THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT PRESENTS:
This exhibit has been created in celebration of the hard work the Neighborhood Council board members
have done over the last 15 years.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS OF LOS ANGELES:
15 YEARS OF EMPOWERING ANGELENOS
ADVOCACY
CANNDU, Central Alameda, Empowerment Congress North, South Central & Zapata-King
CANNDU, Central Alameda, EC North, South Central & Zapata-King at community planning meeting on street vending. Neighborhood Councils have had significant impact on the city's development of street vendor policy. (Photo via Central Alameda Facebook)
Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council
Central San Pedro won a 2016 EmpowerLA Award for their creation of an LGBT+ Allies Committee. (Photo of LGBT+ Allies Committee doing a local cleanup via Grayce Liu; photo of Committee Chair Aiden Garcia-Sheffield being honored at City Council for Pride Month via Garcia-Sheffield's Facebook page.)
Space Shuttle Task Force
A Space Shuttle Task Force (2013 EmpowerLA Award Winner) composed of several central LA area Neighborhood Councils banded together to mitigate the negative impact of bringing the Space Shuttle Endeavor through their neighborhoods to its new home at the California Science Center. Hundreds of local trees slated to be cut down were preserved; those that were cut were replaced at a 4:1 ratio. Money was also negotiated for youth scholarships, tree trimming, sidewalk repair, and professional development programs for local teachers. Participating NCs were Empowerment Congress West, Park Mesa Heights, Empowerment Congress Central, and Empowerment Congress North. (Photo by Empowerment Congress West.)
Silver Lake Neighborhood Council
2012 EmpowerLA Award winner Silver Lake Neighborhood Council saved sycamores (and $20 million in City funds) advocating for a different LADWP pipeline route in the park alongside the Silver Lake Reservoir. The pipeline was ultimately relocated to the bottom of the reservoir. (Photo: Silver Lake board members with Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell, shown celebrating the removal of the shade balls from Silver Lake Reservoir. Photo via SLNC Facebook.)
Park Mesa Heights Community Council
Park Mesa Heights Community Council worked with the Crenshaw Subway Coalition to advocate for a Metro train station on Crenshaw.
Mid City Neighborhood Council
Mid City NC (2012 ELA Award winner) has been working on their Washington Boulevard Improvement project since 2005. Gang activity and crime rates were reduced by 50% during the first two years of the project, and tagging dropped from an average 189 incidents per week to under 10 per week. (Photos via MINC Facebook)
Glassell Park Neighborhood Council
Glassell Park Neighborhood Council held their first annual Spring Fair/Dog Walk in response to the many stakeholder requests for a dedicated dog park. The event featured a a range of fun activities, including a doggie costume contest, and was co-sponsored by City Council District 1. (Photos by Herb West and Marge Piane)
Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council
Eagle Rock NC (2015 EmpowerLA Award winner) received a state grant for tree well cutting that allowed them to plot locations for over 250 new sidewalk tree wells.
As the most local form of the city government, Neighborhood Councils are uniquely suited to advocate for the needs and issues specific to their communities. From South Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils demanding tree replacement and job training when the Space Shuttle was moved through their neighborhoods to Councils with horse communities in the North Valley protecting horse keeping properties to advocating for a dog park, Neighborhood Councils represent their local interests to City Hall.
Since its establishment in 1999, the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment has grown into the nation’s largest and most innovative initiative in civic engagement and citizen-based government through the “EmpowerLA” movement. With a network of 97 Neighborhood Councils, Los Angeles promotes public participation in government and works to improve government responsiveness to local concerns. Visit EmpowerLA.org to learn more about how the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment supports Neighborhood Councils and Angelenos citywide.