Council presses administrator on reduced housing positions and proposed LAPD communications role
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Summary
Councilmembers questioned the City Administrator and HR officials about sharp reductions in recommended housing‑department positions and about a proposed internal LAPD communications manager, asking for clarity on urgency, salary, candidate identification and department messaging.
Councilmembers used a budget hearing to press the City Administrator and human-resources staff over two related issues: why the mayoral office recommended far fewer new housing positions than department requests, and why the Los Angeles Police Department seeks a high‑level internal communications manager.
Councilmember Hernández asked why the housing department's requested positions dropped from 109 to 43 in the administrator's recommendation; the City Administrator said the office limited recommendations to positions considered "urgently necessary" for the fiscal year and that remaining requests would be considered in the broader budget process.
On a separate item, councilmembers questioned departmental leaders about a proposed LAPD administrator for internal communications. Staff described the role as focused on internal messaging, employee coordination, recruitment messaging and social-media strategy; they said the external public-information officer position (PIO) remains vacant. Councilmembers requested salary and candidate information and expressed concern about timing, transparency and conflicting messages from the department regarding enforcement and civil‑liberties topics.
Officials did not provide a specific salary or name during the hearing and pledged to follow up. Councilmembers asked that the chief of police appear at a future meeting to answer questions directly.