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January 2017 Neighborhoods First


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January 2017
Welcome to the first 2017 issue of Mike Bonin's "Neighborhoods First
Newsletter!”

IN THIS ISSUE : Mike proposes a plan to get more cops patrolling our
neighborhoods, we make significant progress in reducing traffic on Sunset
Boulevard, and Mike improves pedestrian safety by adding stop signs throughout
the district ... b u t f i r s t , please read this month's Neighborhoods First Profile Contact Our Office
about a Venice resident working hard to make elections more fair by taking
money out of politics.
Connect with Facebook
You can find out more about Mike , meet your CD11 staff and see the latest
videos and updates from the Westside on our website at www.11thdistrict.com .
And remember to like Mike's Facebook page see the latest news about your Connect with Twitter
neighborhood.

Councilmember Mike…
5,232 likes

Liked

Fighting for Our Democracy - Venice's Michele Sutter's Campaign for Clean
You and 371 other friends like this
Money

Mike introduced a public financing system for elections in Los Angeles last month
(read more about it in the Legislation section below!), thanks in part to Michele
Sutter of Venice. Michele has been one of a growing movement of people who
want to see money out of our politics, and Mike is excited to work with her to get
his legislation passed. In this month’s profile, we ask Michele a few questions
about the work she is doing to make our elections more fair.
How did you get involved with
efforts to keep money out of
Tweets by ​@mikebonin
politics?
Mike Bonin
@mikebonin
I had been boring my friends
Tom Ponton and Jerry Hornof are a Dynamic Duo
about the hazards of corporate of Neighborhood Heroes, constantly working to
constitutional rights since I’d improve parks & neighborhoods - hockey rink,
discovered that corporations artificial turf soccer field, gym floor, basketball
hoop, new scoreboard, jogging track, gym
had constitutional rights in the
stations, & Charnock median. Awesome guys!
mid-nineties. It was in a New
Yorker article about a bio-tech
company. Deep in the article,
almost as an aside, it was
mentioned that the company
was seeking to patent the DNA
of individuals like you and me
and noted that their efforts had 7h
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been unsuccessful so far, but
given the way the SCOTUS was
ruling on corporate constitutional rights they could certainly win in the future.
The dystopic notion that a corporation could own my DNA alarmed me.

Years later in 2011, after the Citizens United ruling, one of those friends was
invited to an organizing meeting about the effort to persuade the LA City Council
to pass a resolution calling for an amendment to “overturn Citizens United.” She
forwarded that invitation to me writing “I can’t go to this, but I bet you’d want
to,” and she was right. I went to the meeting.

Why is it so important to reform our campaign finance system?

That’s a question with a million answers. Let’s start with the basics. According to
the SCOTUS we don’t have the right to regulate money in our elections because it
impinges on the right to free speech. If that sounds crazy it’s because it is.
However, for forty years the SCOTUS has been piling up precedents in support of
the radical reinterpretation the US Constitution got in the late 1970s from two
decisions which effectively rewrote the first amendment: the first decided that
money was the same thing as free speech and the second said that corporations
were entitled to that “free speech.”

What happened after that was entirely predictable. The Princeton Study, released
in April 2014, looked at data from 1982 to 2002 and found that “economic elites”
and “business interest groups” achieved their desired policy outcomes “100% or
nearly 100%” of the time. The study concluded that “if policy making is
dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent
Americans, then America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously
threatened.” What the study found to be true 15 years ago has only intensified,
especially in the seven years since the infamous “Citizens United” ruling: the will
of the American people has less and less impact on policy and our “democracy”
increasingly serves the interests of a few at the expense of the many. The only
way to reverse this disastrous trend is to reduce the influence Big Money has on
who is elected to public office and whose interests those elected officials feel
obligated to represent.

We could cite specific examples all day, but the most obvious and urgent example
of Big Money’s dominance over policy is in the arena of climate and energy
production. We know the planet is warming and we know why. We know the
already devastating impacts will increase. We have the technologies available to
produce energy from resources that don’t include drilling, fracking, and
transporting volatile and noxious oil and gas products. The reason we have not
adopted common sense policies to assure that our planet will continue to support
human life is the money politicians receive from the oil & gas industry. Mr.
Trump’s cabinet appointees at the departments of State, Energy, and the EPA
demonstrate the extent of the problem and underscore the urgency of this
moment.

What recent work are you most proud of? What are you most excited about in
the near future?

Californians voted last November to “instruct their representatives” to use all of


their constitutional authority to “overturn Citizens United” with the passage of
Prop 59. The measure calls for a constitutional amendment to restore the First
Amendment to its original meaning, but does not limit our representatives’
actions to the passage and ratification of an amendment. Rather it called on
them to essentially get creative in looking for ways to chip away at Big Money’s
capture of politicians and policy.

Our organization, MOVI, Money Out Voters In, sponsored that proposition and
persevered through two trips through the CA Legislature and a spurious
challenge to the proposition’s legitimacy by Big Money which involved an 18
month detour through the California Supreme Court on the rocky road to the
ballot. For a volunteer organization with no previous experience in the
legislature or the CA Supreme Court, we view that effort with enormous pride.

One of the tools MOVI used during the Prop 59 campaign was a pledge for
candidates and officeholders stating that they would, if Prop 59 passed, do all
that they could to adhere to their constituents’ instruction. Councilmember
Bonin signed that pledge and he’s following through with an extremely bold and
creative “Clean Money” package.

Now Los Angeles has the opportunity to become the clean elections beacon, not
only in California, but nationally. We’re particularly enthused about the prong
of the package that would ban foreign money from LA elections. If passed, that
ban would prohibit not only foreign nationals from contributing to LA
campaigns, but also corporations which meet a certain threshold of foreign
ownership. This would eliminate a significant percentage of notorious corporate
meddlers from using their money to influence Los Angeles elections and policy.
It’s a tremendous step and we’re very excited to work with Councilmember Bonin
to make it a reality.

How can people get involved in the work you do?

MOVI has monthly meetings on the 3rd Saturday of every month. The next
meeting is February 18 from 3:30pm – 5:30pm at The Peace Center in Culver City,
3916 Sepulveda Boulevard. We’ll be doing a deep dive in the Indivisible Handbook
and a Twitter Training at February’s meeting. All are welcome.

Folks can also go to our website at http://www.moneyoutvotersin.org/ to sign up


to receive updates about our work and notifications of meetings and actions.
Traffic REDUCTION on Sunset - Brentwood School CUP

Mike was happy to share some great news with Brentwood neighbors regarding
traffic on Sunset Boulevard near the I-405: Brentwood School, one of the largest
institutions on our incredibly congested corridor, has agreed to reduce the traffic
it generates by a whopping and unprecedented 40%.

The school applied for a Conditional Use Permit with the City to modernize and
expand its campus. When it did, Mike reminded the school of the central promise
he made to the entire Brentwood community: he will not support any project
along the Sunset Corridor unless it reduces traffic on Sunset Boulevard.

This “Sunset Standard” is the lens through which Mike views every project on
Sunset -- because he is determined to do what people keep saying is impossible:
make traffic better on the corridor. Brentwood School accepted this challenge,
agreed to meet this standard, and worked hard with Mike, neighbors and with
Mike’s staff to develop the conditions to make that happen. The school will
reduce its traffic by 12.5% as the Conditional Use Permit takes effect, and after
full enrollment, the school will reduce its traffic by 40%.

Find more more details about the traffic-reducing Brentwood School agreement
at: http://www.11thdistrict.com/traffic_reduction_coming_to_sunset_bws .

Potrero Park Beginning to Take Shape

The long-developing story of Potrero Park entered an exciting new chapter last
month. Thanks to dirt being dug as part of the Palisades Village construction
effort, the Department of Recreation and Parks is happily receiving
approximately 120,000 cubic yards of clean dirt. The dirt will help shape a
riparian habitat in Potrero Canyon, which will be a central feature of the new
passive recreation Potrero Park.

This summer, after the all the dirt has been delivered, the City will begin the
process of moving that dirt to construct the park's topography, the next step in
making the park a reality.

Mid-Block Crossings Coming to Venice Boulevard as Part of Great Streets


Program

The Great Streets project in Mar Vista is an awesome opportunity to make Venice
Boulevard a central “downtown” area for the community, where people can shop
at small businesses, eat at great restaurants and enjoy their neighborhood. This
February, as part of the ongoing Great Streets project, construction will begin on
four pedestrian midblock crossings on Venice Boulevard to improve pedestrian
safety and help unify the north and south sides of the street. These crossings will
be pedestrian-activated signals, giving drivers a flashing red light when
pedestrians are in the crosswalk. Residents and businesses are invited to join
Mike for a groundbreaking ceremony to kick-off construction on Monday,
February 13 at 9:00 am on the south side of Venice Blvd at Mountain View.

Celebrating the Day of the Doors in Venice

January 4 was "The Day of The Doors " in Los Angeles.

50 years ago, the iconic band got its start in Venice and released its first album.
Mike and more than a thousand fans and Venice neighbors celebrated with
guitarist Robbie Krieger and drummer John Densmore at the Venice Sign. The
members of the band showed their appreciation to the crowd by performing "LA
Woman." Kudos to George Francisco for arranging the event!

Street Repaving on Inglewood and Braddock in Del Rey

The Bureau of Street Services was working hard to give neighbors in Del Rey a
smooth ride, repaving the streets around the intersection of Inglewood and
Braddock on January 20. The new asphalt helped repair potholes and was a
welcome improvement to the neighborhood.

Pedestrian safety in Playa Vista got a big boost last month, as a new stop sign was
added to the intersection of Millennial and McConnell. Mike has made improving
pedestrian safety a priority, and he is very thankful that the Los Angeles
Department of Transportation helped make the neighborhood safer by adding
this new sign.

Mike Hosts Special Council Celebration of Westchester’s 75th Anniversary

On December 6, 1941, Fritz Burns helped pour the foundations for the first homes
at the corner of La Tijera and Manchester, and the community of Westchester was
born.

75 years later to the day Fritz laid that foundation, Mike was very proud to host
some of the exceptional community leaders who have worked to make
Westchester a wonderful place to live in City Council for a special presentation
celebrating the neighborhood's 75th birthday. Thank you to everyone who works
to give Westchester the "small town" feel that neighbors love, and thank you to
Stephanie Davis and the Westchester/Playa del Rey HomeTown News for leading
the year-long celebration of Westchester's 75th anniversary.

Mike considers it an honor and a privilege to represent this wonderful


neighborhood.

Street Resurfacing in Playa del Rey of Roads Near St. Bernard High School and
Paseo Del Rey Elementary

The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services paved Cum Laude Avenue, St.
Bernard Street, Paseo Del Rey and other roads near St Bernard High School and
Paseo Del Rey Elementary in Playa Del Rey on January 13. Thank you to the hard-
working City employees who work to make our neighborhoods better with these
crucial "back to basics" improvements!

Palisades BID Public Safety Appreciation Luncheon

The Palisades Business Improvement District hosted an appreciation dinner for


local police officers and firefighters in December to thank our first responders
for all of their hard work keeping the community safe throughout the year.

First responders from LAFD stations 69 and 23 were on hand, as well as LAPD
Senior Lead Officer Mike Moore and others from West LA Police Station. The
event was hosted by Il Ritrovo (a former subject of Mike’s weekly Small Business
Spotlight) and owners Tarcisio Mosconi and Nando Silvestri were exceptional
hosts for the community event.

Stop Signs Added in Del Rey

Mike is making neighborhoods safer for pedestrians and residents in Del Rey!

On December 8, Mike joined a crew from the Los Angeles Department of


Transportation at Grand View and Gilmore Avenues in Del Rey to help add new
all-way stop signs and limit lines to the intersection. Mike loves going out with a
crew working on the Westside, rolling up his sleeves, and getting his hands dirty
to get things done in our neighborhoods.

Left-Turn Signal Approved in West LA

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation authorized a new left-turn signal


for westbound Olympic Boulevard at Centinela Avenue last month, helping make
the intersection safer and helping traffic move through the area more
efficiently. The new phasing will allow cars turning left from westbound Olympic
to southbound Centinela to make their turns protected by a light. Now that the
signal has been approved, Mike will work with LADOT to schedule a time for the
traffic improvement to be implemented in the neighborhood.

New Palisades Chamber of Commerce Board Gets to Work


The Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce has been a pillar of the community
for more than six decades, and last month, Mike was very happy to help swear in
the next generation of leaders at the Chamber.

Mike thanked outgoing President of the Chamber Adam Glazer for the two terms
he led the organization, during which he worked with the board to design a new
chamber logo, new website, and to develop a young professional network within
the chamber.

The night was filled with great Palisadian pride, as Pali High student Sophia
Eberlein sang an original song, filled with references to the Palisades and her
love for the community.

In addition, Mike swore in the incoming board, including incoming president


Susan Payne. Mike is excited to work with the new board in the years to come.

Mike Honors Public Servant Who Dedicated Work to Palisades Projects

For more than two and half decades, Rob Hancock has served the people of Los
Angeles well as an Engineering Geologist in the Bureau of Engineering’s
Geotechnical Engineering Group. On January 11, Mike hosted a special Council
presentation to thank him for his service and to wish Rob well in his retirement.

Rob has been involved with the investigation and repair of landslides throughout
the Palisades - the Tramonto Landslide, Porto Marina Landslide, the Asilomar
Landslide, but perhaps most notably, Potrero Canyon. He began his work as
manager of the Potrero Canyon Project in 2007 which has been a tremendous
undertaking, nearly 30 years in the making. Because of Rob’s work, Mike is
hopeful that very soon, people in Pacific Palisades will be able to enjoy a massive
passive recreation park and riparian habitat that connects the community with
the beach.
Both Rob and his wife Laurie (who worked in the City Administrative Officer's
office) are retiring from public service on the same day, and Mike was pleased to
thank them both at the Council meeting.

Mike Joins Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa at Annual Community


Dinner

In a wonderful way to kick off the new year, Mike joined friends and neighbors at
the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa's annual Community Dinner on
January 4 -- catered by Cantalini's Salerno Beach Restaurant .

It was Mike’s pleasure to present the NC's Community Leaders honors to


the Westchester Rotary (for their many good works, including support for Safe
Place for Youth (S.P.Y)), and to Margie Hanson of Communicating - Today's Way,
for all of her great community work! Kudos to Garrett Smith, the NC's Outreach
Chair, and his colleagues for such a great event, and a hearty thanks to Mark
Redick for such a warm welcome.

Entrada Retaining Wall and Sidewalk Completed

The retaining wall and new sidewalk Mike helped the City of Los Angeles Bureau
of Street Services build at the base of the Santa Monica Stairs reached a
milestone on December 12, when the northern half of the project was completed!
Thank you to the hard-working crew and neighbors like George Wolfberg for
helping Mike improve pedestrian safety with this new sidewalk. The remaining
portion of the sidewalk is scheduled to be completed soon.

More Progress on Mike’s Sunset Traffic Improvement Initiative


Mike is taking major steps to reduce traffic congestion at the worst chokepoint
on the Westside -- on Sunset Boulevard near the 405 Freeway.

As a result of community input at the Sunset Traffic Charette last year, Mike is
moving forward on lane re-striping and signal coordination near the 405. He is
also asking LADOT to explore a reversible lane. This is one of the worst congestion
hotspots in the City, and Mike refuses to believe that it cannot be improved.
Mike’s Sunset Traffic Improvement Initiative relies on the creativity and
collaboration of Brentwood neighbors; we are moving forward with their ideas to
make life a little better for everyone who has to navigate this frustrating stretch
of road.

You can read more


at: http://www.11thdistrict.com/bonin_takes_major_steps_to_relieve_traffic_on_sunset

Access 11 Pop Up Office Hours at Mar Vista Farmers Market

Mike was back at the Mar Vista Farmers Market for another session of his Access
11 Pop Up Office Hours. Thank you to all of the constituents who stopped by
Mike’s tent to talk about local issues!

Mike started his Access 11 program to improve accessibility and accountability,


and to make sure that everyday people could meet with their representative
without having to trek downtown. Mike loves hearing directly from neighbors at
these events and he always learns more about how he can be the representative
our neighborhoods deserve on the City Council.

LAWA Fence Improvements Will Help Keep Coyotes Out of Westchester


Late last year, Mike partnered with the Neighborhood Council of
Westchester/Playa to host a community meeting where neighbors could get more
information about reports of increased coyote activity in the area. In addition to
educating people about what to do if they see a coyote and what proactive
measures they can take to limit the things that draw coyotes to neighborhoods,
Mike is working with Los Angeles World Airports to shore up local airport-
controlled areas of the neighborhood in order to limit coyote access. Those
measures include:

Repairing fences and culverts and continuing to maintain/repair the fences


as needed. For gates with openings large enough for coyotes to get into, LAWA
will take inventory and request to have its Maintenance Services Division look
into mitigation controls.

LAWA is working with the golf course management on finalizing selection of a


contractor to mitigate trees, brush, etc.

LAWA is contacting its tenant at Nielsen Park to discuss placing wildlife proof
bins at the park.

LAWA is looking into replacing all existing "Do Not Feed Wildlife" signs to
include additional, more informative, and educational info.

Airport Police can and will enforce citing individuals who are seen by police
feeding wildlife.

Celebrating St. Bede’s Episcopal Church in Mar Vista

Mike stopped by St. Bede’s Episcopal Church in Mar Vista on January 22 to


congratulate Father Jim Newman on 26 years of exemplary ongoing service to the
community. Mike also took time to update the parish about his efforts to improve
public safety, reduce traffic and end homelessness.
Thank you Father Newman and Vestry members for your devotion to our
community!

Mike Adds New Trash Cans to Venice

One of the simplest and most important ways we can keep our neighborhoods
clean is by adding more trash cans to areas that need them.

Early on January 24, Mike joined a crew from the Bureau of Sanitation to help
install new trash cans in the Washington Square area of Venice. Twenty new cans
were installed on January 24, and dozens more will be added throughout the
district over the next few weeks. Thank you to the city crews that help keep our
neighborhoods clean, and thank you to the neighbors who have worked with Mike
and his office to identify the best places for these new cans.

Mike Joins The Giving Spirit in Brentwood

Every year, the Brentwood-based Giving Spirit brings neighbors and volunteers
together to put together “survival kits” for people forced to live on the street. As
he has done in years past, Mike joined Giving Spirit's Tom Bagamane and friends
in Brentwood to help assemble survival kits for the homeless, and Mike
additionally participated in a panel conversation about homelessness in LA and
the city’s comprehensive strategy to end the crisis on our streets.

Pedestrian Safety - Curb Access Ramps Added in Del Rey


The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services was working hard on the
Westside over the holidays to make important improvements to neighborhoods
on the Westside, including the construction of a new gutter and curb at the
Marionwood Drive crosswalk near Stoner Avenue Elementary School in Del Rey.

The improved curb and gutter will reduce flooding in the area when it rains and
will make it safer for students to cross the street. Thank you to the city
employees who help improve our neighborhoods every day!

Celebrating Japanese New Year in Del Rey

Mike celebrated 2017's Shinnen Enkai and Keiro Kai with the Venice Japanese
Community Center (VJCC) in Del Rey. The Shinnen Enkai and Keiro Kai are
national Japanese holidays celebrating the New Year and honoring elderly
citizens turning 80 in 2017. The day was filled with traditional music, poetry and
entertainment for the 200 in attendance.

The Venice Japanese Community Center was established to preserve, share and
promote Japanese and Japanese American culture and Mike was honored to
participate in these traditions that remain an important part of the cultural
fabric of the Westside.

Mike Joins Club MomMe for Disaster Prevention Meeting


Mike joined families in Playa Vista for a special meeting of “ Club MomMe ” - a
group dedicated to connecting families to fun events and important information
- on January 14 at Westside Neighborhood School. The Club MomMe meeting
focused on disaster prevention and what to do in the event of an earthquake.
After opening remarks from Playa Vista neighbor Gabrielle Zacuto, Mike spoke
with the group about the work the city’s Emergency Management Department,
Mayor Garcetti and the City Council has done to improve LA’s resiliency.

Please visit http://www.readyla.org/ to see tips for neighbors on how to be


prepared before, during and after an earthquake.

Santa Monica Airport to Close!

Mike has been a longstanding opponent of flight operations at Santa Monica


Airport, which pollute the air in West LA, Mar Vista and Venice, and threaten the
safety of nearby communities by having planes land much too close to homes. On
January 28, the Federal Aviation Administration and City of Santa Monica
announced that they had reached an agreement regarding the airport's future.

While Mike was initially excited by the promising headlines about the agreement
to eventually end airport operations at SMO, the devil is in the details and Mike
has grave concerns that the announced agreement does not accomplish what is
needed to protect the health and safety of my constituents in the neighborhoods
near the airport.

There is no agreement to actually close the airport in 2029 - just an agreement to


keep the airport open until then. The agreement may limit larger jets from using
the airport by shortening the runway, but there are no assurances that that the
shorter runways will achieve the vital 1000 foot buffer zone from homes. The
continued operation of this airport for at least 12 years will continue to pollute
neighborhoods with harmful jet fuel emissions, and Mike remains concerned that
Santa Monica Airport will continue to force undue burdens and impacts of
continued operations on Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Neighbors in Mar Vista, Venice and West LA suffer the air pollution and safety
risks this airport imposes on their communities, and Mike will continue to stand
with these neighborhoods to call for a much faster timeline to shut this nuisance
airport down for good.

Mike Helps Rotary Club of Playa Venice Sunrise Award Grants to Local
Teachers

Every year for the past two decades, the Rotary Club of Playa Venice Sunrise has
awarded mini-grants to local schools to help kids on the Westside get a great
education. On January 18, Mike was very proud to join the Rotary Club to
present Orville Wright Steam Magnet Principal Christina Wantz with three mini-
grants requested by Orville Wright teachers. The grants are going to help
purchase a voice amplifier system, glue guns for the school's labs, and power
strip cords to charge robotics, and they will make a big difference in the hands-
on experiences that help students learn.

Orville Wright Middle was one of 20 winners of the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary's
mini-grant program, and Mike was honored to have helped with their
heartwarming event.

Stop Signs Added in Westport Heights Neighborhood of Westchester

New all-way stop signs were installed at 77th Street and Naylor Avenue in
Westchester in December, making the intersection safer for pedestrians and
stopping cars from speeding through the Westport Heights area of Westchester.
Thank you to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation crew who helped add
this important neighborhood improvement to Westchester!
Lucas Museum Coming to LA!

In a big win for Los Angeles, George Lucas announced that he would build his new
$1-billion Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. This is great news for the city,
and the museum will be located in Metro-friendly Exposition Park. Major kudos
go to Mayor Eric Garcetti , who worked very hard to make this happen, and who
has made making Los Angeles a world class city a hallmark of his administration.

New Vehicular Living Law Needs Work - Mike Calls for Neighborhoods to be
Better Protected

Last year, Mike worked with his colleagues to draft a new version of the city’s law
prohibiting living in a vehicle. Under the old version of the law, people were not
allowed to live in their vehicles anywhere in LA, which courts deemed
unconstitutionally vague and stopped the LAPD from enforcement. The goal of
the new version of the law was to allow people to live in their vehicles, as long as
they were not in residential neighborhoods or near schools, daycare centers or
other sensitive uses. Last month, the City Attorney, Planning Department and
LAPD released maps with color-coded streets specifying where people could
safely live in their vehicles. Unfortunately, the maps were confusing and did not
follow the Council’s instruction to keep vehicular dwelling out of many
residential neighborhoods. Mike is now working with the departments
responsible for the maps to correct the errors and uphold the original intent -
giving people safe places to park while housing and services become available,
while giving homeowners assurance that their streets would not become defacto
campgrounds.
Additionally, there was progress toward a much better solution to people living
in their cars on streets throughout the city. Mike was pleased that LAHSA
recently released a request for non-profits that might be able to host safe parking
programs to submit information to the city - a major step toward the safe
parking program he has been working to bring to Los Angeles for years.

Finally, Mike was encouraged by the Council’s work to reduce the impact parking
fines could have on the homeless. Last month, Mike chaired a Transportation
Committee meeting where the committee (and later the Council) approved a
policy to allow homeless people to settle parking tickets by enrolling with the
Coordinated Entry System and participating in community service.

The parking ticket program and the safe parking program do not represent the
finish line of the race we are running and we cannot stop moving toward a safe
parking program that will give people a safe place to park while housing to get
them off the street for good is built.

Every year, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority asks for volunteers to
help conduct a count of every person living on the street to give policymakers
reliable information as they make decisions focused on ending the homelessness
crisis in our neighborhoods. While this is a massive undertaking, neighbors on
the Westside stepped up, and every single dispatch location in Mike’s district had
more than enough volunteers for the two-night count on January 25 and 26.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2017 Greater LA Homeless Count a
success. We will send results of the count as soon as they are available.

C3 Seeing Success in Getting Homeless People in Venice Housed

Last year, Mike was very proud to announce that he was partnering
with Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and community members to launch a C3 - a city,
county and community partnership to expand services and housing
opportunities for people experiencing homelessness. Check out this video , which
was produced by the County, to see the Venice C3 team at work.

Since starting work just three months ago, the C3 has connected with 145 people,
already helping 26 get into interim housing and three get into permanent
housing.

Working with Supervisor Kuehl's office and local partners, we are going to make
real progress toward the functional end of homelessness in Venice.

Mike Asks for Shared Housing to be an Immediate Priority for Getting People
Quickly Off the Street

With tens of thousands of people living on our streets, addressing homelessness


is an urgent priority -- and finding housing and shelter for as many people as
possible as quickly as possible is an imperative. Last November, voters approved
Proposition HHH, which authorizes $1.2 billion for permanent supportive
housing. Many, if not most, of those units will take years to come online, and
there are significant efforts that can be taken quickly and in the meantime to
house people.

Shared housing programs, such as those offered by Self Help And Recovery
Exchange (SHARE!) on the Westside, match individuals (including homeless
persons or people at-risk of homelessness with their own source of income) to
make the most of housing vacancies. SHARE! estimates that approximately 30%
of homeless people in the County are eligible for Supplemental Security Income
(SSI), which could help offset rental costs in some of the SHARE! units.

At a Homelessness & Poverty Committee held late last year, shared housing was
discussed, and LAHSA reported that in addition to pursuing a shared housing
study, two pilot programs were being undertaken to investigate the feasibility of
shared housing and expanding this model Citywide.

Mike believes that this type of housing is a potential fast and cost-effective
solution to those who need immediate housing, and he authored legislation to
increase the priority given to investing in and expanding shared housing
programs that can quickly get people off the street.
LA Named One of Top Ten Cities “Doing Public Transportation Right”

Los Angeles is on Curbed's list of " 10 US Cities Getting Public Transportation


Right !"

As the Chair of the Council's Transportation Committee and a member of the


Metro Los Angeles Board of Directors, Mike is very proud of the monumental
strides we have made toward game-changing improvements to our public transit
system.

Thanks to the voter-approved Vote Yes On Measure M campaign and the


leadership of Mayor Eric Garcetti and many of Mike’s colleagues on the City
Council and Metro board, we are delivering the world-class transit system our
neighborhoods deserve.

Vision Zero: City Releases Plan to End Traffic Fatalities

Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for our children, teens and
young adults here in LA, and it is imperative we address this public health crisis
and spare more families the misery of lives cut too short.

The City is taking action to end traffic fatalities though a program Mike has
championed known as “Vision Zero.” Vision Zero calls for better traffic
enforcement combined with street designs that discourage speeding, and the
Vision Zero action plan, which was released on January 26, points to a number of
examples of engineering improvements that have helped make people safer,
including a scramble crosswalk at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland,
where there has not been a death or injury since the crosswalk was added in
November 2015.

The plan also calls for more turn signals, a reduction of lanes in certain areas
with the addition of a center turning lane, and an increased focus on speed
enforcement. By prioritizing Vision Zero and regularly reporting on
implementation progress, we are holding leadership accountable and making a
commitment to save lives.

New Electric Buses Added to LADOT Fleet

On January 12, Mike joined Mayor Eric Garcetti to unveil the first of four new
electric buses that will move people around downtown Los Angeles as part
of LADOT Official 's DASH bus service. All four electric buses will soon be
operating on DASH line A.

Electrifying buses in Los Angeles will prevent pollution from clouding our air
and Mike is excited about a more sustainable future, where clean buses run on
clean energy!

Mike Assumes Chairmanship of Key Metro Committee

Mike assumed leadership of one of the most important committees a Metro


Boardmember can serve on, taking the reins of the System Safety, Security and
Operations Committee last month. This committee is charged with providing
development, oversight and approval of all MTA operations issues, including bus
and rail operations, labor agreements, safety, maintenance, fare and service
changes.

Federal Funding for Purple Line Will Help Connect Subway With West LA
LA got good news in early January, when Metro announced that the Federal
government had awarded LA $1.6 billion in funding to help build the second
phase of the Metro Purple Line Extension to downtown Beverly Hills and Century
City.

As Metro Los Angeles CEO Phil Washington put it at the announcement event, Los
Angeles is now the infrastructure capital of the nation. With the voters'
investment in transit through Measure M, and with the support of the Obama
administration, we are building a genuine and complete transit network here in
Los Angeles.

Find out more at http://thesource.metro.net/2017/01/04/1-6-billion-in-federal-


funding-secured-for-purple-line-extensions-second-phase/ .

Grand Performances to Add Culture and Entertainment to LAX Terminals

Passengers traveling through LAX will have some entertainment to look forward
to in the future, thanks to a new contract LAWA approved with Grand
Performances - the same company in charge of staging community musical arts
programs in Grand Park in downtown LA.

Launching in the spring, the Grand Performances program at LAX aims to enrich
the airport environment, ambiance and guest experience “with moments of
cultural enlightenment.” Grand Performances will produce and present 18
performances throughout 2017, featuring a wide array of musical acts. The
performances will alternate throughout the terminals to ensure an LAX guest
experience that is continually fresh, exciting and inviting.

Traffic Improvements at LAX Central Terminal Area

One of the most frequent complaints about LAX is traffic in the Central Terminal
Area. Los Angeles World Airports is taking steps to address traffic congestion as
people drive to pick up or drop off family members or friends at their terminals.

Big, game-changing traffic improvements are underway, including the plan to


connect Metro rail with LAX, but while that is happening, Los Angeles World
Airports is working to make other changes that will improve how traffic flows
around the Central Terminal Area.

Starting this month, LAWA’s “single level busing” program will allow Private
Parking Shuttles and LAX Shuttle Bus “lot C” to pick up and drop off passengers
on the upper level of the central terminal area only. Hotel shuttles will pick up
and drop off passengers on the lower level only. Splitting up shuttle stops will
help keep traffic flowing around the terminal area. This is just one of many ways
LAWA is working with our partners to improve the ground transportation to and
from LAX.

Mike Speaks Out Against 12444 Venice Proposal

Neighbors are deeply concerned about a proposal for a mixed-use housing project
at 12444 Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista, and in late December, the Planning
Department issued a Letter of Determination for the project, granting its support
despite serious objections from Mike and from nearby neighbors. This proposal is
controversial, and misguided, because it seeks to build the tallest building on
Venice Boulevard between downtown and the ocean. This isn't the right project
for Mar Vista, and Mike is committed to continuing his opposition to the project
as it is proposed.

To be clear, Mike supports and has fought hard for more affordable housing -
especially along transit corridors where we need it the most. And he supports
more housing at this location -- but this proposal is too tall and out of character
with the neighborhood. Mike was extremely disappointed and puzzled that the
Planning Department would allow this inappropriate project to move forward as
is, and he will do everything under his authority as a Councilmember to stop it
unless the developer is willing to be more responsive to the very legitimate
objections raised by many Mar Vistans.

Mike’s planning team is working hard to explore what options are now available,
given that State law preempts local authority and limits how much discretionary
oversight the City of Los Angeles has in limiting a project that meets State
requirements. If the city has any ability at all to force a better project in this case,
Mike intends to use it to protect Mar Vista from out-of-character development.

Mike Proposes Legislation to Protect Affordable Housing in LA

Los Angeles is in a housing crisis that is only worsening our ongoing


homelessness crisis.

On January 23, Controller Ron Galperin released an audit detailing issues with
how LA tracks the city's supply of affordable housing and ensures the people
living in affordable housing are actually eligible for the low-income units. The
next day, Mike authored legislation to protect affordable housing in LA by
improving how the city monitors and enforces income requirements for people
living in affordable units.

Every single unit of affordable housing is imperative for our city, and the
Controller’s work highlights areas where the Housing Community Development
Department can improve how they oversee and monitor affordable housing stock
in LA. Mike greatly appreciates Controller Galperin’s work on this important
issue.

Mike Works with Colleagues to Reform Development Process in LA


Mike recently partnered with colleagues to introduce two significant reforms to
the City’s planning process, including measures to improve transparency and
accountability in the process, as well as legislation calling for the systematic
update of community plans.

IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE PLANNING


PROCESS

Transparency, integrity and accountability are essential elements of our


planning process, and Mike co-authored legislation that will improve confidence
in how planning decisions are made in City Hall.

The City Planning Department needs to have a more active role in choosing and
managing the consultants who are hired to prepare environmental review
documents for a development proposal. The motion Mike recently helped author
will make it a standard practice for the Department of City Planning to choose
consultants for a project from a pre-qualified list. This will be a dramatic
improvement over the current system, where developers choose their own
consultants.

UPDATING COMMUNITY PLANS

Community plans are important tools for guiding the future of a neighborhood
as development is proposed, and the Planning Department must do a much better
job updating community plans so they can better serve their purpose.

Mike recently joined Paul Koretz , Jose Huizar and Curren D. Price, Jr. to introduce
legislation calling on the Planning Department to immediately begin a
systematic update of community and general plans, and to improve how the
Planning Department functions by rebuilding the Department's technology
infrastructure.

Reforming and improving the planning process in Los Angeles is an important


part of Mike’s work to put #NeighborhoodsFirst , and Mike is excited to continue
his work making sure that neighborhoods are protected from out of character
development.

Stopping Overdevelopment in Playa del Rey - Mike Calls on Planning


Department to Uphold Del Rey Lagoon Specific Plan
In a move that will help stop overdevelopment in Playa del Rey, Mike is standing
with neighbors to demand that the Planning Department uphold the Del Rey
Lagoon Specific Plan - a document that guides new development in the area and,
among other important regulations, limits how tall new buildings can be.
Abiding by the Specific Plan will stop projects that have been widely opposed by
neighbors, such as the projects at 6202 Pacific Avenue and at 138 Culver
Boulevard, from being developed as they have been proposed.

Find Out More About the City Council's Work to Put Neighborhoods First

Mike Proposes Clean Money Elections for Los Angeles

In a move that would take money out of politics in Los Angeles and let ideas
triumph in elections over fundraising prowess, Mike introduced a series of
legislative efforts in January to create a full public financing system for elections
in Los Angeles, support increased disclosure requirements for donors to
independent expenditures, and keep foreign money out of local elections.

Mike’s legislation gives new life to a motion co-authored by Bonin’s predecessor


and mentor, former Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and then-Councilmembers
Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel. The legislation calls for an election system in
Los Angeles that provides qualified candidates with adequate funding to mount
campaigns in order to run competitive elections. The previous proposal was
studied when it was introduced in 2005, but the idea did not result in reforms to
the system.
Find out more about Mike’s push for clean money
at http://www.11thdistrict.com/clean_money_elections_in_la .

More Cops in Neighborhoods - Mike Introduces Plan for More Neighborhood


Patrols

Pointing to sobering statistics showing fewer patrol officers in neighborhoods


than there were 50 years ago, Mike announced several proposals to add more
patrol officers to Los Angeles’ neighborhoods at a rally with neighbors, police
officers and police union officials in Westchester on January 19.

Mike submitted a proposal to the City Council this month that calls on LAPD to
put more focus on neighborhood policing and increase the number of officers
assigned to patrol duty. The effort is designed to improve response times and
police officers’ relationships in the communities where they work. Bonin’s
legislation, which he is calling “Back to Basic Car” builds on decades-worth of
efforts by the LAPD to focus resources on community policing.

The LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce became the first organization to formally
endorse Mike’s "Back to Basic Car" plan.

"We believe that this plan will increase LAPD patrol officers in our community
and all communities throughout the City of Los Angeles,” said Chamber member
David Voss at the press conference. “On behalf of the LAX Coastal Chamber,
which represents more than 500 local businesses in Westchester, Playa del Rey,
Del Rey, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista I would like to commend Councilman
Bonin for his work in our community to keep Angelinos safe. We want to thank
him for taking the time to work with us and for his leadership in addressing the
need for greater police deployment through common sense policies. We are
proud to offer our support as this plan moves through the City Council."

Find out more about Mike’s plan for more cops in neighborhoods
at http://www.11thdistrict.com/back_to_basic_car_plan .

City Council Unanimously Approves Taxpayer-Protecting Bid for 2024


Olympics
The City Council unanimously approved LA’s bid for the 2024 Olympics on
January 25, agreeing to host the games with significant financial protections to
keep taxpayer money safe from incredibly unlikely cost overruns.

After casting his vote, Mike spoke about his memories of the winter of 1980 and
the "Miracle on Ice." Facing off against a team of professional Soviet hockey
players with a long string of gold medals, a ragtag US team, consisting
exclusively of amateur players -- the youngest team in the tournament and in
U.S. national team history -- surprised the world and captured the gold in Lake
Placid, New York. It is still considered one of the greatest moments in Olympic
history and in sports. Mike remembers goalie Jim Craig, one of the four players
from Boston University, draped in the American flag, looking gratefully up from
the ice and into the stands for his dad. The memory of that February day is still
strong for Mike decades later, and to him, it embodies the Olympic Spirit. Mike is
grateful that Los Angeles has a very good shot of once again hosting the
worldwide games.

Council Approves Plan to Hire Immigrant Advocate at City Hall

Citing the city's "responsibility to protect all residents of the City," the City
Council approved a motion on January 20 to approve the hiring of an "immigrant
advocate" at City Hall. The Immigrant Advocate will work with Mayor Garcetti's
Office of Immigrant Affairs to help advise the Council on how to best protect
residents of Los Angeles from any new federal policies that threaten to deport or
treat unfairly undocumented residents of Los Angeles.

The council also asked city advisors to prepare reports on state, local and federal
immigration policies.
Register to Vote!

Voters in Los Angeles will head to the polls on March 7 to decide who they want
representing their neighborhoods on the City Council and in citywide offices. The
local elections are crucial to our city’s future, and the more people who vote, the
more the decisions that get made at city hall will reflect community priorities.

The last day to register to vote in the March 7 Primary Election is February 21 .
You can register (or re-register if you have recently moved) to vote online
at http://registertovote.ca.gov .

January Small Business Spotlights

Local small businesses provide more than jobs for people on the Westside - they
are part of what make neighborhoods great. Each week, Mike chooses a local Mom
and Pop business to feature on social media in his " Small Business Spotlight ."

Thai Talay, Westchester


The neighbor who nominated this Westchester restaurant describes Thai Talay as
"a snazzy Thai cafe with woodsy flair that puts spins on traditional noodles & fish
plus lunch specials." The neighbor added "I love it and it is my family's go-to
delivery option."

Thai Talay can be found in Westchester at 8411 Lincoln and you can order online
at www.thethaitalay.com.

L.A. Gastronomy, Venice

The newest addition to the Washington Square Venice area, L.A. Gastronomy
takes from the best of the inspirational cuisines and ideas that define Los
Angeles to bring patrons a true representation of LA food.

The new gastropub is owned by executive chef Matteen Khalifian, a seasoned


Angeleno chef with 7 years of experience in some of the city’s most renowned
restaurants, including the Wilshire, Eva, and Nic’s of Beverly Hills. Born in raised
in Los Angeles as a first generation American, Matteen's cooking is able to
integrate styles and cuisines from all around the world in the true LA manner.

LA Gastronomy can be found at 20 W Washington Blvd, and you can check it out
online at https://lagastronomy.com.

Synaptic Cycles, Mar Vista


This bicycle rental service delivers - literally! Synaptic was founded in Orange
County by Joe - an avid cyclist - in 2010 and the successful road bike rental
company recently expanded to serve the Greater Los Angeles area out of their
Mar Vista location. Synaptic offers concierge service to its clients, delivering and
picking up bicycles from customers at their home or hotel.

Synaptic is one of a series of bike shops were neighbors can rent a bike for my
February 12 "Bike with Mike" in Westchester. Check out Synaptic online
at http://synapticcycles.com/ .

Cafe Solar, Westchester

This new addition to the Westchester Triangle area is quickly becoming a favorite
for locals who are looking for a quick, healthy bite or for Cafe Solar's awesome
organic coffees and teas. One of the first things happy customers mention is the
friendly and welcoming staff, and the neighbor who nominated Cafe Solar for
the Spotlight raved about the chai latte and chicken artichoke panini.

Westchester is a great community with a "small town" feel, and small businesses
like Cafe Solar - whether new or longstanding local institutions - help make
Westchester the wonderful place it is to call home.

Check out Cafe Solar at 6224 W Manchester Ave in Westchester.


Do you have a favorite business you want to nominate to be featured in Mike's
Small Business Spotlight? You can make a nomination for the “Small Business
Spotlight” at this link .

Find out about just some of the events happening in your neighborhood in the
next month!

Ballona Creek Renaissance | Ballona Creek Winter Cleanup 2/11/2017; 9am to


12pm
Centinela Ave. at Milton St., 90066 between Culver Bl. & I-90/Marina Fwy

Bike with Mike | Valentine’s Day Ride 2/12/2017; 10am


7166 W. Manchester Ave., Westchester
RSVP: http://www.11thdistrict.com/a11_bike_with_mike_feb_2017

A Walk with Sean | Research in Action (2.5K walk) 2/12/2017; 12pm


880 Toyota Drive, Pacific Palisades 90272

Home Run For Kids 5K or 10K Runs | Benefitting Upward Bound House
2/12/2017; 7:30am
11620 San Vicente Blvd, Brentwood 90049

Tiger Woods Foundation | Genesis PGA Open 2/13/2017; All Day


Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades

2nd Public Safety Town Hall for Westchester/Playa


2/15/2017; 7pm
Knights of Columbus, 8049 W Manchester Ave, Playa Del Rey 90293

Volunteer Weekend for SPY Makeover | Westchester Rotary


2/16/2017 - 2/20/2017; Various
2469 Lincoln Blvd, Venice 90291

Westchester Playa Democratic Club "What's Next?" Forum


2/23/2017; 7pm - 9pm
Location TBD

Have an event you would like listed? Email updates@11thdistrict.com to submit


events.
On January 21, millions of people around the world and an estimated 750,000
people in Los Angeles came together to celebrate the diversity that makes our
nation great and the people who are willing to stand up and speak out for their
neighbors. Mike was honored to join the Women’s March LA and spoke to the
crowd of hundreds of thousands, relating his story about what the march means
to him and his family.

Watch Mike’s speech from the march at the link below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4pFfrIPIBQ

Thank you for reading the January issue of Mike Bonin's Neighborhoods
First Newsletter.

For more about Mike and Council District 11, please


v i s i t www.11thdistrict.com .

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MIKE BONIN -
T AK E AC T I ON MEDIA NEIG HB ORH OODS ISS UES N EW S C OUN CIL STA FF A BOU T MIK E
COUNCIL DISTRICT 11

BRENTWOOD | DEL REY | MAR VISTA | PACIFIC PALISADES | PLAYA DEL REY | PLAYA VISTA | VENICE | WEST LA | WESTCHESTER
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