North Westwood Neighborhood Council recap – Sept. 2

The North Westwood Neighborhood Council endorsed a letter condemning the announced closure of UCLA’s childcare centers at its September meeting.

The council, which represents UCLA and Westwood Village, meets on the first Wednesday of every month at UCLA’s Weyburn Terrace. People can attend the council’s meetings in person or virtually using the link posted on the corresponding agenda. The next meeting is set to be held Oct. 7.

Comments made by public officials:

• Amanda Laflen, the field deputy for Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, said in an emailed report that Horvath’s office is holding a virtual town hall to discuss El Niño season preparation Sept. 28.
• Janet Turner, the deputy district director of outreach for Rep. Ted Lieu, said Lieu participated in a panel with other representatives about how they will apply the insights they gained about public transportation during the FIFA World Cup to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. She added that the representatives will push for $2 billion in funding to support LA Metro during the games.
• Henry Houser, a field representative for State Sen. Ben Allen, said Allen co-authored a bill to provide tax credits to film companies for post-production work and co-authored another bill that exempts film companies from certain limits on tax credits in California. Houser added that Allen authored SB 1635, which criminalizes rent increases above 10% for housing rentals following natural disasters in California.
• Carmen Zambrano, an assistant director for UCLA Government Relations, said alumnus Tim Harris will work pro bono as CEO and director of UCLA Athletics. She added that the School of Law will host a symposium on the impacts of 9/11 on the United States’ legal and political systems after 25 years. Zambrano also said the Westwood Block Party will create additional traffic in Westwood on Sept. 20, and UCLA’s first home football game will be Sept. 12 against San Diego State University.
• Patricia Macias, Westwood field deputy for city councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, said Yaroslavsky introduced a motion requiring city departments to report their plans to manage increased rainfall during the upcoming El Niño season. Macias said she will request the neighborhood council’s help to identify areas in Westwood where storm water accumulates so they can prevent and fix those issues. Macias added that Westwood Pool will close for repairs from Sept. 25 to Nov. 6 and that sidewalk repairs on Gayley Avenue and Weyburn Avenue have begun.
• Erica Gatica Doughty, a neighborhood empowerment advocate for EmpowerLA, which manages the city’s neighborhood councils, said Alfonso Manzo will assume her role while she is on maternity leave. She added that EmpowerLA will host a meeting about using transit benches to advertise neighborhood council meetings and elections. Doughty also said the annual Congress of Neighborhoods, a conference for neighborhood council leaders, will be held Sept. 26, as well as an informational webinar from LA28.

Comments made by the public:

• Steve Sann, a member of the Friends of Westwood Library, said the library will hold four more concerts this year and invited the council to table at an annual swing dance program Nov. 15.
• John Erickson, a member of the West Hollywood City Council, said he is running for State Senate and, if elected, hopes to stop the closure of UCLA’s childcare centers.

Announcements:

• Patrick Babajanian, the chair of the Ad Hoc Olympics and Paralympics Committee, said the committee discussed two community impact statements addressing preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Babajanian added that the council won the EmpowerLA Award, which recognizes neighborhood councils’ civic engagement and attention to local needs, for the Westside region.
• Connor Webb, the chair of the Transportation, Environment, and Public Space Committee, said the committee discussed a community impact statement to follow up with the city about the Westwood Boulevard Safety and Mobility project, which will create dedicated bike and bus lanes before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Webb added that of the 140 sidewalk repair requests that the council submitted to the city in the past few years, 52 are moving forward and 83 have been removed by the Bureau of Engineering.
• Andrew Lewis, the chair of the Community Health, Homelessness and Safety Committee, said the committee discussed a response to UCLA’s announced closure of two of its childcare centers.
• Melissa Nessman, co-chair of the Outreach and Communications Committee, said the committee met and is preparing for the Westwood Block Party. She added that the committee is requesting funding for a branded tent to use for tabling at events such as the block party.

Agenda:

• The council tabled discussion of several events and changes occurring in Westwood Village because Michael Russell, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, could not attend the meeting.
• The council endorsed a letter from Bruin Parenting Scholars denouncing UCLA’s announced closure of two of its childcare centers and calling on Chancellor Julio Frenk to pause steps toward closing the facilities. The letter was amended to include a link to a petition with the demands. Before the vote, Bruin Parenting Scholars Co-Chair Russell Sontay, Undergraduate Student Association Council President Jayha Buhs Jackson and Graduate Students Association External Vice President Jack Feng gave public comment alongside several members of the public on the importance of UCLA’s childcare centers and how the closures will affect families.
• The council approved a motion to table at the Westwood Block Party to provide information about the neighborhood council to attendees.
• The council approved a motion to work with the consulting committee for the Luskin Undergraduate Student Association to improve civic engagement with the neighborhood council.
• The council approved a community impact statement that requests the city develop a coordinated plan to remove homeless encampments in LA before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and create permanent strategies to prevent homelessness.
• The council approved a community impact statement that calls on the city to come to an agreement with LA28 that would make LA28 responsible for recovering costs for public safety, transportation, sanitation and other services created by the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The council approved its July 2026 monthly expenditure report.
• The council approved a motion to allocate $300 toward purchasing a branded tent for tabling at events.
• The council approved its September consent calendar.