Crime
Public safety is the foremost concern for me. At the top of this list is the increase in crime that Hollywood is seeing. The origins of this rise is due to many different causes, including the California Prison Realignment and Prop 47. No matter the basis of this alarming surge, we have to work with the police and other law enforcement agencies to see what they and the community can do to reduce this increasingly dangerous trend.
Development
Development has a dramatic impact on our area. Though we can't expect to eliminate all development, we need to ensure that development is practical, well-considered and takes into account the community that it impacts. By creating a forum where stakeholders can meet with developers, the Neighborhood Council is perfectly positioned to give the community a real voice over how development occurs here.
Parking
Due to increased development and tourism, parking issues have become a pressing concern here. However, parking cannot be addressed by piecemeal solutions. We need a comprehensive approach to how we solve the parking problem. Simple one-off approaches end up driving parking problems to other areas, which does not resolve anything. We need to arrive at collaborative solutions that can have a real and lasting impact.
Homelessness
The dramatic rise in homelessness in Los Angeles has been astonishing. Here in Hollywood we are constantly reminded of this tragic issue. Though the mayor has launched an initiative to deal with this problem, we also have to consider local solutions that can help. Every community needs to take part in addressing the lack of affordable housing. Simply hoping that the City will deal with it is not a viable approach.
Traffic
Traffic has always been a huge issue in Los Angeles. Recent reports give Los Angeles the dubious honor of being the city with the worst traffic in America. We who live here know this first hand. I am a strong believer in public transportation, and I feel we need to make it more efficient and more accessible. In addition, we should consider public/private partnerships with ride-sharing solutions and better traffic flow programs like red light timing.