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Public and council press Department of Neighborhood Empowerment ordinance changes; council approves item amid commitments to fix interdepartmental language
Summary
Public commenters and Councilmember Hahn urged revisions to a Board of Neighborhood Empowerment ordinance, saying a clause would impede cooperation between city departments and the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). The council approved the item and committee members pledged follow-up committee review and clarifications.
The Los Angeles City Council approved Item 5 after public comment raised concerns that the ordinance amending the city’s neighborhood empowerment framework had drafting problems and a clause that could hinder cooperation between city departments and the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE).
Jim McQuiston of the East Hollywood Community Association testified in support of the ordinance’s intent but urged amendments, saying “there is a clause in it which effectively kills any cooperation between the departments and Dunn.” McQuiston asked the council to send the measure back to committee for corrections.
Councilmember Hahn acknowledged earlier departmental reports had been unsatisfactory and said the council had new commissioners and an interim general manager and that the issues would be addressed: “You can count on me to continue to fight for that,” Hahn said, describing committee follow-up and oversight.
The council opened and closed the public hearing for the item and recorded a roll-call vote of 13 ayes to approve Item 5. Members said they expected the ordinance language and department coordination questions to be taken up in committee and for staff to resolve the procedural and communication issues McQuiston described.
The council’s approval did not itself amend the ordinance text at the dais; speakers said the matter would return to committee for technical fixes and to address the communication protocols between DONE and city departments.
