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Council hears that LAUSD and DWP restored auxiliary school lighting after district's request
Summary
Councilmember Hahn said LAUSD asked the Department of Water and Power to cut auxiliary lighting at about 160 sites; DWP staff told the council the lights were not removed and have been reactivated after discussions with LAUSD.
Councilmember Hahn told the Los Angeles City Council on Nov. 5 that the Los Angeles Unified School District had asked the Department of Water and Power to cut auxiliary lights around school campuses, a move that prompted concern from neighborhoods and councilmembers.
"LA Unified School District had asked DWP to turn off their auxiliary lights around their school campuses," Councilmember Hahn said, describing a matter that had come before her committee. "Many of us felt like, no matter what kind of budget cuts the school district was involved in, we felt this was really egregious, and that many communities ... felt like having those lights cut down on crime."
Wendy Yancy of the Department of Water and Power told the council the utility received a June request from LAUSD related to 160 facilities but did not remove the fixtures. "We were contacted by LA Unified School District, June of this year, and asked to remove 160, the lighting at 160 facilities. And, we did not remove them, actually. We just removed the cell that would turn them on at dusk, with the anticipation that they would ask that we continue to program. On the request of this council, we have worked with LAUSD and have turned on all the lights at all the facilities," Yancy said.
Yancy added that LAUSD had asked DWP to add additional lighting at some facilities and described the auxiliary-lighting program as beneficial to both schools and surrounding neighborhoods.
Councilmember Zine asked if there was a plan in place should LAUSD face future financial shortages, and Yancy said DWP remained in contact with the district and did not anticipate the situation recurring. "We will work together and come to whatever resolution we need to to make sure that those lights stay on," she said.
The council recorded the action on the item as received and filed by voice/roll call (12 ayes). Councilmembers and staff thanked the school district and DWP for maintaining the lighting partnership.
The council's discussion focused on community safety and the partnership role of DWP in providing campus-adjacent lighting; no ordinance or regulatory change was proposed at the Nov. 5 meeting.
