PURPOSE OF NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS:
“To promote more citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs”
~ Los Angeles City Charter, Article IX
The Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa (NCWP) is you.
A quasi-governmental agency created by the City of Los Angeles Charter, NCWP is intended to give those who live, work or own property or otherwise declare a stake in our area a stronger voice in the governance of the City.
Our board is composed of people just like you – people who live, work and play in Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista. We eat at local restaurants, use local parks and send our children to our neighborhood schools. Working together, we provide insight and ideas to our local elected officials and select worthwhile community benefit projects to support with the limited funds we receive every year from the City.
The NCWP is a part of the City’s neighborhood council system that was established in June 1999 following the passage of the new Los Angeles City Charter.
We went through a two-year process of organization, were certified by the City and held our first meeting in November, 2001 to elect a Board of Directors. The new Board held its first meeting in December 2002. There are 31 members on the Board of Directors, representing the various stakeholders in the Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista community. Today, the NCWP has stakeholders who by their participation help influence the direction of our community.
The NCWP Board members are elected by the area’s stakeholders – those who live, work or own property or otherwise declare a stake within our boundaries. The responsibility of the members of the Board of Directors is to determine and to communicate to the
pertinent city officials those issues, needs and concerns of importance to the stakeholders. As such, the NCWP serves as an integral part of how local government operates, providing a direct line of communication between the community and its elected officials and City departments. NCWP is also privy to an early notification system to make certain that City Hall does nothing impacting our neighborhood without first letting us express our views on the issue.
The Board of Directors meets on the first Tuesday of each month and general meetings of NCWP will be held each year. The public is invited to attend all meetings of the board and its committees and the general meetings.
Please sign up for email notifications for more details regarding NCWP meetings.
How the NCWP Board is Elected
The NCWP board members are elected by the area’s stakeholders – those who live, work or own property within our boundaries.
In order to assure that local residents maintain a majority on the board, 15 of the board’s 31 seats are reserved for residents only. But because it is critical that other segments of the community also have a voice, the board includes a variety of seats reserved for those representing business, the clergy, youth organizations and more.
In addition, to guarantee that every corner of our residential community – from The Jungle to Kentwood to Westport Heights and Playa Vista – is represented, the NCWP’s service area is divided into 15 residential areas that include roughly the same number of people. Like City Councilmembers in many of the small cities that surround our area, every member of the board is expected to represent our entire community, and each is elected at large.
Together, the board members form a mosaic that is representative of our community.
Beginning in 2010, elections will occur every two years, and board members will serve four-year terms with staggered election cycles, electing half of the Board during each cycle. There are no term limits and the terms of office are staggered in the following manner:
Group A: Residential Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14; At Large 1; At Large Affirmation; Business Area 90045 and 90293; Community Organizations; Education; LMU; Service Clubs and Youth Organizations.
Group B: Residential Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15; At Large 2 and 3; Business Area 90094; Income Property; LAX; Religious and Senior Citizens.
The responsibility of the members of the board of directors is to determine and to communicate to the pertinent city officials those issues, needs and concerns of importance to the stakeholders. The board is also often asked to weigh in on critical city decisions ranging from land-use issues to the budget and to spend its limited budget from the city to appropriately benefit the community.
