CD5 board member Paul Koretz brought most of his staff to meet with residents at an online meeting hosted by the Hancock Park Homeowners Association earlier this month. Although the area is new to the Koretz district, he said he knows the area and its issues very well and is looking forward to working in the area. Currently serving his last term on the Los Angeles City Council due to term limits, Koretz said he regrets only having one year to serve the neighborhood his district has adjoined for 12 years. His comments and willingness to discuss public safety and municipal services stood in stark contrast to the ward’s first meeting with newly elected CD4 council member Nithya Raman just over a year ago. The Los Angeles City Council’s redistricting process changed the council office boundary placing Hancock Park, along with nine other Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council neighborhoods in CD5.
“Wow, what a difference,” Hancock Park Homeowners Association President Cindy Chvatal-Keane told The Buzz. “What a pleasure it was to meet CM Koretz. He brought his staff, he brought LADOT officials who could provide answers on the spot. What a difference it makes to have someone who has experience and knows how to hire good people.
Koretz outlined his office’s priorities, including homelessness, public safety, environmental protection and neighborhood preservation, adding that public safety has recently become a higher priority with increased criminal activity in the city. Melrose region. Koretz said his office has provided security grants to faith groups and LGBT institutions in the district. He urged residents to report all crimes to the LAPD as it deploys police resources based on crime statistics that include citizen and resident reports.
Koretz also said he supports repairing concrete streets in the neighborhood, starting with the worst intersections identified by the neighborhood association. And he has also pledged to water the palm trees in the historic Highlands median.
Koretz said he was proud of his recent efforts to oppose legislation proposed by State Sen. Scott Weiner that would reduce local control over planning and land use. He said he is currently working on a city ordinance that would reduce damage and potential damage that could be caused by SB 9 and SB 10, which call for increased density but no affordable housing. He asked residents to help support his motion that would allow city officials to suspend any AirBNB rentals while it goes through the appeals process. (Currently, non-compliant units are allowed to continue operating.) Koretz said his office is working closely with the LAPD to try to shut down some of the worst offenders where large gatherings and parties are happening, violating COVID protocols. . Koretz said he aspires to be “their worst nightmare on city council,” arresting illegal operators and criminally prosecuting owners. He urged residents to contact Greg Martayan, his Public Safety Deputy at (213) 505-8420 or [email protected] to report any violations.
On homelessness, Koretz said he was advocating for the removal of all encampments as the pandemic continued, but focusing on the most problematic.
Koretz introduced his district deputy, Rob Fisher, a friendly and familiar face to residents from his work on the staff of former CD4 board member David Ryu. Koretz said Fisher can be reached at (323) 866-1828 or by email at [email protected]. In addition, Koretz introduced the following other members of his staff attending the meeting: Justin Orenstein, Senior Policy Advisor; Jay Greenstein, deputy chief of field and transportation; Greg Martayan, CD5 Director of Public Safety and Special Assignments; Joan Pelico, Chief of Staff CD5; James Ingram, field assistant; Daniel Skolnick, Senior Planning Assistant; Angel Izard, Homelessness Policy and Strategy Liaison; and Jill Kline, field assistant for the Beverly Grove, Carthay, Fairfax and Melrose areas.
Bhuvan Bajaj, District Engineer of LADOT and Brian Gallagher, also of LADOT, joined the meeting to discuss reducing traffic accidents on 6th Street.
Bajaj reported that the DOT would like to install speed tables on 6th Street, between Highland Avenue and La Brea Avenue, in response to repeated requests for action to reduce accidents over the past few years. Koretz said his office supports the plan and is currently working with police and fire departments to alert them and gain their support before the plan is implemented. Koretz asked Brian Gallagher to explain the proposed changes to signals at Beverly Blvd. and Highland Avenue that would restrict left turns. Gallagher said they are also offering a “red rest” light at Third Street and Rimpau to reduce speed on Third Street as drivers speed up to catch a green light. If implemented, a speed sensor at the intersection would keep the light on red. When approaching cars that exceed the speed limit, the light turns green. However, if they speed up, the light will not change until the cars come to the intersection, forcing them to slow down. Gallagher said it would also allow for a faster pedestrian signal. In many cases, the run signal would turn on a few seconds after pressing the button, depending on traffic conditions. The hope is that this can provide pedestrians with a higher degree of safety, especially at night, as they are not left standing in the dark waiting for the light to change.
Finally, Chief of Staff Joan Pelico said she will work with the neighborhood to have the non-compliant sidewalk ramps repaired, as requested by the neighborhood.
Click on here to listen to a recording of the meeting.
A few days after the meeting, on Sunday January 16, 2022, Chvatal-Keane sent the following message to residents:
“A big THANK YOU to our new District 5 Council staff!
Yesterday morning, a resident alerted the Hancock Park Association to a huge pile of broken glass covering the intersection of 4th and Las Palmas Ave. We were able to contact our new Chief of Staff Joan Pelico and our Deputy Rob Fisher. LAStreet Services was contacted and the window was cleaned within an hour of our request – on a Saturday!
We sincerely appreciate the great response!
Your Hancock Park HOA
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