park and Library vending machines to offer unsupervised kids a healthier range of beverage choices.


Preserving Livable Neighborhoods

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT Served on the L.A County Solid Waste Management Task Force. Introduced a resolution in opposition to AB 480 (Solorio) which would weaken Cali‐fornia's existing insurance requirements on landfills during their closure and post‐closure phases. Served on the Board of Sunshine Canyon Landfill Local Enforcement Agency. Made appointments to the Sunshine Can‐yon Landfill Community Advisory Commit‐tee. Partnered with Northridge South Neighborhood Council and community members on the Earth Day project to plant trees, clean up and beautify a blighted, neglected parcel of land in the community.

Councilmember Englander led the fight to ban mobile billboard advertising displays in Los Ange‐les, eliminating safety hazards, traffic obstruc‐tions and blight in our communities.

Held “Conversations With Councils”— Brought together Board Members of Neighborhood Councils in our District and heads of City Departments to ask questions about policies and services and give feedback about issues in our communities. Supported Community Events in CD 12 — Restored funding for community cultural and special events, including the Granada Hills and Chatsworth Holiday Parades, 4thof July Fireworks Spectacular, and the Valley Greek Festival. Advanced Public Private Partnerships — Set the groundwork for future public‐private partnerships to preserve recreation, senior and cultural services and activities. Transportation Services for Youth & Seniors — Provided buses to senior and youth groups based in Council District 12. Bringing Free WiFi to City Facilities — Initiated plans to install free Wi‐Fi net‐works at all Recreation & Parks facilities. LAPD Devonshire PALS (Police Activity League Supporters) — Co‐sponsored and partnered with PALS on their annual Holiday Toy Drive. Secured funding to expand PALS’ after‐school programs for at‐risk youth at the PALS Youth Center, supported and promoted the first exhibition of artwork by PALS kids.


Fostering Community Partnerships

“Building Strong Community Partner ships is Crucial.” In order to stay in touch with the community, we attend the meetings of every Neighborhood Council and nearly every community‐based organiza‐ tion in our District. It is how we listen to the community, hear ideas and concerns, and share information about policy, legislation, City services and public safety and their impacts on our community. — Mitchell Englander

Councilmember Englander with Nathan Wolf‐stein of the Granada Hills Rotary Club at the Gra‐nada Hills Blood Drive and Disaster Fair, which he co‐sponsored.

NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS in CD 12

Chatsworth Granada Hills North Granada Hills South North Hills West Northridge East

Northridge South Northridge West Porter Ranch Reseda West Hills Councilmember Englander congratulating Cycle‐

world store owner Eric Fernandez on the opening of his new store in Chatsworth.

Councilmember Englander cutting the ribbon on the new Valley Academy of Arts.

Councilmember Englander addressing over 100 participants at our second District 12 Non‐Profit Summit, which featured information on recruiting and mobilizing volunteers, sharing resources and a networking session.

Aliso Creek Pocket Park Clean‐Up — In celebration of Earth Day, worked with Northridge South Neighborhood Council and commu‐nity members to clean up an unimproved parcel of land, removed trash and debris and planted trees. Food Truck Working Group ‐ Brought together food truck operators, representatives of Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, Gra‐nada Hills Chamber of Commerce, the LAPD and L.A. County Depart‐ment of Health to discuss best practices, in response to the bi‐weekly food truck gatherings in Old Granada Hills Village. Opened Community Service Center — Consolidated two San Fer‐nando Valley field offices of District 12 into a larger Community Ser‐vice Center and CD 12 offices, where community members will be able to meet one‐on‐one with representatives of City Departments. Hosted Valley Family Festival — We hosted the first Valley Family Festival, in partnership with the Department of Recreation & Parks and the Kiwanis Club of Northridge at Northridge Park. The commu‐nity festival featured live entertainment, over 50 community infor‐mation booths, arts & crafts activities, bouncers, food and more. Earth Day Clean Up — Partnered with Northridge South Neighbor‐hood Council and community members, cleaned up an unimproved parcel of land & planted trees.



Boards & Appointments of Community‐Based Organizations American Diabetes Association (ADA) Devonshire Police Activities League Supporters (PALS) Holy Cross Medical Center, Governors Board Jewish Home for the Aging/The Executives LA County Solid Waste Management Task Force New Directions for Youth New Horizons North Valley Family YMCA San Fernando Valley Council of Governments

SCAG (Southern Cal. Association of Governments) ‐ Energy & Environment Committee SCAG Regional Council Member, Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Wildlife & Endangered Species Committee Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire (SOLID) Topanga Boosters & Youth Advisory West Valley Boys and Girls Club Winnetka Community Foundation

We sponsored, participated in and promoted numerous vol‐unteer community clean‐up efforts by Neighborhood Coun‐cils in our District.

Councilmember Englander helping serve dinner for seniors from the Wilkinson Senior Center in Northridge.



We Proudly Supported These Community‐Based Organizations and Events in Our Community

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE & BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS Canoga Park/West Hills Chamber Chatsworth BID Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber Encino Chamber Granada Hills BID Granada Hills Chamber North Valley Regional Chamber ADVISORY BOARDS & OTHER GROUPS Balboa Sports Complex Advisory Board Chatsworth Coordinating Council Chatsworth Kiwanis Club Chatsworth Historical Society Chatsworth Women’s Club CSUN Legislative Aides ETI Corral 54 Granada Hills Park Advisory Board Granada Hills Rotary Club Granada Hills Women’s Club New Vision Committee Northridge Kiwanis Club Northridge Women's Club Oarkridge Estate Park Advisory Board Chatsworth/Northridge Rotary Club COMMUNITY‐BASED ORGANIZATIONS & EVENTS 4th Annual West Valley Memorial Motorcycle Ride Armand Arabian Luncheon Boy Scouts of America, Balboa Oaks C.E.M.P. (California Emergency Mobile Patrol) CD 12 LAPD Basic Car Meetings Chatsworth Day of the Horse Chatsworth Holiday Parade Chatsworth Historical Society Child Care Resource Center Citrus Sunday CORO Cross Talk

Day of Chatsworth 91311 Granada Hills Holiday Parade Granada Hills Rotary/AYSO Blood Drive Heal the Bay Coastal Clean‐Up Jewish Women International Korean American Parents Assoc. LAFD Foundation LAPD Devonshire Open House LAPD Devonshire Town Hall LAPD Topanga Station Boosters LAPD Valley Traffic Leadership Network Miguel Contreras Foundation Museum of the San Fernando Valley New Directions for Youth New Horizons North Valley Regional Chamber North Valley Disaster Preparedness Fair North Valley Family YMCA Northridge Farmers Market Northridge Hospital Foundation Northridge Public Art Project Oakridge Estate Sneak‐Peak Tours Oakridge Estate Fundraiser Event Pioneer Day at Homestead Acre Providence Hospital 50th Anniversary Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship Ride with Pride Annual Concert

San Fernando Police Officers San Fernando Valley Jaycees San Fernando Valley Public Art Initiative Santa Susana Mt. Park Clean‐Up Scholarships Shakeout Shepherd of the Hills July 4th Fireworks Spectacular Sierra Club of Southern Calif. St. Stephen Presbyterian Church The Homestead Acre Two 911 Memorial Events Used Professional Clothing Valley Greek Festival VICA Valley Village Valley Vote Valley Youth Conference Virginia Watson Chatsworth Museum VST (Volunteer Surveillance Team) West Valley Alliance West Valley Boys & Girls Club Winnetka Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest Winnetka Foundation Youth Education Sports (Partial list)

Councilmember Englander with the guests on the Sneak Peak Tour of the historic Oak‐ridge Estate.

Co‐Founded Northridge Vision — Co‐founded and participated in a coalition of community leaders, including Northridge East, West and South Neighborhood Councils, CSUN and the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce to de‐velop a long‐term vision for the future of a prosperous, vibrant Northridge vil‐lage and business district. Trained Community‐Based Organizations — Worked one‐on‐one with com‐munity groups, individuals, schools and others to guide them in planning and executing community events and volunteer community clean‐up activities. Collaborated on Narrating Lives: Oral Histories of the San Fernando Valley —Helped organize and participate in an oral history project together with the Museum of the San Fernando Valley. The project records and archives video interviews of the life stories of elderly Valley residents, and shares the results with educational institutions across L.A. Worked to Protect Chatsworth Nature Preserve — Surveying has started on a wetland mitigation project, with construction expected to commence in 2013. Continued commitment to ensure that Chatsworth Nature Preserve (the only nature preserve in the City limits) remains a haven of wildlife and green open space. Santa Susana Field Lab Site — Supported agreements on consent with Depart‐ment of Energy and NASA with the Department of Toxic Substances Control for clean‐up to background levels at the contaminated former Santa Susana Field Lab site. Continued to address potential truck traffic related to the clean‐up. Saved Granada Hills Youth Sports — Negotiated a 45‐year lease with MWD to allow 3,000 kids to continue to play soccer and baseball at Jensen Fields in Granada Hills. Established Comprehensive Community Outreach & Communication — Launched a new re‐designed and expanded weekly email newsletter that reaches over 40,000 people, re‐designed our website and added many new interactive features, information and resources, and incorporated social me‐dia into our outreach efforts. Collaborated on Chatsworth Park South Clean‐Up — Working with De‐partment of Recreation & Parks and State Department of Toxic Sub‐stances Control to monitor the environ‐mental clean‐up efforts of Chatsworth Park South, closed due to lead contami‐nation. Councilmember Englander at the Valley Family

Festival with the community partners who led the art activities for kids.



Councilmember Englander with Granada Hills Charter High School Executive Director Brian Bauer and student Priscilla Liu unveiling the street sign congratulating GHCHS for winning the 2012 National Academic Decathlon, their second consecutive championship.

Councilmember Englander discussing community issues with kids from the North Valley Family YMCA.

Councilmember Englander has developed close relationships with the rank‐and‐file LAPD Officers and Firefighters.

John Lee Chief of Staff

Nicole Bernson Deputy Chief of Staff

Phyllis Winger Chief Planning & Land Use Deputy

Hannah Lee Senior Transportation &

Planning Deputy

Brenton Tesler Legislative Deputy

“The Oracle”

Matt Myerhoff Communications Director

Alexis Marin Legislative Deputy

Cindy Varela Executive Assistant

Megan Cottier District Director

Erik Richardson Field Deputy

Jim Dellinger Public Safety Deputy

Semee Park Field Deputy


Council District 12 Staff — Proud to Serve You

Doug Tripp Chief Legislative Deputy

Myriam Lopez Administrative Assistant

Melody Jaramillo Council Aide/Case Worker

Page 20

Internship Program — Council District 12 has an outstanding internship program for college students and recent gradu‐ates. Our internships offer rewarding, educational, hands‐on work experience in a dynamic setting at City Hall and in the San Fernando Valley. To apply for an internship or for more information, call (818) 882‐1212, or email a cover letter and resume to [email protected].


Council District 12 Boundary Map

Councilmember Mitchell Englander, Twelfth District

City Hall Office: 200 N. Spring St., Room #405, Los Angeles CA 90012. Ph: (213) 473‐7012 Fax: (213) 473‐6925 Community Service Center: 9207 Oakdale Ave, Chatsworth CA 91311. Ph: (818) 882‐1212 Fax: (818) 701‐5254

Email: [email protected] Twitter: www.Twitter.com/Mitch_Englander

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MitchellEnglander Website: www.CD12.org

Newsletter: To sign up for E‐News, our weekly email newsletter, visit www.cd12.org/SignUpforOurNewsletter

First Year in Review: Bringing Common Sense to City Hall

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