good morning. Welcome to LA on the Record, City Hall’s newsletter. Directed by Dakota Smith, Rachel Uranga, and David Zahnizer.

The San Fernando Valley is preparing for a transportation boom.

The light rail line is planned along Van Nuys Boulevard and is part of an effort to revitalize Van Nuys’ important commercial district. A north-south rail line connecting the Valley and the Westside is planned for Sepulveda Pass.

and the 18 mile Orange Line. major overhauloverpasses and gates to increase bus speed.

Now, the mayor Karen Bass is poised to appoint a director to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the county agency that oversees transportation. Bass himself serves on the 13-member voting committee, which has three appointees. She currently has a vacant seat because one of her appointees is a former City Council member. Paul Krekorianfaced congressional term limits.

San Fernando Valley leaders say Bass has no choice but to replace Krekorian, who represents the East Valley, with another Valley resident.

There are two county supervisors on Metro’s board who represent parts of the San Fernando Valley, but both live in the Valley. Ara Najarian of Glendale is also responsible for the Valley and other areas.

The San Fernando Valley has a population of more than 1.8 million people, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the county’s population, council members said. Adolin Nazarian He was sworn in as Krekorian’s successor on Monday.

That’s why Valley’s presence is so important to Los Angeles, said Nazarian, a former state lawmaker who helped secure funding for the Van Nuys Boulevard light rail.

Nazarian said the area’s transportation system needs to be more user-friendly. He argued that the county’s rail network should be expanded deeper into the valley.

From downtown, “our rail system looks like a starfish with fingers pointing in five different directions,” he said. “It has to look like the web.”

stuart waldmanpresident of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, a business group, said choosing Valley people is easy. “You can’t have four representatives from the city of Los Angeles and none of them represent the Valley,” he said.

Member of Parliament Imelda Padillasomeone representing the central and eastern San Fernando Valley neighborhoods appears to be a strong candidate for the slot. Parts of the Van Nuys light rail and Sepulveda Pass projects are planned for her district. And her environmental work with the community group Pacoima Beautiful could be an asset as Metro looks to transition to clean-energy buses.

Still, Mr. Bass and Mr. Padilla have recently been at odds over the approval of a controversial Van Nuys Airport lease.

Asked about the possible appointment, Padilla’s aides referred questions to a Bass spokesperson, who declined to comment on the board seat.

Mr. Bass was appointed to the council last year. Katie Yaroslavskyhas made vehicle electrification a top priority. Another appointee of Mr. Bass, member of the Board of Directors Jacqueline Dupont-Walker This is a message from the mayor. Eric Garcetti.

By law, only one of the mayor’s appointees must serve on the City Council. Therefore, Mr. Bass does not have to choose a vacant seat.

Last year, two other City Council members — Monica Rodriguez and Eunice Hernandez — asked for the post, and it was given to Yaroslavsky. Representatives from both parties said no one from the mayor’s office contacted them.

In a brief interview, Rodriguez said there is a “lack of diversity” on the Metro board, which he called “problematic.”

Helen SanchezA public relations consultant suggested Latino selection, saying they are “grossly underrepresented” on the board. The majority of Metro riders are Latino, according to agency data.

“The mayor has an opportunity to make sure the Metro board truly represents the people it serves,” Sanchez said.

Another candidate for the seat is a City Council member who is not a Valley resident. heather hat Serves as chairman of the city’s transportation committee. Hutt, an advocate of a voting system known as Healthy Streets LA that would require cities to build bus and bike lanes, did not respond to requests for comment.

eli lipmenThe executive director of the advocacy group MoveLA called for a member to “oversee Metro’s spending and ensure it meets the wishes of voters.”

Channing MartinezThe co-chair of the Bus Riders Union said Mr Bass’ support for more police officers on transit routes was an ongoing concern. Martinez said he expects the next board member to challenge that approach. He also hopes the new members will “double and triple” bus service, including to the Valley.

Metro’s next board meeting will be held in January.

State of play

— A big win for workers: The City Council voted to raise the minimum wage for L.A.’s tourism industry workers to $30 an hour by mid-2028, when L.A. hosts the Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Member of Parliament john lee, Monica Rodriguez and tracy park Vote against. The ordinance will be voted on again next year, with the first wage increases scheduled for July 1.

— High-density housing: The city council moved ahead with a rezoning plan aimed at adding 255,000 homes, primarily along major thoroughfares and in high-density residential areas. Member of Parliament Nitya Raman A last-ditch effort was made to allow the construction of certain types of apartments in some single-family neighborhoods. However, the initiative was defeated by a 10-5 vote. The city must develop a rezoning plan by mid-February to comply with state law.

—Please take a look: mayor Karen BassIn his second year in office, the premier announced a dramatic decline in gang violence this year, with homicides, non-fatal shootings and killings due to gang wars down by double digits. Los Angeles has seen a 15% drop in homicides so far this year compared to the same period in 2023. The two-year decline was even more dramatic, at 28%.

—I don’t want to see it: There were 1,350 hate crimes reported in Los Angeles County in 2023, a 45% increase from the previous year, according to a new report. This is the highest number since the Human Relations Commission began compiling data in 1980. Jews and transgender people saw the biggest increases.

— Reconsidering resignation: LA County Probation Director Guillermo Vieira Rosa On Wednesday, he sent a memo saying he intended to retire at the end of the year, only to change course a few days later. Vieira-Rosa wouldn’t say why he changed his mind, but insisted he was “fully committed” to the county. His U-turn came at a time when Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall was going through one crisis after another.

—Downey’s rebellious: Meanwhile, Kimberly Epps, deputy director of the county’s Probation Department, said in a recording obtained by the Times that despite the state requiring counties to close their probation departments, the department has about 260 He said there are no plans to move young people from Los Padrinos.

— Do you need nitrite anymore? city ​​council member Imelda Padilla and Eunice Hernandez They are seeking to ban the sale of nitrous oxide, which is consumed in small containers called whippets. Padilla and Hernandez hope to follow in the footsteps of Rialto, which became the first city in the nation to ban the sale of nitrous oxide.

— Mixed message: The fate of Venice Del, a hotly contested affordable housing project that has been planned for several years in Los Angeles’ Venice neighborhood, remains uncertain this week. The state commission cleared the way for approval, but the city commission all but killed it.

— JURADO is hiring: As I mentioned last week, members of Congress Isabel Jurado was planning to hire lauren hodginsa longtime lobbyist for the Santa Maria Group, is his chief of staff. On Tuesday, she confirmed the news and announced two more big hires. Christa Kleinthe person responsible for intergovernmental duties on behalf of the mayor, and Steve Diazformer deputy director of the Skid Row-based Los Angeles Community Action Network. Klein will serve as senior advisor and Diaz will oversee homelessness and housing strategies.

— Further intermediate moves: Former city council member kevin de leon’s Press and Public Relations Officer; pete brownhas a new job working for Park, who is now a city council member representing part of the Westside. He will also handle media operations there.

— Hall Brawl: county supervisor Janice Hahn I’m ready to throw myself into the fight over whether to demolish the Kenneth Hahn Executive Building. The county’s preliminary plan calls for preserving the auditorium where the Board of Supervisors meets, but demolishing the administrative offices.

— Price hikes: Facing threats of withdrawal by some nonprofit contractors, the City Council on Friday increased service fees for dozens of transitional housing facilities for the city’s homeless population. Interest rates are expected to rise on January 1st and rise further six months later.

— Old Family Week: The City Council saw off the U.S. Congress members at City Hall. tony cardenaswill retire from public office after approximately 30 years in politics. Mr. Cárdenas spent approximately 10 years in Congress and several more years in the state Legislature before serving in Congress. Senators also attended the ceremony. alex padillaanother former state representative and Los Angeles City Council member, former City Council member Ed Reyes Former city commissioner Wendy Gruel. The event took place one week after the Board of Trustees confirmed the retirement of the L.A. Unified School Board. jackie goldbergyet another former city councilman and state representative.

quick hit

• Where is Inside Safe? The Mayor’s program to combat homelessness was implemented in the area of ​​Franklin Street at Cahuenga Boulevard, which was the target of the city’s first Operation Inside Safe. The north side of Franklin is part of Raman’s Silver Lake to Reseda district.

• On next week’s calendar: Enjoy this moment! The City Council will go on a three-week vacation and resume on January 7th.