Council Moves to Set Up Neighborhood Panels

Seeking to ensure that a key area of charter reform is implemented, the City Council took the initial steps Tuesday to establish neighborhood councils throughout the city.

Acting on a 2-year-old motion by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, the council essentially began moving toward creating a Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. That department will help oversee the selection, boundaries and staffing of these councils that will advise the council on planning issues.

Ridley-Thomas said community members, business and labor leaders and homeowner groups have long called for such councils. Further, he said the council’s action will help secure the implementation of these groups if the charter reform package fails to win voter approval in June.

“I think it’s a win-win,” Ridley-Thomas said. “If it passes, we’d have a head start. If it fails, we’ll already be in business. The citizenry of Los Angeles will have a greater access and a structure with which they can participate in government.”