Hahn Congratulates McDonnell on Selection as New LAPD Chiefhttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Los Angeles, CA – This morning, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that she had selected Jim McDonnell to serve as the new chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. McDonnell served in the LAPD for 28 years before serving as chief of the Long Beach Police Department and then being elected Los Angeles County Sheriff in 2014.
Supervisor Janice Hahn issued the following statement:
“I worked with Jim during his long career in the LAPD and as he led the Long Beach PD and our Sheriff’s Department. He brings the integrity, cool head, and steady hand to this job that our communities and the rank and file officers deserve. Jim also has a long history of working with Sheriff Robert Luna and I’m confident that with him at the helm of LAPD, our two largest law enforcement agencies will start a new chapter of close cooperation. When the safety of our communities is on the line, we can’t afford anything less than that. I congratulate Jim McDonnell and applaud Mayor Bass on her decision.”
Hahn Applauds FCC Announcement of Vote to Require Georouting for all 9-8-8 Callshttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Los Angeles, CA — This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that they will hold a vote on October 17 to adopt new rules that would require U.S. wireless carriers to implement georouting for calls made to 9-8-8, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Georouting will ensure that calls are routed to the call center geographically closest to the caller instead of based on the caller’s area code, which could route calls to dispatchers far from the caller’s current location. The change already began last week, with Verizon and T-Mobile voluntarily implementing georouting. AT&T plans to begin over the next few months, and next month’s vote would require it of all other carriers. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has released the following statement applauding the announcement.
“When someone is facing a mental health crisis, every minute counts. We have the teams and tools to help, we’ve just lacked the ability to get the call to the right place because of how 9-8-8 identified a caller’s location. With georouting we will finally be able to get this call to someone in the caller’s area and dispatch the help they so desperately need,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Verizon and T-Mobile have done the right thing already and now thanks to the FCC’s leadership, everyone will have access to this life-saving service no matter where they are or who their carrier is. This is an absolute game-changer for those who need us most.”
Background
Since the 9-8-8 national mental health crisis hotline launched in 2022, it has received more than 10 million calls, texts, and chats from individuals in their moments of need. But the federal legislation that created 9-8-8 designed the number to be routed to call centers based on the area code of the caller’s phone number, rather than the caller’s location. This has presented a problem in Los Angeles County because it is one of the few counties that has set 9-8-8 up to be able to connect to mobile crisis response teams when callers need an in-person response. If someone calls 9-8-8 from their cell phone with an out-of-county area code, they will not reach the Los Angeles County call center and cannot connect to mobile crisis response teams.
Last year, Supervisor Janice Hahn raised this issue with her former colleagues in Congress both in discussions in Los Angeles and meetings in Washington, D.C., seeking a fix. Both Congressman Tony Cardenas and Senator Alex Padilla have introduced legislation to fix the issue and require 9-8-8 calls to be georouted to the call center nearest to the caller rather than routed based on a caller’s area code. In March, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the FCC would pursue new rulemaking to put in place georouting without the need for Congress to pass a legislative fix. The proposed rules were published in May and Los Angeles County submitted comment in support. The vote on October 17 would publish the final rules to require georouting for all mobile carriers.
Southeast LA and Gateway Cities Leaders Champion New Metro Line in Washingtonhttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Southeast LA leaders in Washington, DC. L to R: Maywood Councilmember Heber Marquez; Paramount Councilmember Isabel Aguayo; Lakewood Councilmember David Arellano; Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo; Supervisor Janice Hahn; Gateway Cities Council of Governments Executive Director Hector De La Torre; Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Ali Taj; South Gate Vice Mayor Maria Davila; Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins; Paramount Councilmember Vilma Cuellar Stallings.
Washington, DC—Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is in Washington, DC leading a delegation of Southeast Los Angeles and Gateway Cities elected officials to champion the need for federal funding for the planned Southeast Gateway Metro Rail Line.
“Residents across Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities have been taking two, three buses to get to work, to school, and to doctor’s appointments,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “These communities need and deserve this high quality, reliable rail line, that will not only help people get to their jobs in other parts of the County but will be an investment in jobs and businesses along the route itself. This project has cleared every hurdle necessary and now it’s time to get it the funding it deserves from our federal partners and get it built.”
The Southeast Gateway Line is a new Metro light rail transit line that will stretch from Artesia through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, and unincorporated Florence-Firestone to Union Station which will provide fast, reliable transit service to communities that have long been underserved. Along the route, one-in-five residents are transit dependent and do not have their own car.
In recent weeks, the project has gotten its official certification completing the environmental process, making it officially eligible for federal funding. Now, Supervisor Janice Hahn and members of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments are in Washington meeting with the Biden Administration and members of Congress advocating for the federal funding the Southeast Gateway Line needs. The delegation includes Paramount Councilmember Vilma Cuellar Stallings who also serves as the Chair of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, Paramount Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Ali Taj, Maywood Councilmember Heber Marquez, South Gate Vice Mayor Maria Davila, Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo, and Lakewood Councilmember David Arellano.
“The dozen communities along the Southeast Gateway Line are unified in supporting accessibility to jobs, cultural, and educational opportunities through this project,” said Vilma Cuellar Stallings who serves as a council member for the City of Paramount as well as President of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. “We are grateful to partner with Supervisor Janice Hahn in advocating with the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Leaders to improve our residents’ quality of life.”
The project was proposed over twenty years ago and was included in both voter-approved sales tax measures Measure R and Measure M with nearly $2 billion in local sales tax going toward its construction. Supervisor Hahn had partially blamed the project’s former name (the West Santa Ana Branch) for preventing it from getting the funding and attention it deserves. Earlier this year, Hahn held a renaming contest in which thousands of residents across LA County voted to name the project the “Southeast Gateway Line.”
Metro plans to begin the important utility relocation and pre-construction work later this Fall to prepare for major construction of the Southeast Gateway Line in the next few years.
Hahn Transfers $5 Million to Rancho Palos Verdes, Urges City to Provide Individual Assistance Immediatelyhttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is transferring five million dollars from her office to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in response to recent accelerated land movement and is urging the city to provide individual assistance to struggling residents immediately.
“I am urging the city to cut red tape, take the funding I am providing, and get it directly to the residents who need it as soon as possible,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I am talking to people every day who are not only losing their homes but their entire life savings. This is a crisis, and we need to meet this moment.”
September 13, 2024 Mayor and Members of City Council City of Rancho Palos Verdes 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Dear Mayor Cruikshank and Councilmembers,
I am writing to you about the five million dollars in funding that I am providing your city in response to the ongoing land movement that has devastated homes and communities across Rancho Palos Verdes. While I understand that the city has major costs associated with this disaster, I urge you to use this funding to immediately provide individual assistance to the impacted residents.
I talk to people every day who are at the end of their rope. We still need to fight for more state and federal resources. But in the meantime, our residents are getting more desperate every day, and they need this help now.
My office and the County stand ready to help you put together a process that expedites this assistance. We can’t allow this funding to be caught in any red tape. This is a crisis, and we need to meet this moment.
Sincerely,
JANICE HAHN Supervisor, 4th District County of Los Angeles
CC:
Ara Mihranian City Manager 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Board Approves Major Improvement Project for Carmenita Rd. and Imperial Hwy. Intersection in Santa Fe Springs and South Whittierhttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a major improvement project for the intersection of Carmenita Road and Imperial Highway in the City of Santa Fe Springs and the unincorporated community of South Whittier. The project, which includes improvements to intersection safety and pedestrian access, has a total cost of $2 million and will begin construction in April 2025. Completion is expected by September 2025.
“Thousands of residents depend on this infrastructure to keep them safe and to keep streets flowing smoothly,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area. “These improvements are going to deliver reduced congestion, better mobility, and greater safety for everyone living near and traveling through this intersection.”
Carmenita Road includes 2 travel lanes in each direction while Imperial Highway comprises 3 travel lanes in each direction. The improvement project includes upgrades to traffic detection/CCTV and pedestrian accessibility as well as signal timing improvements, relocation of pedestrian heads to new poles, and the installation of new type street name.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety and mobility of all our residents and the Carmenita Road and Imperial Highway Intersection Improvements Project is a vital step in that direction. By enhancing safety measures and optimizing traffic flow, we are creating a safer environment for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike. This project will not only help reduce congestion but also create greater connectivity within our community, making daily commutes more efficient and secure for everyone,” said Santa Fe Springs Mayor Jay Sarno.
The program’s costs will be shared between the County and the City of Santa Fe Springs. The County’s jurisdictional shares of the project cost are estimated to be $1,520,000, with the city responsible for the remaining $480,000.
Supervisors Unanimously Support EPA Proposal to Add Exide Site to Federal Superfund Sitehttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Hahn and Solis visited homes near the former Exide battery recycling plant undergoing cleanup last year.
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisors Hilda L. Solis and Janice Hahn to express its support for a proposal by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to add the former Exide battery recycling plant and surrounding communities into the National Priorities List as a Superfund site in Spring of 2025. The former battery recycling plant contaminated soil in homes across Southeast Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and Boyle Heights over a period of decades. Many continue to deal with lead contamination and inadequate cleanup.
Hahn, who represents the communities of Southeast Los Angeles impacted by the contamination, released the following statement:
“The families impacted by the Exide disaster have faced one indignity after another. Home should be our safest place, but instead their homes were marred by toxic contamination. And to add insult to injury, there are serious concerns about the pace, efficacy and scale of the state’s cleanup efforts.
“Securing the Superfund designation will mean that the federal government grasps what we’ve already known: that this problem is urgent and that these communities deserve better. It is not just about cleaning up contamination; it’s about restoring dignity for these communities.”
With the unanimous support of the Supervisors, the Board will send a letter to the EPA reaffirming the County’s support for this important step in finishing the cleanup with the breadth of resources available for Superfund sites. The Exide site proposal is currently in the standard 60-day public comment period required of all proposed additions to the National Priorities List. The EPA must respond to any comments received before the site can be added.
Hahn Statement on Fire that Destroyed Beloved South Whittier Restauranthttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has issued the following statement regarding a fire early this morning that destroyed Pizzamania and other nearby businesses in South Whittier:
“Early this morning, a fire tore through five businesses in a strip mall on Telegraph Road in South Whittier, including Pizzamania — a beloved institution in this community for 50 years. LA County Firefighters responded quickly, but the restaurant is almost completely destroyed. I know that both the business owners and the employees alike are facing a very difficult time in the wake of this fire and I will be directing our LA County Department of Economic Opportunity and Department of Consumer and Business Affairs to connect these workers and businesses so that we can offer any help and support we can.”
Hahn Applauds EPA Proposal to Add Exide Site to Superfund Listhttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it proposes adding the Exide Technologies facility in the City of Vernon to the Superfund National Priorities List of hazardous waste sites eligible to receive funding for long-term investigation and cleanup. The former battery recycling plant contaminated soil in homes across Southeast Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and Boyle Heights over a period of decades. Many continue to deal with lead contamination and inadequate cleanup.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents Vernon and surrounding communities, issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement represents a massive step forward in our effort to cleanup Exide’s contamination once and for all and bring some amount of justice to the families that have borne the brunt of the consequences of this corporation’s negligence and greed. It took a partnership at every level of government to get us to this point and we will continue to push for the highest possible standard of lead remediation. These residents and their children deserve nothing less.”
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA — Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn issued the following statement regarding Governor Newsom’s announcement today that he had declared a state of emergency in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes as residents continue to cope with the land movement crisis:
“Thank you, Governor Newsom. This declaration comes just at the right time as people are not only seeing their homes crumble around them, but have now also been cut off from power. This situation is bigger than the City or even the County. I appreciate the state for recognizing the enormity of this crisis.”
CA Legislature Approves Archuleta Bill to Allow Unused Property at Metropolitan State Hospital to be Converted to Mental Health Treatment and Housinghttps://hahn.lacounty.gov/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Hayley MunguiaHayley Munguiahttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/630b38108b5fe959ca74b3e2916d05a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Sacramento, CA – On Wednesday, August 28, on a bi-partisan 39-0 vote, the California Legislature approved a measure authored by Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera) and championed by Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to allow LA County to develop a mental health community on the Metropolitan State Hospital campus to treat and house people with mental illness.
“This is a significant first step to allow state property in LA County to be redeveloped and repurposed to address two of the most pressing issues we face – mental illness and homelessness,” said Senator Bob Archuleta. “As we seek the Governor’s signature, it is clear that collaboration between the State, local governments and community stakeholders remain vital if we are to succeed in addressing our homeless and mental health crisis.”
“We are battling a mental health crisis and we desperately need places where we can treat and house people who are struggling,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “With just a small corner of this State property we can provide care and support for hundreds of people at a time. The need is overwhelming and we have no time to waste. I urge the Governor to sign the bill as soon as it gets to his desk, and I look forward to working with our State partners to get these mental health facilities up and running.”
SB 1336 authorizes the director of the Department of General Services (DGS) to lease seven buildings that are currently unused at Metropolitan State Hospital to a nonprofit or local government for the purposes of providing housing and/or treatment to people with behavioral health needs.
The Metropolitan State Hospital (MSH) is a state-run public hospital located in the City of Norwalk specializing in psychiatric care. The 826-bed hospital is operated by the Department of State Hospitals and has an open campus within a security perimeter on 162 acres of state property. Currently, the state hospital admits patients in four different categories: incompetent to stand trial, offender with mental health disorder, not guilty by reason of insanity, and conservatorship Lanterman-Petris-Short Act.
Under the leadership of Supervisor Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County is seeking to renovate the buildings to develop a new mental health community campus that will serve adults and transitional age youth with varying mental health and housing needs. In June, the State and County entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement regarding the leasing of the seven buildings on the Metropolitan State Hospital Campus for this purpose.
The Los Angeles County Care Community will include a series of facilities offering diverse treatment and housing options for people with mental health challenges to be overseen by the LA County Department of Mental Health. These seven buildings were identified through a collaborative effort between the County and State. To create this Care Community, Los Angeles County will be using various grant programs and funding provided by the State as part of the State’s response to the homelessness and mental health crisis.
SB 1336 and the mental health campus proposal comes in response to the growing concerns over the state’s mental health and homelessness crises. It is clear the State and Los Angeles County need more facilities and housing options for individuals with mental health challenges. The Los Angeles County Care Community represents an innovative solution to a complex problem and is an example of the County and State collaborating to identify government property that can be converted into housing while providing access to essential services.
“Using state-owned underutilized land to house people with mental health needs is a win-win situation for both the individual and the communities in which they reside by getting them the support they need and off the street,” said Archuleta.
The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk where he must sign or veto it by the end of next month.