Los Angeles Municipal Code Art. 1 Duties of the Department

Section 22.800 Purposes. 22.801 Duties of the Department.

There shall be a department in the City government known as the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment which shall be referred to in this chapter as the “Department”. This Department shall be charged with the goal of promoting increased public participation in government and working to make government more responsive to local needs. The Department shall ensure that every part of the City is within the boundaries of a neighborhood council. The Department shall provide equal opportunity for all by enabling neighborhood groups to form neighborhood councils. The Department shall facilitate the delivery of City services to the neighborhoods by helping to identify and coordinate the needs of the communities with the responsibilities of the City departments by coordinating and involving the relevant City staff in integrated problem-solving with the neighborhood councils.

SECTION HISTORY

Chapter, Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

The Department shall be under the control of a General Manager.

SECTION HISTORY

Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

The General Manager shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Council, and may be removed by the Mayor, as provided in Charter Section 508.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

The powers and duties of the General Manager shall be those specified in Charter Section 510.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

(a) The Board of Neighborhood Commissioners shall consist of seven board members and be referred to in this chapter as the “Board” or the “Commission”.

(b) The Board shall be comprised of seven members all of whom shall represent the City in its entirety. The members shall reflect the diverse geographic areas of the City, whereby the appointed Board members shall each be a resident or worker within one of the seven Area Planning Commission regions, and reflect the diversity of communities of interest, neighborhoods, ethnicity, race, gender, age, homeowner and renter status, and sexual orientation. The Mayor is encouraged to consider current and former members of neighborhood councils in appointing the Board members.

(c) The Board members shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council and may be removed by the Mayor and vacancies

filled in accordance with the provisions of the City Charter.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99. Amended by: Subsec. (b), Ord. No. 180,593, Eff. 4-25-09.

(a) The Board shall be responsible for setting and overseeing policy, approving contracts and leases, and promulgating rules and regulations. It shall not be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Department.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99. Amended by: Ord. No. 185,240, Eff. 12-13-17; Subsec. (b) repealed, Ord. No. 186,761, Eff. 10-16-20.

Members of the Board and Board nominees shall be subject to all ethics and conflict of interest laws and regulations applicable to governing boards and commissions in the City of Los Angeles.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

(a) The Board shall adopt rules of order and appoint from among its members a president and vice-president who each shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected, unless their respective membership on the Board ceases sooner. The Board shall hold regular public meetings at least twice each month and may hold meetings more often if necessary to conduct business. All meetings shall be noticed and held in accordance with law. Members of the Board shall be paid $50 per meeting for each meeting of the Board attended, not to exceed $250 in any one calendar month.

(b) At least four members shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time until a quorum is present. The Board may establish a committee or committees composed of three of its members to consider matters for, to conduct hearings on behalf of, and make recommendations to the board on matters relating to neighborhood empowerment.

(c) The powers conferred on the Board shall be exercised by order or resolution adopted by a majority of its members and recorded in the Board’s minutes.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99. Amended by: Ord. No. 173,492, Eff. 10-10-00.

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment shall seek public input in its development of a Plan for a Citywide system of neighborhood councils. The Plan shall contain a statement of goals, policies and objectives of the Neighborhood Council system, and shall contain specific regulations, in draft ordinance format. These regulations, when adopted by ordinance, shall be sufficient to implement the Plan and shall conform with the following:

(a) The regulations shall establish the method by which boundaries of neighborhood councils will be determined based on standards adopted by the Commission and approved by City Council. The system for determining boundaries shall maintain neighborhood boundaries to the maximum extent feasible and may consider community planning district boundaries where appropriate.

(b) The regulations must ensure that all areas of the City are given an equal opportunity to form neighborhood councils.

(c) The regulations shall establish the procedure and criteria for recognition or certification of neighborhood councils.

(d) The regulations shall not restrict the method by which the members of a neighborhood council are chosen, if the process otherwise satisfies the requirements of this article.

(e) The regulations shall require that neighborhood councils adopt fair and open procedures for the conduct of their business.

However, neighborhood council meetings are not all required to be held within the boundaries of the area represented by the neighborhood council.

(f) Early Notification Procedures. The regulations shall establish procedures for receiving input from neighborhood councils prior

to decisions by the City Council, City Council committees and boards and commissions. The procedures shall include, but need not be limited to, notice to neighborhood councils as soon as practical and a reasonable opportunity to provide input before decisions are made. That notice shall be required for matters that will be considered by the City Council, City Council committees, City boards or commissions and any other City official who is required to hold a noticed public hearing. However, failure of a neighborhood council to receive notice shall not invalidate any action of the City Council, City Council Committees, City boards or commissions or any other City official.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

(a) By Laws. Each neighborhood council seeking official certification from the City shall submit an organization plan and by-laws to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment showing, at a minimum:

(1) the method by which their officers are chosen;

(2) that neighborhood council membership will be open to everyone who qualifies as a stakeholder as defined in Section 22.801.1;

(3) assurances that the members of the neighborhood council will reflect the diverse interests within their area;

(4) a system through which the neighborhood council will communicate with stakeholders on a regular basis;

(5) a system for financial accountability of its funds; and

(6) guarantees that all meetings will be open and public, and permit, to the extent feasible, stakeholders to participate in the conduct

of business, deliberation and decision-making.

(b) Petitioning for Certification and Approval. Neighborhood councils may petition for certification in accordance with rules and

procedures set forth in the Plan.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99. Amended by: Subsec. (a)(2), Ord. No. 179,680, Eff. 4-15-08; Subsec. (a)(2), Ord. No. 182,830, Eff. 1-26-14; Subsec. (a)(2), Ord. No. 186,761, Eff. 10-16- 20.

Each neighborhood council may present to the Mayor and Council an annual list of priorities for the City budget. The Mayor shall inform certified neighborhood councils of the deadline for submission so that the input may be considered in a timely fashion.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.

Neighborhood councils shall monitor the delivery of City services in their respective areas and have periodic meetings with responsible officials of City departments, subject to their reasonable availability.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,728, Eff. 8-30-99.