Affordable Housing Issues to Be Discussed

The Los Angeles Affordable Housing Commission will hold a public meeting Thursday in North Hills to give Valley residents an opportunity to discuss a variety of housing-related issues, officials said.

Formed in 1990, the seven-member city commission helps to formulate housing policies and programs by serving as an advisory body to the mayor, City Council and city housing department. The mayor appoints four of the seven commissioners, the council appoints the other three. The commission currently has two open seats.

“The purpose of the meeting is to give residents a chance to say what their housing needs and concerns are and what they think are the critical housing issues in the city,” said Petty Santos, a management assistant with the commission.

“We want to make sure that our policies and programs actually match the housing concerns of residents. That we are on target,” Santos said.

Some of the issues currently being examined by the commission are crime, neighborhood deterioration, high rents, overcrowding, nuisance properties and poor housing conditions, Santos said.

Those who attend the meeting will have the opportunity to address the commission about issues that directly concern them, Santos said.

Although the commission does not have the authority to directly respond to those concerns, it will report the results of the meeting to the mayor, City Council and housing department, officials said.

Thursday’s meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Sepulveda, 15435 Rayen St. between Sepulveda Boulevard and Langdon Avenue in North Hills.