PPCC Board members participated in recent important events,
engaging with key government officials:

 CW Traci Park Breakfast with CD 11 Community Leaders 

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PPCC President Sue Kohl, Chair Emeritus Maryam Zar, At-large Rep Chris Spitz and Area Seven Rep Sharon Kilbride were honored to attend this special event with other CD 11 community leaders at the district office in Westchester on October 31, to hear from CW Park and CD11 staff about the Councilwoman's work and achievements, and to meet her special guest, newly-appointed LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell.  As CW Park remarked in her recent newsletter:  "It was an honor to host incoming LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell on the Westside and introduce him to some of our community members and talk about his vision and priorities around public safety. We are so excited to have him return to LAPD, and we welcome his partnership in restoring police resources in Los Angeles."

Chief McDonnell indicated to us that he is familiar with the Palisades and would be happy to engage with our community; we hope his busy schedule will allow him to be our guest at a PPCC meeting in the near future!  
 

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 WRAC HOC Roundtable with State, County & City Officials 



    
 

The Westside Regional Alliance of Councils Homelessness Committee (WRAC HOC) held a breakfast Roundtable at Belmont Village on October 28 in Westwood, with special guests State Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. The many attendees included additional federal, state, county and city reps and HOC members, including three PPCC Board members/representatives to the WRAC HOC:  Chris Spitz, WRAC & HOC Vice-Chair; Cindi Young, PPTFH co-President and primary PPCC rep to the HOC; and Maryam Zar, alternate PPCC rep to the HOC.

It was a successful event, during which the officials answered many questions (described as "challenging" by the Senator) and participated in a robust discussion of state policies and measures to address the homelessness crisis.  Sen. Allen's statement on social media: "Thank you Westside Regional Alliance of Councils for hosting Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, and me for a productive conversation on the state of homelessness in the region. We appreciate your engagement on this issue!"

Recent PPCC Executive Committee Action:

 Oppose Installation of Prominent Digital Billboards 

We have recently learned that two very large, two-sided digital billboards are planned (under the Metro Transportation Communication Network / "TCN" program) for a Westside location that many Palisadians frequent: an area along the freeway north of the 405 / 10 interchange.  PPCC has long opposed the installation of new digital billboards and has specifically opposed the Metro TCN program (as has the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils), arguing that digital billboards present public safety risks because of driver distraction, contribute to visual blight, and have negative environmental impacts.

PPCC's Executive Committee has therefore submitted a letter, consistent with our long-held positions, opposing this installation and urging Metro Board members, County Supervisors, Mayor Bass and City Councilmembers to take steps forthwith to exempt these obtrusive and dangerous billboards from the TCN program.  See the letter linked in the red button below.