News

Los Angeles, CA—This morning, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn signed a declaration of local emergency as Hurricane Hilary makes its way into Southern California. County departments and agencies, including the Office of Emergency Management, LA County Fire Department, LA County Sheriff’s Department and LA County Public Works have mobilized augmented staff and equipment in preparation for the storm’s arrival.

“This storm is unlike any we have seen in recent memory, but LA County has been preparing. Our County departments have been hard at work to make sure that residents are aware of the storm’s progress and protected from its impacts as much as possible. But this is an all-hands-on-deck response, and with this declaration we will be able to receive state and federal assistance,” said Hahn. “I’m thankful for the round the clock work of our County family and this assistance from our state and federal partners.”

The emergency declaration unlocks the possibility of receiving emergency assistance including but not limited to funds from state and federal agencies.

“By proclaiming a local emergency, Los Angeles County, has the ability to use emergency powers, when necessary and request assistance from state and federal partners. It is also a mechanism to seek financial assistance from the state and federal governments and seek mutual aid from governmental and non-governmental organizations. This is just one measure the County is taking prior to the arrival of any severe weather coming to the area, in our expansive toolkit of preparedness and response we have at our disposal,” said Kevin McGowan, Director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management.

Rolling Hills Estates, CA — This morning, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn visited the site of last month’s land movement in the City of Rolling Hills Estates, where 10 homes were destroyed by a sudden shift in the hillside early last month. With Hurricane Hilary expected to bring rain and high winds to Southern California tomorrow and Monday, crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department began a process of entering all 12 red-tagged homes.

“The County of Los Angeles Fire Department’s specially trained urban search and rescue (USAR) team worked diligently throughout today to remove household hazardous products and personal items from red-tagged homes impacted by the land movement event that occurred in Rolling Hills Estates on Saturday, July 8, 2023,” said Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. “I am grateful our USAR team was also able to use this opportunity to bring some comfort to affected residents by retrieving and ensuring cherished heirlooms, photos, and other mementos found their way home to families.”

A total of 12 structures were red-tagged, including the 10 homes destroyed in the land movement and two others that have not moved but that are at risk. On July 8, residents were given 20 minutes to evacuate and have not reentered their homes since.

“These residents had just minutes to evacuate. They left behind family heirlooms, passports, birth certificates, treasured belongings. Today LA County is doing everything we can to try to help them recover some of those items,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “They lost not only their belongings and their homes but the land itself. We hope that getting some important items back will really help as they continue the long process of recovering.”

In addition to the personal belongings retrieved, the USAR teams were searching for and removing hazardous materials from homes, including cleaning products. With Hilary expected to bring heavy rain, those toxic substances could be washed out to sea, presenting a risk to beaches and marine life.

RHE Hilary

Structural engineers from LA County Public Works are also on site to help in the effort. They are continuously evaluating the site for land movement, ensuring that conditions remain safe before the USAR teams enter the structures.

“LA County Public Works has been supporting the City of Rolling Hills Estates as they assist their residents during this difficult time. Public Works is providing geotechnical and structural support to the LA County Fire USAR team to maximize safety as they retrieve household hazardous waste to prevent it from going into the ocean during the storm, and to retrieve irreplaceable items for the residents who have already lost so much,” said Public Works Director Mark Pestrella, PE.

Representatives from the City of Rolling Hills Estates were also present, and have worked closely with the LA County Fire Department since the land movement.

“The City of Rolling Hills Estates is grateful to the Los Angeles County Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue Team for their recovery mission on Peartree Lane,” said Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Britt Huff. “This operation to collect household hazardous waste from the homes was critical to protecting the environment ahead of the anticipated rain this weekend, and I know our residents appreciated the retrieval of some personal items as well. We also thank Supervisor Hahn and her office for the continuous support and dedication of County resources.”

Artesia, CA—On Saturday, August 19, 2023, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn will hold a gun buyback event in Artesia in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Artesia. The drive-thru event will be held from 10am to 2pm in the parking lot of the Artesia branch of the LA County Public Library at Artesia Park. It gives residents an opportunity to exchange any gun for gift cards, no questions asked. The event’s location near the junction of the 91 and 605 freeways offers easy access for residents from across the Gateway Cites region.

“No one is safer with a gun in the home. It can be stolen and used in a crime, it can fall into the hands of children, it can discharge accidentally. We want to make it as easy as possible for residents to exchange guns they no longer want, and help keep their families and communities safe,” said Hahn. “I’m glad to be able to bring this opportunity to Artesia.”

The event marks the sixth gun buyback that Hahn has held since last May across her district. Altogether the events have collected over 1,120 guns.

There are important guidelines to participating in the buyback that ensure the safety of the public and LASD officers. Participants should not arrive on foot or transit, and should transport firearms unloaded and in the trunk of a vehicle.

Los Angeles, CA—Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the distribution of $130,455,070 to Los Angeles County Public Works for stormwater capture projects through the Safe, Clean Water project. $42,404,419 of those dollars will go toward projects in 13 cities in the Fourth District. Safe, Clean Water funds are generated by the Measure W parcel tax passed by voters in 2018.

“The wet winter we had this year and the hot summer we’re in now are red flags: our weather is becoming more unpredictable. That means our traditional sources of water will be less reliable. This historic investment in capturing stormwater under communities across LA County is setting us up to meet this moment,” said Chair of the Board Janice Hahn.

Two Safe, Clean Water projects are already under construction by Los Angeles County Public Works in Hahn’s district. In February, Hahn broke ground on a 6.4 million gallon underground and above-ground runoff capture system at Adventure Park in South Whittier. There is also a stormwater capture component to a new park currently under construction in the unincorporated community of Walnut Park, which will open later this year. The underground infiltration will capture water from an area of more than 31 acres surrounding the park.

“The funds approved today by the Board of Supervisors will go a long way towards ensuring all Los Angeles County residents have access to safe, clean, and reliable water resources,” said Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella P.E.

Among the cities receiving the largest funds are Paramount, with a total of $11,618,308 for stormwater capture projects are Progress Park and Spane Park, Bellflower, with $5,632,570 for John S. Simms and Carruthers Parks, and La Mirada, with $5,752,200 for the La Mirada Creek Park Project.

Click here for a complete list of projects in the Fourth District, including in the cities of Downey, South Gate, Huntington Park, Lakewood, Long Beach, Artesia, La Habra Heights, Los Angeles, Lomita, and Torrance.

South Whittier, CA – On Tuesday August 1, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn will host a National Night Out event at Mayberry Park in South Whittier. The event will feature a public safety display, food vendors, games, live music, and a chance for residents to meet deputies from the South Whittier Sheriff’s Station.

“Our Sheriff’s deputies are valued members of the communities they serve across LA County, and residents are important partners in keeping our neighborhoods safe. National Night Out is a great opportunity for residents to meet the deputies who serve their neighborhood and learn about all of the resources available to them in that partnership,” said Supervisor Hahn, who represents South Whittier.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna will join Hahn for a brief program at the event. The event begins with a Peace March from the Community Resource Center (10750 Laurel Ave.) to Mayberry Park.

Who: Supervisor Janice Hahn

Sheriff Robert Luna

Director Norma Garcia, LA County Department of Parks and Recreation

What: National Night Out March and Rally Against Crime

When: Tuesday, August 1, 2023, 5:30pm – 8:00pm

5:30pm – Peace March begins

6:00pm – Event begins

Where: Mayberry Park

13201 E Meyer Rd.

Whittier, CA

484048 LGTBQ Center Site Visit 06-14-23 (Photo by Bryan Chan / Los Angeles County)

Whittier, CA – Today, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn and California State Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier) are announcing a plan to create a LGBTQ+ Service Center in the City of Whittier. The center will be established in an existing LA County building at 7639 Painter Avenue. Assemblymember Calderon secured $4.2 million in the state’s budget to support the creation and operation of the future center.

“The LGBTQ+ residents of Whittier and surrounding areas have always had to travel far to find dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces. There just isn’t anything like that in this area. That’s going to change when this center opens. When this space became available, I knew we had to snatch it up,” said Chair Hahn, who represents Whittier and who recently visited the construction site. “At a time when the rhetoric of hate across our country is louder than ever, LGBTQ+ centers like the one we’re building here are lifelines for this community. I’m thankful for Assemblymember Calderon’s work to secure the state funding we needed to make this a reality.”

LGBTQ Whittier

The property, which already belongs to the County and has sat empty since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, consists of a single-story building of approximately 2,694 square feet and a surface parking lot. It is currently undergoing previously planned upgrades by Los Angeles County Public Works.

“It is important to bring resources to my district that help our communities thrive. That is why I am pleased to partner with Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to establish a new LGBTQ+ Center in Whittier,” stated Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, Whittier resident and representative for the state’s 56th Assembly District. “I was thrilled to advocate for this project in the legislature, which will support the livelihoods of my constituents and individuals in the region through the creation of a safe and supportive space for all!”

At the direction of Supervisor Hahn, the County’s Internal Services Department is already conducting evaluations of the site’s ADA accessibility, building systems, designs, costs, and programmatic needs for the future center. The Internal Services Department will next provide the Board of Supervisors with cost and timeline estimates.

Los Angeles, CA – Today the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors proclaimed June 12, 2023 as “Philippine Independence Day” in Los Angeles County. The motion, authored by Chair of the Board Janice Hahn and coauthored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, reads in part “The Board of Supervisors recognizes the importance of this day to Filipino residents in Los Angeles County and the contributions made by Filipino employees who are a vital part of our County workforce and continually dedicate themselves to serving our communities.”

“The histories of Los Angeles County and of the Philippines are inextricably linked, and Filipino immigrants have shaped our region over generations. We’re honoring those historical ties and also saying to our Filipino community: LA County is celebrating with you,” said Chair of the Board Janice Hahn. “I’m especially thankful for the role that our Filipino employee groups like the LA County Filipino American Employees Association and the Filipino American Employees Association of DPSS play in the life of our County government, and I wish them a very happy celebration of Philippine independence next month.”

Los Angeles County, which has the largest Asian American population of any county in the nation, is home to more than 340,000 Filipino Americans.

“This June 12 will commemorate the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day, marking the historic day when the Philippines declared independence from Spain. I am proud to represent a vibrant community of Filipino American residents, from Historic Filipinotown to West Covina. I am honored to celebrate this historic milestone with them and am so grateful to them for their part in making our County so special,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District.

After 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, Filipino rebels declared independence on June 12, 1898. After its defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War, the United States subsequently annexed the Philippines, and governed the archipelago until full independence was granted on July 4, 1946.

Manhattan Beach, CA– This morning, less than two years after she announced her intention to return Bruce’s Beach to the Bruce family, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn celebrated the official transfer of the property to the great grandsons of Willa and Charles Bruce.  Hahn joined Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Senator Steven Bradford, members of the Bruce family including Anthony Bruce and Derrick Bruce, and local activist Kavon Ward for a ceremony at Bruce’s Beach to mark the occasion.

Supervisor Hahn has released the following statement:

“When I met with our County lawyers last year and said I wanted to return this property to the Bruce family, they told me nothing like it had ever been done before. No government in this country had returned land that was taken from a Black family unjustly. They said the work ahead of us would be unprecedented. Now, we are sending a message to every government in this nation confronted with this same challenge: this work is no longer unprecedented. We have set the precedent and it is the pursuit of justice. 

Today I am thinking of Willa Bruce, who never gave up on getting this land back for her family.  I am thinking of her children and grandchildren, who were denied the generational wealth and opportunity that should have been theirs.  I am thinking of her great grandsons, Derrick and Marcus Bruce, who today become the owners of some of the most beautiful beachfront property in the world. And I am thinking of the generations of Bruces to come – whose lives will be forever changed because of the wrong we are setting right today. 

We can’t change the past. And we will never be able to make up for the injustice that was done to Willa and Charles Bruce nearly a century ago. But this is a start. ”

Learn more about Bruce’s Beach: https://ceo.lacounty.gov/ardi/bruces-beach/

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Los Angeles, CA – Today, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn named two community leaders and educators to serve on the County’s Commission on Human Relations – Hawaiian Gardens resident Dandy De Paula and Whittier resident Lisa Michelle Dabbs.

“The Commission on Human Relations has the monumental and important task of combating prejudice and hate in an increasingly diverse LA County,” said Supervisor Hahn. “It can’t do this without the expertise of individuals who have spent years supporting and improving their communities and know what residents of these communities need to thrive. Dandy De Paula and Lisa Michelle Dabbs are two such individuals – I am proud to appoint them both today, and I know they will do great work.”

Both De Paula and Dabbs bring with them to the Commission decades of experience in education and community leadership.

De Paula – a native of the Philippines – is a resident of Hawaiian Gardens who has worked since 2003 in the field of Early Childhood Education. He currently serves as a Program Director of Covenant Kids Preschool, helping local kids get a quality education in a safe and nurturing environment. De Paula has received numerous awards from the City of Hawaiian Gardens and the ABC Unified School District for his organizing and outreach efforts in Hawaiian Gardens. He also previously received a Certificate of Appreciation from Supervisor Hahn commending him for his community work.

“Serving others has been my passion and I am deeply honored to have been given this great opportunity to continue my work in helping improve the quality of life and create healthy relationships,” said De Paula.

Starting her career as a teacher, Whittier resident Lisa Michelle Dabbs is an education leader who worked for over 15 years as a school principal in four different school districts in LA County. She was elected in 2018 to serve as President of the East Whittier City School District Board and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of La Verne, where she teaches courses in school administration. She is also a published author. Her book “Standing in the Gap: Empowering New Teachers Through Connected Resources” is taught in teacher education courses across the globe.

“I’m honored to receive this appointment to the Commission on Human Relations, the longest-standing Commission of its kind in the US,” said Dabbs. “I want to thank Supervisor Hahn for selecting me to serve and represent the diverse community of Los Angeles County on this Commission. As a second-generation Latina, I have dedicated my education career to championing the rights of the underserved. The mission of the Commission speaks to that commitment that I have had and to leaving a lasting impact by striving to bring the community together around the issues of diversity that matter to our LA County residents. Lastly, I look forward to connecting with my fellow Commissioners and in collaboration with them, becoming a valued member of this important Human Relations work. I want to again thank Supervisor Hahn for entrusting me to this important Commission appointment.

The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations is a 15-member body dedicated to promoting positive human relations and protecting human rights in an increasingly complex and multicultural LA County. Partnering with schools, cities, community-based organizations, and other leaders, the Commission brings key players together to resolve intercultural conflicts and to work toward the longer-term aim of eradicating bias and prejudice in LA County. Each Supervisor names three Commissioners who serve multi-year terms.

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Los Angeles, CA — Today, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn appointed Palos Verdes Estates resident Jonathan Beutler to the Los Angeles County Library Commission.   

“LA County’s libraries are where our residents can experience the world through literature and culture,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Jonathan’s perspective and unique experiences from around the world will really enrich the Commission.”

With graduate degrees in Hispanic literature from the University of Barcelona and in Public Policy from UCLA, Beutler served in the United States Department of State and completed fellowships with the Anti-Defamation League, the German Marshall Fund, and the U.S.-Spain Council. Since returning to Los Angeles County, Beutler has held various leadership positions in organizations across the Fourth District, including as Chairman of both the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce and the Harbor City Harbor Gateway Chamber of Commerce.

“As a dedicated and lifelong library patron, I have a deep passion for our public libraries and the services they offer, as well as what they represent to our community,” said Beutler. “It is a tremendous honor to be called upon to serve as Commissioner.”

The Los Angeles County Library Commission is tasked with advising the Board of Supervisors and the County Librarian on matters of library policy, administration, operation, and service.

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