Wachs Aide to Head Neighborhoods Agency
Greg Nelson, chief of staff to Councilman Joel Wachs, has been appointed general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, Mayor James K. Hahn said Thursday.
Hahn said Nelson’s 26 years working for the Studio City councilman and his role in drafting the original plan for neighborhood councils make him well-qualified to take over the department, which has been struggling as it prepares to begin certifying advisory neighborhood councils across Los Angeles.
Raised in the Valley, and a graduate of Cal State Northridge, Nelson takes over a department that Councilwoman Janice Hahn said is in crisis, as residents citywide complain about the unwieldy and difficult-to-follow process of winning certification of neighborhood councils.
The appointment requires confirmation by the City Council. Wachs is leaving office Oct. 1 to head an arts foundation in New York.
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