Board Agenda: December 5, 2023 - Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa

Agenda

Meeting Date: December 5, 2023 6:30 pm

Comments from the public on agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the agenda that are within the Board’s jurisdiction will be heard during the General Public Comment period. Please note that under the Brown Act, the Board is prevented from acting on a matter that you bring to its attention during the General Public Comment period; however, the issue raised by a member of the public may become the subject of a future Board meeting. Public comment is limited to 1 minute per speaker, unless adjusted by the presiding officer of the Board.

Meeting Place 7166 Manchester Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045 - Community Room

Call to Order
Salute the Flag
Introductions
Consent Calendar: (The following items will be treated as one item and enacted with one vote unless a Board member or a stakeholder requests that an item be placed on the Discussion Calendar.)
1. Approval of Minutes of November 2023 Board meeting
2. Receive and file the October 2023 Treasurer’s Report and MER.
3. Motion to approve the revised 2023-2024 Fiscal Admin Packet in order to allocate unused funds from the Operational/General fund to the Outreach budget.
4. Motion to approve Promoshop invoice #257882 in the amount of $422.02 for 1000 NCWP postcard flyers.
5. Motion to approve the Neighborhood Council of Westchester / Playa send a letter to Councilwoman Traci Park and LAPD requesting more designated patrol/officers to the Westchester/Playa/Ladera neighborhoods due to an increase in burglaries and other crime in our area and submit a CIS on CF 17-0860 (Full Basic Car Study can be found here CAO File No. 0220-05420-0003). https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2017/17-0860_rpt_CAO_04-14-21.pdf
6. Motion to approve the Neighborhood Council of Westchester / Playa send a letter to Councilwoman Traci Park in support of CF 21-1469-S2 addressing the need for more cost effective and efficient processes for repairing sidewalks, which are dangerously risky throughout the Westside and submit a CIS on CF 21-1469-S2. https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-1469-S2_misc_9-20-23.pdf As explained in the Council File, the motion seeks a report back from BOE and Street Services on alternative, more expeditious and cost-effective measures to repair sidewalks that are not currently scheduled for repair (not “in the queue”).
7. Motion to approve the Neighborhood Council of Westchester / Playa send a letter to Councilwoman Traci Park opposing the redevelopment and any feasibility study of SR-90 (Marina Freeway) as proposed by “Streets for All Los Angeles” at this time for a variety of reasons, most of all being the reduction of valuable traffic lanes that provide an expressway from Westchester/Playa to the rest of Los Angeles. Public transit is no where near developed to the point where residents can feel comfortable abandoning personal vehicles for commuting in Los Angeles. We have felt first hand the effects of a very similar “road diet” and do not wish to repeat its devastating effects by constricting traffic, only for it to spill over into residential neighborhoods and increase commute times.
8. Motion to approve, with conditions, the construction of a single-family home located at 206 Montreal Street, Playa del Rey CA90293 Conditions: 1. No vegetation shall exceed the height of the building of 113 feet. 2. Robust outreach to immediate neighbors shall occur to explain the proposed development and to field questions and concerns, specifically including the owner of the property located at 217 Fowling. 3. The maximum height frontage road vegetation shall not exceed the height of the garage roofline. 4. The haul route is Vista del Mar to Imperial Highway.
9. Motion to approve a $250 NCWP Sponsorship of the LAX Coastal Education Foundation Annual Art Show and Competition for TK-12 students. Participating schools are asked to create art with the selected theme, which is then judged on the school level before making it to the community competition.
10. Motion to approve the appointment of Steve Donell as the NCWP representative to WRAC LUPC.
Announcements from Governmental Representative (limit to 3 minutes please)
1. Juan Fregoso, CD-11 Director of Homelessness and Housing, (juan.fregoso@lacity.org) will join us for an extended update on everything Homelessness and Housing in our footprint and throughout CD-11. Areas of particular concern remain Otis College surrounding streets and Westchester Municipal Lot, to name a couple.
Announcements from Board Members
Presentations
1. American Family Housing Corporation will join us for a much anticipated update on the Homekey Project located at 6531 S. Sepulveda, Los Angeles, CA 90045 conversion. Information on their community open house and other outreach to our community.
2. History:
  1. JUL 19, 2021: “…California lawmakers approved $4.8 billion over two years to address the state’s homeless crisis, with more than half of that going to a program that converts motels into permanent housing. The state allocated $2.75 billion in federal funds to the program, Project Homekey, over the next two years,…” according to the Los Angeles Times
  2. FEB 16, 2022: “…The City of Los Angeles and its housing authority will spend more than $500 million to buy 16 hotels and apartment complexes for homeless residents. The Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles voted to spend $508 million through Project Homekey, a state program that provides funding to buy hotels and apartment buildings for interim or permanent supportive housing, Urbanize Los Angeles reported. With a combination of state and local funding, the housing authority and the city are targeting 16 different properties from Northridge to Harbor Gateway, containing 1,276 units. That comes out to an average cost of $398,000 per apartment… A 133-room Extended Stay America hotel at 6531 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester, was to be purchased for $52.5 million… ” according to the Real Deal
  3. Tuesday, March 8, 2022 NCWP discussed the proposed Homekey Project located at 6531 S. Sepulveda, Los Angeles, CA 90045 to be converted for homeless housing with 179 beds without any community input or notice. We expressed our opposition to the proposed purchase. Additionally. the NCWP proposed safety and security requests to protect the whole community.
  4. Monday, May 22, 2023 President Gerez and Stakeholder Lisa Gaines met on site with American Family Housing Corporation. Their Mission Statement: We know what it takes for a person or family to access the services and support they need to achieve stability, recover, and pursue their own life goals. These approaches are proven, and can save tax payer dollars, while doing the right thing. https://afhusa.org/about-us/
Discussion Calendar and related Public comment
Public Comment – non-agenda items (limited to 1 minute per speaker unless otherwise declared by the President or presiding director. Public comment on agendized items will be called as each agenda item is brought forward.)
Committee Reports
Adjourn