Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Hancock Park Homeowners Annual Meeting

LAPD Captain Rolando Solano, Officer Dave Cordova, HPHOA Board member Peter Gorelick, CD4 Chief of Staff Sarah Deassault and Jill Stewart, campaign director of the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative speak at the annual Hancock Park Homeowners Association meeting last night
LAPD Captain Rolando Solano, Senior Lead Officer Dave Cordova, HPHOA Board member Peter Gorelick, CD4 Chief of Staff Sarah Dusseault and Jill Stewart, campaign director of the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, speak at the annual Hancock Park Homeowners Association meeting last night

Residents of Hancock Park gathered last night at Third Street Elementary School for their annual meeting and election of the following board members: Patricia Alexander, Cindy Chvatal-Keane, Jennifer Devore, Indy Flore, Joel Kozberg, Joanne Medeiros, Pam Newhouse and Victoria Vickers.

Crime

LAPD officers Captain Rolando Solano, Wilshire Division; Sgt. Cleon Joseph, who coordinates the Senior Lead Officers; and SLO Dave Cordova, who – along with HPHOA est.1948 board member Peter Gorelick – reminded residents of the importance of reporting crimes. Captain Solano said he meets every Monday to  review crime patterns and shifts special crime units to various areas depending on whether the objective is to capture or deter criminal activity.

Officer Cordova said residents could even report crimes at the Kōban (a Japanese name for a small police station) at the Grove. They can also call 877-ASK LAPD (877-275-5273) or come down to the Wilshire Division station and make a report.  “There’s free parking at the station,” said Cordova.

“The reason why crime is not as bad here is because people have taken measures around their houses to install security devices, cameras, things like a doorbell camera that takes a picture of everyone who comes to your door, etc. There are lots of products out there now,” said Gorelick. “Please keep your gates locked. There are homeless people drifting in and out of the area. Lock your gates, set your alarms and please consider signing up for ADT or SSA. More than 50% of the residents don’t pay anything,” said Gorelick. “We need more people to sign up to help us; SSA and ADT really do multiply the efforts of the police force.”

CD 4 Report

Sarah Dusseault, CD4 Chief of Staff, filled in for City Council Member David Ryu, who was unable to attend due to the death of his father earlier that day. Dusseault said the councilmember was staying in town 12 hours so there would be a quorum for the City Council meeting on Tuesday, but then would be leaving to go to Korea to join his family.

“In happier news, said Dusseault, “the Council Member loves his job and brings that love and excitement to his job.” She also commended CD4 staff members Nikki Ezhari, Senior Field Deputy and Neighborhood Advocates Daniel Park and James Drevno.  And she brought copies of the  CD 4 Annual Report, which describes the council member’s efforts over the past year and his dedication to “bring a new level of transparency.”

Dusseault said the creation of the Discretionary Funds Task Force is one example of that transparency, because every discretionary dollar spent is reviewed by an appointed nine-member community advisory committee. She also said they publish online every meeting the office holds with a developer.

“Councilmember Ryu, didn’t  take any money from developers in his campaign and we don’t take any now,” said Deassault.  “The Councilman has proposed to ban ex parte communication with developers.” She invited everyone to  sign up to get the CD4 weekly planning report.

She also announced an October 24 start for removal and replacement of the concrete roadway on 4th street from Highland Avenue to McCadden Place.  She also reported the cost to repair the first concrete intersection by the city was$140,392.00; an RFP will be coming out soon to get bids from private contractors.

Dusseault reported on the efforts to halt tree trimming several weeks ago, but not before 24 trees were removed in Hancock Park. She said the Board of Public Works apologized at a community meeting and is waiting to replace the trees until the community has been consulted.

Dusseault said her staff is also working with the planning department to develop a tracking document to address the backlog of HPOZ applications in the city. And she also talked  about her office’s efforts to get a speed feedback sign on Highland avenue, and to update a speed survey for that street, as well as increased patrolling from West Traffic Division. CD4 staff is also working on improvements to the Highland Avenue median.

Finally, Dusseault took questions from residents about Temporary Preferential Parking District  215. She acknowledged it had become a contentious issue in the community, but asserted that the issues began “not on our watch. This issue predates us by several years,” even though Councilmember Ryu told residents at a meeting held on Sunday, that “I pushed this through.”  Dusseault said the TPPD is temporary, so changes could be made. She also promised to make sure to approach the parking challenges in a smart way and “make sure we reach out to everyone affected.”

HPOZ

David Cole, HPOZ and HPHOA est.1948 board member, reviewed the Hancock Park HPOZ requirements, reminding everyone to take advantage of the consultation process before making any changes to their homes. Cole said the HPOZ also covers driveways. Residents can’t change materials; they must replace what was there to maintain historic park-like setting of the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Integrity Initiative

Susan Grossman, an HPHOA est.1948 board member who presided over the meeting, invited Jill Stewart to speak about the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative (NII) that will be on the March ballot. Stewart, the campaign director for the initiative, said the measure seeks to reduce the impact developers can have on the city planning process.

Stewart asked the HPHOA to endorse the measure and invited residents to get involved in the campaign. One resident raised the question of timing for the presentation, since the measure is on the ballot for next spring (not the upcoming November election) and said she hoped there would be an opportunity to hear the opposing arguments, since she has heard that a number of social service non-profits are opposed to the measure.

Stewart responded the she respects the non-profits, but understands, too, that their budgets are more dependent on city contracts, so have become less independent in recent years.  In the interim, Steward urged residents to vote against Measure JJJ, which she said was written to stop NII.  She also endorsed measure HHH, which will provide supportive housing to the city’s growing homeless population by adding $40-60 to property taxes.

The meeting ended with an offer to residents who would like a tree planted to notify the HOA.  “We will plant the tree,” said Susan Grossman. “We only ask that you water it.”

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Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard is the publisher of the Larchmont Buzz. Patty lives with her family in Fremont Place. She has been active in neighborhood issues since moving here in 1989. Her pictorial history, "Larchmont" for Arcadia Press is available at Chevalier's Books.

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