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Dear Friend:
Last week, I provided an update about the City’s budget to Valley News Group. As you may know, the City Council discussed a very grim assessment of what to expect in LA’s budget for the next year. Overall, it’s a budget shortfall of up to $1 billion- requiring about a 13% cut from last year. The crisis has two major components- over-spending and unpredictable/lower revenue.
More than 80% of the City’s expenses are employee salaries and many of these workers, including police and fire, recently negotiated costly new contracts. Trash pickup, filling potholes, tree trimming, park maintenance and other critical services are directly dependent on these city workers. Worker layoffs result in service cuts. On the spending side, LA has accepted financial obligations including programs for vulnerable people including homeless sites that, per our charter, should not be the city’s sole responsibility.
For me, public safety has always been the top priority and the Palisades Fire has proven that the first responders must have sufficient resources to handle any emergency or disaster. I also recognize that public safety is a broad term that includes street lights that work, roads that aren’t potholed, and so much more. I will fight to make sure our city remains safe and prepared for the next inevitable emergency. |
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Earlier this week, I traveled to Sacramento with Mayor Bass and Councilmembers Harris-Dawson, Yaroslavsky, and Nazarian and met with legislative leadership including Governor Newsom, Assembly Speaker Rivas, and Senate Budget Committee Chair Wiener to advocate for Los Angeles. My colleagues and I are committed to relieve revenue impacts and preserve city services, make upgrades to fire mitigation and resilience, and continue to support workers and residents of neighborhoods impacted by the wildfire.
As always, if you have any questions for me or my staff, or would like to get in touch, please do not hesitate to write to us at c03.foryou@lacity.org or call my office at 818-774-4330. |
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Save the Date–April 12th Free Document Shredding Event |
Join Councilmember Blumenfield on Saturday, April 12th at Winnetka Rec Center for a Free Document Shredding Event. In celebration of Earth Day, safely dispose of sensitive paperwork in an eco-friendly way. We cannot accept batteries, x-rays, 3-ring binders, metal hanging file folders, alligator clips, or other large pieces of metal (paper clips, fasteners, and staples are fine). For more info and to RSVP, click here. |
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Reseda Theatre + Public Market Update |
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Reseda Rising is Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s multi-front initiative to find, direct and coordinate over $100 million worth of transformative investment in the community, which is more than the total investment in the prior 20 years. One of the signature projects is the Reseda Theatre Redevelopment, a public-private partnership to restore and re-open the Theatre as a community attraction, preserve the iconic Reseda Marquee, and build a 26-unit senior affordable housing project. The affordable housing project was completed in 2023 and the Theatre component is underway.
The Reseda Theatre and Food Hall, in partnership with Azure Development, is making major headway, as the first round of construction drawings were submitted to the Department of Building and Safety earlier this month. The food hall will be home to approximately six specialty vendors and can include a beer or wine garden. Azure has also begun doing business outreach for the food hall portion of the project; meeting with the local neighborhood council, West Valley and Harbor Business Source Center, and Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce. If you know of a local food business interested in opening a location in the food hall please contact Sandra Hernandez at Sandra@azuredevelopmentco.com. Stay tuned for more updates. |
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Honoring Debbie Decker–CD 3’s 2025 Woman of Impact Honoree |
Councilmember Blumenfield was proud to name Debbie Decker as Council District Three’s Woman of Impact Honoree this year. Since 2013, Debbie has been the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the West Valley Food Pantry. During her tenure, the Pantry has grown in size and scope, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the Pantry’s amazing work in the community under Debbie's leadership, the Pantry was awarded $5M from the State, thanks to our Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, to build a new building to house its operations. The Pantry continues to provide groceries to over 800 Valley families each week and delivers food to almost 600 local low-income seniors. Congratulations Debbie! |
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Affordable Housing Lottery Opening Soon |
To ensure the West Valley is part of the solution to the regional housing shortage, Councilmember Blumenfield is pleased to announce that two new projects will soon have affordable units available. Sync on Canoga and Pendant on Topanga are currently taking applications for their affordable units. Together, there are a total of 74 affordable units which Councilmember Blumenfield worked hard to help make happen, and they are two of several new buildings that will be opening in the near future. Applications for the lottery will be accepted from April 2 to May 1 and the lottery will take place on May 15. Applicants may apply through the Access Housing LA registry at www.accesshousingLA.org. Please see the flyers for more information. |
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Cleaning and Greening the West Valley |
Councilmember Blumenfield’s partnership with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) continues to deliver results for the West Valley. Young Corpsmembers work hard each day to keep our communities clean. A few years ago, Blumenfield provided office space for the LACC within his district office building, and he regularly allocates district specific funds to LACC to specifically address needs in the local communities and he's always grateful to see their continued progress. He views this local team as a potent local clean-up strike force to help remove weeds, trash and other nuisances.
If you see bulky items, excess trash, graffiti, etc, call 818.774.4330 or email c03.foryou@lacity.org and we'll send a team out. |
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Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project Community Meetings |
Metro is conducting an environmental review for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project, which will create a high quality, reliable rail transit service alternative connecting the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. In addition to providing local and regional connections to the existing and future Metro rail and bus network, the project can improve access to major employment, education, healthcare and cultural centers in the greater LA area. Metro is holding in-person and virtual community meetings to provide project updates. Click here for meeting info. |
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LA Animal Services Celebrates National Adoption Week |
Adopting a pet in need of a home can bring joy to people and also impact communities, alleviating strain on overcrowded shelters. To help the pets in our Centers find new homes, LA Animal Services is celebrating #NationalAdoptionWeek by offering reduced adoption fees at all six LA Animal Services Centers on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30. For more info, please click here. |
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While Holocaust Remembrance Day passed on January 27th, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Councilmember Blumenfield still wanted the City of Los Angeles to officially recognize it this year in another way. Blumenfield recognized Hilary Helstein, director of ‘As Seen Through These Eyes’ which reveals the stories of a brave group of people who fought Hitler with the only weapons they had: charcoal, pencil stubs, shreds of paper and memories etched in their minds. |
Councilmember Blumenfield joined the David Labkovski Project in honoring Mark McKee, Head of School and President of Viewpoint School, with the DLP Courage to Educate in Holocaust Education Award. McKee continues to proactively educate and engage audiences about Jewish history, the Holocaust, and the dangers of antisemitism through the David Labkovski Project. |
Councilmember Blumenfield joined local leaders at the groundbreaking for the G (Orange) Line Improvements Project. The project will include grade separations, bike path upgrades, gating, and advanced signal technology to reduce travel times and improve safety for transit users across the San Fernando Valley. As Transportation Chair of the SFV Council of Governments, Blumenfield ensured that this projected was a priority under Measure M. The project should be completed by 2027. |
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Councilmember Bob Blumenfield 200 N Spring Street, Room 465, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Unsubscribe |
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