CD4 Wrap-Up: How To Help In This Critical Moment

To view this email in your browser, click here .

JOIN US IN THE FIGHT TO END HOMELESSNESS

Earlier this week, we talked about the Mayor’s proposed budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year, and how the nearly $1 billion allocated to homelessness presents a moment of great possibility — one that, more than ever, requires all hands on deck.

We’re launching a monthly series of CD4 Conversations, and the first one will focus on homelessness -- what we’re doing as a district and a city, and where we need to go from here.

We’ll have more details on how you can register early next week, but in the meantime, we’ve put together a few ways you can get involved with our office and be a part of the solution.

The first is by joining our Volunteer Corps and calling landlords about LeaseUp, a program that helps fill rental vacancies and get people experiencing homelessness housed. Our next phonebank is TODAY at 3 pm. Sign up at bit.ly/cd4leaseup.

The second is by helping us identify underutilized properties across CD4.

We need hotels interested in Project Roomkey and Homekey, properties that could be developed into affordable and permanent supportive housing, and empty lots that can serve as Safe Parking or Safe Camping.

The third is by supporting our efforts to strengthen LA’s proposed Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance.

The LA Times called our amendments a “no-brainer" — but they need your support to win a majority of votes when it comes before City Council. We’ll keep you up to date on when that is, and how you can make your voice heard.

WE'RE HIRING!

Our office is seeking to hire a field deputy who will be assigned to one neighborhood in the district. They will work closely with the rest of the field team and City Hall staff to ensure constituents in the district have their needs met and district priorities and information about important issues are proactively communicated to constituents.

The position is full-time and exempt from Civil Service. Compensation will be based on experience, and includes excellent benefits. For the full job description, click here.

If you have any questions, or are interested in applying, please e-mail contactCD4@lacity.org, subject line: CD4 Field Deputy

MAYOR'S BUDGET

The Mayor’s proposed budget for the City of LA was released on Tuesday. It’s the culmination of a long process, but it’s also a first draft for the public to weigh in on. Here’s what you need to know and how you can play a role going forward.

The proposed budget covers the upcoming fiscal year beginning this July and going through June of 2022. All in, it’s a plan for how LA will spend over $11 billion, though a certain portion of it is restricted to financing particular functions of the city.

The Mayor and CAO have been formulating the budget in consultation with City departments, which submit their requests in January. City Council offices, as well as other stakeholders, have a chance to communicate their priorities, but now’s when their official role begins.

City Council’s Budget Committee is in charge of studying the Mayor’s proposal and developing recommendations for Council. Council can make changes, but must adopt a version by June 1. The Mayor can exercise his veto and Council has a final opportunity to override it.

The proposed budget is long and dense, so we’ll be working to make it more accessible. We’re excited by the City’s expanded commitment to addressing homelessness, but there are many details within each dept’s budget that deserve further scrutiny.

Our office is developing opportunities for Angelenos to weigh in on this important process in the months ahead. We joined Budget Chair Paul Krekorian and Council President Nury Martinez this past Thursday for a Valley Budget Listening Session. CD4 residents outside of the Valley can sign up for the listening session this Sunday 4/25 to share their input.

BEAUTIFYING OUR DISTRICT

On Earth Day, we not only celebrated a favorite CD4 spot, Ernie’s Walk, but the wonderful community members that love it as well!

Neighborhood advocate and Block Captain Sean Kurzweil is an engaged Sherman Oaks resident who educates his neighborhood on how to get things communicated to local governing agencies. He takes pride in his neighborhood, and is always willing to pitch in to keep it beautiful — and he’s working with our Field Manager Alex to plan a community beautification/clean up day at Ernie’s Walk. Thank you for being such an amazing leader and partner for Sherman Oaks and CD4 -- we are so excited to partner with you and your neighbors!

Let us know your favorite location in the district, and reach out to our office at contactCD4@lacity.org if you have ideas for how to partner with our office like our amazing constituent Sean!

HELPING VACCINATE ALL CD4 RESIDENTS

In collaboration with the County’s Department of Public Health, our Homelessness Coordinator Liz helped to secure vaccinations for eleven of our unhoused neighbors in and around the Pan Pacific Park shelter.

Following Pan Pacific, with ten additional soon-to-expire vials on hand, we mobilized quickly to get additional residents experiencing homeless across CD4 vaccinated. We thank DPH and Liz for their quick thinking and work to make the vaccine accessible to all in our district!