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Hayley Munguia

Hahn Applauds Reduction in Homelessness in Long Beach 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Applauds Reduction in Homelessness in Long Beach

Hahn joined Mayor Rex Richardson and volunteers for the 2024 Homeless Count in January

Sacramento, CA—Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is applauding news that for the first time in nearly a decade, homelessness in the City of Long Beach has decreased according to Homeless Count results released this morning. The 2024 count shows 3,376 people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, a 2.1% decrease from last year—the first time the City has reported an overall decrease in homelessness since 2017.

Supervisor Hahn released the following statement:

“Time and time again, Long Beach has been willing to embrace solutions to homelessness and it is paying off. They stepped up during the pandemic to transform motels into shelter, they have welcomed permanent supportive housing, and they were one of the first cities I partnered with when we launched the Pathway Home encampment resolution program last year. Under the leadership of Mayor Rex Richardson, the City has treated this crisis with the urgency it demands.

“This decrease is great news, not only for Long Beach, but for the County as we work to turn the tide of the homelessness crisis with compassionate, effective solutions. We’re going to keep going.”

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Board Supports Legislation to Close Plastic Bag Ban Loophole 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Board Supports Legislation to Close Plastic Bag Ban Loophole

Los Angeles, CA—Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Chair Lindsey Horvath to throw the board’s support behind efforts in Sacramento to close an existing loophole in the statewide plastic bag ban.

A loophole in the 2014 California plastic bag ban exempted thicker plastic bags considered “reusable.” However, the vast majority of the thicker bags are used only once and are no longer considered recyclable, and the widespread use of them has led to Californians throwing away more pounds of plastic bags since the ban – not less. In 2014, when the ban was passed, Californians threw out roughly 315 million pounds of plastic bags. By 2022, Californians were throwing out 462 million pounds of plastic bags, a 47% increase.

“These thicker plastic bags may be called reusable, but most of us are only using them once,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “This loophole has undermined the state’s effort to reduce our use of single-use plastics and ironically made the problem worse. I appreciate Senator Ben Allen and his colleagues for taking this on and taking a stand against the plastics industry.”

The two pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 1053, authored by State Senators Ben Allen and Catherine Blakespear, and Assembly Bill 2236, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, would require stores statewide to provide recycled paper bags or reusable bags that are non-film plastic.

Read full motion here: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/191185.pdf

Hahn Tours Fire Station 164 After Devastating Fire 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Tours Fire Station 164 After Devastating Fire

Supervisor pledges support to rebuild

Huntington Park, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn was at Los Angeles County Fire Station 164 in Huntington Park where a fire broke out early this morning, destroying much of the station including fire trucks and paramedic units. She toured the damaged station alongside Huntington Park Mayor Karina Macias and Vice Mayor Arturo Flores and pledged her support for the firefighters and the department as they recover from this disaster and continue to serve the communities of Huntington Park and Cudahy.

“I wanted to be out here to see the damage for myself and tell our firefighters and our fire chief that I support them, the County supports them, and that we will provide all the resources needed to rebuild this station and ensure that Huntington Park and Cudahy can continue to depend on the greatest fire department in the world and that response times are not impacted by this tragedy,” said Supervisor Hahn.

Just before 4:00 a.m. this morning, Fire Station 164 personnel were awoken to the sound of a passerby alerting them to a fire in their station. Firefighters were able to fight the fire with assistance from firefighters from nearby stations who responded. Thankfully, no one was injured, and the fire was officially declared controlled at 5:17 am.

“This was a tragedy, and we are going to get to the bottom of what happened, but in the meantime, we are going to take care of these firefighters who valiantly came down from their sleeping quarters in t-shirts and flip-flops and grabbed hoses to fight this fire and defend their home,” continued Supervisor Hahn, in a video posted to Instagram.

Personnel of Fire Station 164 have been temporarily relocated to a station in the City of Vernon. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

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Hahn Honors LA County Armenian American Leaders for Armenian Heritage Month 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Honors LA County Armenian American Leaders for Armenian Heritage Month

Albert Tchoukadarian and Dr. Armond Aghakhanian accepted honors at Board of Supervisors Meeting Tuesday

Los Angeles, CA – This morning, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn recognized two local Armenian American leaders on the occasion of Armenian History Month, which Supervisor Kathryn Barger led the Board of Supervisors in proclaiming for the month of April.

“LA County’s Armenian heritage runs deep. This is a community that found refuge here, and today is such a treasured part of our cultural, economic, and social fabric. And Albert and Armond are exceptional representatives for their community. Their contributions to business, education, opportunity, innovation, and so many other fields have changed lives and we are so fortunate to have them here,” said Hahn.

Albert Tchoukadarian heads the American Armenian Businessmen Coalition, a non-profit organization focused on philanthropy, charity, and education. His charity efforts also extend overseas; Tchoukadarian’s grandparents sought refuge in Lebanon during the Armenian Genocide, and today Tchoukadarian returns to Lebanon annually to bring financial assistance and medicine to Armenians living in poverty. Here in Los Angeles County he has created programs for job placement for recent immigrants, rental assistance for minorities, and facilitated partnerships between business owners and law enforcement to ensure a safe business environment.

Hahn presents her recogintion to Albert Tchoukadarian

Hahn also recognized Dr. Armond Aghakhanian, who serves as Director of the East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Foundation and the founder of ELAC’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Incubator. It is the only institution of its kind in the region created to accelerate the startup and growth phase for enterprises owned by people of color, women, veterans, the formerly incarcerated, and members of the LGBT community. He is also himself a lifelong educator, currently teaching at both Glendale Community College and ELAC.

Hahn honors Dr. Armond Aghakhanian

“Who would have thought that an 18-year-old who came from Germany as a refugee … would be standing here today not only being honored by five fearless, determined and loving and caring women … but also to be an elected official in the city of Burbank,” said Aghakhanian, who also serves as Vice President of the Burbank Board of Education. “Thank you everyone, thank you Supervisor Hahn. Thank you for this honor.”

Southeast Gateway Line Clears Final Hurdle Before Construction 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Southeast Gateway Line Clears Final Hurdle Before Construction

Metro Board Certifies Final Environmental Report for Phase 1 of 19-mile Line Through Southeast LA and Gateway Cities

Hahn and local elected officials during today’s Metro Board meeting.

Los Angeles – This morning, the LA Metro Board unanimously certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the first segment of the future Southeast Gateway Line. With the certification, the 14.5-mile segment of the project can now move on to the construction phase, expected to begin by the end of 2024. When completed, the 19-mile Southeast Gateway Line will serve 1.4 million residents between Union Station in Downtown LA and Artesia, running through Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, South Gate, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower, and Cerritos.

“No more waiting and wondering, this project will go forward,” said Supervisor and Metro Board Vice Chair Janice Hahn, who represents the region. “The era of Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities being left behind by new Metro rail projects is over. The cities along the line are ready, future riders are ready, and now we can finally get to work building this transformational project.”

The 14.5-mile phase of the project that can now begin construction covers the line’s segment between the A Line’s Slauson Station and Artesia, and will have eight stations. 44% of residents along the line live below the poverty level. Construction and operation of the Southeast Gateway Line will create between 37,000 to 46,000 jobs and generate $5 billion per year in economic activity for the region.

This $7.1 billion project is Metro’s top priority for federal funding. Certification of the Final EIR brings the agency one major step closer to federal funding to go along with over $2 billion in local and State funds already committed to the project.

Local elected officials celebrated the vote. L to R: Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Paramount; Maria Davila, South Gate; Ali Taj, Artesia.

Every city along the Southeast Gateway Line has entered into a Master Cooperative Agreement with Metro, showing their support for the project and desire to get it built as soon as possible. Several local elected officials from those cities attended the Metro Board meeting today and expressed support for the project:

“Many of our residents will depend on the Southeast Gateway Line to move around, and I look forward to welcoming visitors from across our region to Artesia. I’ve been on board since day one and we are more than ready to finally get to work in collaboration with Metro to get this line built.” – Ali Taj, Mayor Pro Tem of Artesia

“I would like to express our support for this project. Once it’s fully completed, the light rail line will provide a one-seat ride between our communities and Downtown LA. We look forward to having our communities in partnership with LA Metro.” – Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Paramount Councilmember and Vice Chair of Board of Directors, Gateway Cities Council of Governments

“This community has been long waiting for rail transportation equity and this a big step today for that to happen. Southeast Gateway Line signifies new job and educational opportunities, and it will change the lives of many in our cities.” – Karina Macias, Mayor of Huntington Park

“I represent over 100,000 people, and I can tell you that this project will be an impactful line. As a city we are there to support this project.” – Maria Davila, Vice Mayor of South Gate

Hahn Appoints San Pedro Homeless Services Advocate Amber Sheikh to Key LA Homeless Services Authority Commission 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Appoints San Pedro Homeless Services Advocate Amber Sheikh to Key LA Homeless Services Authority Commission

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn appointed San Pedro homeless services advocate Amber Sheikh to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commission. The ten-member body has the authority to make budgetary, funding, planning and program policies, and includes members representing both the City and County of Los Angeles. Sheikh has spent years working with and on behalf of people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.

“I’ve seen Amber in action, reaching out to our neighbors experiencing homelessness, encouraging them to accept help. That is exactly the type of determined, methodical, and passionate energy we need for LAHSA,” said Hahn. “She is a champion for unhoused people and our effort to tackle homelessness will be better off with her on this commission.”

Hahn and Sheikh speaking with a resident of a homeless encampment during an Inside Safe resolution in Harbor City last year.

Sheikh is the owner and Chief Impact Officer of Sheikh/Impact, a social-sector consulting firm working to raise the capacity of nonprofit organizations in the fields of justice reform, income inequality and healthcare access. Sheikh previously spent ten years in homeless services and urban poverty alleviation with various organizations including the Downtown Women’s Center, Children Today in Long Beach, and Indcare Trust in Delhi, India.

“I am grateful to Supervisor Hahn for this appointment, and both excited and humbled by the opportunity,” says Sheikh. “A lifelong Angeleno and advocate for the unhoused, I’ve witnessed Supervisor Hahn’s personal and political commitment to addressing our region’s most pressing issue firsthand. LAHSA has perhaps the most important mission of any public Commission, and I look forward to supporting efforts to achieve what I believe to be our ultimate goal: setting more of our neighbors on a path to safe, sustainable housing, leading to a better life.”

Sheikh, a daughter of Pakistani and English immigrants, mother of two, and San Pedro resident, was selected as Woman of the Year for the City of Los Angeles’s 15th District in 2019 for her homeless outreach work. She also serves as a board member of Social Justice Partners LA, Abode Community Housing and Maternal Mental Health Now.

Supervisors Unanimously Oppose Catalina Island Conservancy Plan to Gun Down Deer Population 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Supervisors Unanimously Oppose Catalina Island Conservancy Plan to Gun Down Deer Population

Conservancy Proposes Shooting 1,770 Mule Deer from Helicopters

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to express its opposition to a plan by the Catalina Island Conservancy to eradicate the entire mule deer population on Catalina Island by shooting the deer from helicopters.

“I understand the Conservancy’s concerns with the impact of the deer population, but I disagree that massacring hundreds of animals from helicopters is the right solution,” said Hahn, who represents Catalina Island. “This plan is extreme and I have heard from my constituents both on and off the island who oppose it. I am asking the Conservancy to put this plan on hold and reconsider several alternative proposals they had previously dismissed– including relocating the deer, extending the deer hunting season to thin the herd, and sterilization.”

The Conservancy has argued that the mule deer pose a threat to the island’s ecosystem by overgrazing and destroying native plants and habitats. It proposes eradicating the deer by shooting them from helicopters, a plan that has been met with outrage by many on and off the island. As of Tuesday morning, two petitions to halt the eradication plan have jointly received nearly 90,000 signatures.

With the unanimous support of the Supervisors, the Board will send a letter to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife opposing the Conservancy’s permit application based on the proposed methodology of eradicating mule deer through aerial shooting.

“Through this letter, the Board will advocate for the permit to be denied and if it is, the Conservancy will be forced to continue to work on an alternative solution that could be more widely accepted and supported,” said Supervisor Hahn during the board meeting.

Besides the small city of Avalon, the majority of Catalina Island—located about 22 miles off the coast—is unincorporated, and thus directly governed by the County of Los Angeles. The Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, manages 88% of the island’s 48,000 acres.

Hahn Applauds Investments in Mental Health, Solutions to Homelessness in LA County Budget 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Applauds Investments in Mental Health, Solutions to Homelessness in LA County Budget

Los Angeles, CA– Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has released the following statement applauding investments included in the LA County’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget which was advanced today by the Board of Supervisors:

“Four years ago, I made the decision to vote against a recommended budget because I did not think it met the moment. Today, I voted to advance a $45.4 billion budget that takes head-on the most serious crises we face: mental health and homelessness.

With 452 new positions in the Department of Mental Health, this budget includes the single biggest investment in our mental healthcare system since I joined the board eight years ago. It means we will be able to speed up response times to mental health crises calls, send more mental health experts into the field to work directly with people struggling on our streets and bring them inside, and perhaps most importantly, it will allow us to create more permanent supportive housing so that we can get people the treatment and support they need to stay housed.

At the same time, we are shifting our approach to the homelessness crisis by doubling down on the most effective strategies– like our Pathway Home operations where we master-lease local motels and bring entire encampment communities inside at once. These operations take time and planning, but they are the most successful approach I have seen yet.”

Hahn Applauds $44 Million for Zero Emissions Trucks at Port of Long Beach 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Applauds $44 Million for Zero Emissions Trucks at Port of Long Beach

Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has issued the following statement regarding news that federal grants totaling $44 million have been awarded to reduce truck emissions at the Port of Long Beach:

“Our ports are the single largest job creator in our county, but they are also the single biggest polluter in the region. This $44 million federal investment in zero emissions trucks at the Port of Long Beach backs up what I have believed my entire career: we do not need to choose between good jobs and clean air – we can, and we should have both. I applaud Congressman Garcia for fighting to bring these federal dollars home and the Biden Administration for prioritizing the health and well-being of our Harbor Area residents and communities along our 710 freeway.”

Hahn Releases Statement on Pico Rivera Incident 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Releases Statement on Pico Rivera Incident

Supervisor Hahn urges people experiencing mental health crises to call 988 Lifeline

Pico Rivera, CA — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has released the following statement regarding a tragic suicide in Pico Rivera this morning, April 18:

“This morning, the LA County Fire Department responded to a call in Pico Rivera and found a man suffering from burns across his body that were determined to be self-inflicted. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries.

The man’s identity is being determined, but I am heartbroken knowing he reached the end of his life desperately needing mental health intervention. We have to do a better job finding those who are in need of our help.

If you’re thinking about suicide, or are worried about a friend or loved one, I urge you to call 988. The 988 Lifeline operates 24/7 and is staffed by trained professionals.”