Los Angeles City Council Meeting - September 30, 2025
Los Angeles City Council Meeting - September 30, 2025
The Los Angeles City Council convened on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at approximately 9:30 AM, with Council President Nithya Raman presiding. A quorum of 12 members was present. The meeting covered routine consent items, public hearings on sanitation rate increases, a homeless bed inventory plan, legal settlements, and memorial adjournments. Public comment featured strong opposition to rate hikes and disruptions leading to the removal of a speaker.
Consent Calendar
- Items 3 through 9 and 11 through 26 were approved unanimously (13 ayes) after being called by the clerk. These items included routine approvals and non-controversial measures.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 1 (Sanitation Rate Increase): Several residents opposed the proposed rate increase. Lorna Paisley argued the increase was too high, noting monthly costs would rise $20 and nearly double by 2029, and questioned the need for street sweeping services. Another speaker from Project Pastoral expressed that older residents were struggling and at risk of homelessness. In contrast, Julian Zuniga and Paul Morales, workers in the sanitation department, expressed support, stating the fees fund essential services like bulky item pickup and Christmas tree recycling.
- Item 2 (Liquor License): One speaker opposed the license, arguing it would worsen alcohol-related issues. Another speaker criticized the council for focusing on alcohol licenses while neglecting homelessness.
- General Public Comment: Several speakers addressed various issues. Julian Markwoods requested assistance with landlord retaliation. Another speaker criticized the council for not addressing police misconduct and advocated for National Guard oversight. One speaker, Mr. Herman, used profanity and racial slurs, was warned multiple times, and eventually removed from the chamber. Another speaker expressed frustration with councilmember unresponsiveness.
Discussion Items
- Item 27 (Homeless Bed Inventory Plan): Councilmember Hudado (likely Councilmember Hutt) voiced concerns about defining which beds count, clarity on La Casa funding, and the sustainability of time-limited placements, but supported the plan due to flexibility. Councilmember Raman supported the data-driven approach and urged similar analysis at the county level. Councilmember Rodriguez emphasized the cost-effectiveness of the TLS program but flagged mismanagement by La Casa and the growing issue of families falling into homelessness. Councilmember Bloomfield called the plan a floor, not a ceiling, and suggested shared housing could extend TLS dollars. The item passed 14-0.
- Item 47 (Olympics Bonds or Related Financing): Councilmember Yaroslavsky called this item for a separate vote. After the vote, the clerk reported 11 ayes and 3 noes. Councilmember Rodriguez later registered as a no, making the final tally 10 ayes and 4 noes. The ordinance was held over for second consideration on October 7, 2025.
- Item 10 (Unknown): Councilmember Price recused himself because his wife’s employer worked with an organization listed. The item passed 12 ayes, 1 no.
- Item 45 (Unknown): Councilmember Price recused himself as a landlord. The item passed 13-0 and was sent forthwith.
- Item 33 (Two Amendments): Initially approved, but a late amendment (33B) led to reconsideration. After reconsideration, both amendments 33A and 33B were approved 14-0.
- Items 49-56 (Legal Settlements): Approved in closed session. Settlements included:
- Hazelwood Patients Collective: $498,665.46 payment to city
- ACOM Technical Services Inc.: $105,691.92 refund
- Sylvia Elizabeth Hornquist: up to $725,000
- Ignez Cabezas: up to $125,000
- Marta Romero: up to $175,000
- Alexandra Gutierrez: up to $195,000
- Sylvia Perez: up to $235,000
- Sylvia Ann Malton: up to $250,000 Total: up to $2,003,356.46.
Key Outcomes
- Sanitation Rate Increase Public Hearing concluded with no action required; the item will not proceed to vote at this meeting.
- Homeless Bed Inventory Plan (Item 27) approved 14-0, with directives to monitor sustainability and family homelessness.
- Item 47 approved 10-4, with the ordinance held over for final reading.
- Various settlements approved, totaling over $2 million in city expenditures.
- Memorial Adjournments were held for Reverend Barko Oshana Bet Daoud (died September 20, 2025), Umar Hakim Day (died September 12, 2025), and Eric Dugdale Jr. (died August 27, 2025).
- Item 46 was held over to October 31, 2025, for second consideration.
- Item 5, 28, 33, 36 were amended and passed unanimously.
- Several speakers were warned and removed for violating council rules, including use of racial slurs and disrupting proceedings.
Meeting Transcript
Hello everyone. I'm Susan Huckle, and here's what's happening in LA this week. On a special field trip to the police academy, the LAPD was joined by a group of children whose lives are impacted by cancer. It's a meaningful trip for the kids, but they are also inspiring to the Los Angeles police. We're at the Los Angeles Police Academy or Legion Park facility. And this is the 19th year we've been able to celebrate with the Sunshine Kids, a nonprofit organization that brings kids from around the country to Los Angeles for a week to be able to give them a view of Los Angeles, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and so many other iconic sites here. To a person, we've heard year after year that of all the great things they get to see here, they really enjoy this uh as much as anything else. They have for years hosted Sunshine Kids Foundation, Children with Cancer on this magnificent day that brings so much of the community together to create an impactful day for the kids outside of the hospital walls and allow them to form friendships with each other and also introduce them to the incredible things in the community that law enforcement does. When I look out and I see all of your faces, I see bravery, I see confidence, pride, and compassion. The inspiration we get from watching people who were going through significant life challenges and are staying positive and are moving forward, are working with their doctors, working with their caregivers and parents to be able to have successful outcomes down the road. And when you put it in perspective and see what others are dealing with, they think that's healthy for all of us to be able to appreciate what we have. They have few robots that they use for safety precautions and a diving unit over here that I'd like to get to at some point. So it's it's awesome to have that. The Board of Public Works and the Department of Public Works are here at Augustus Hawkins High School located in Council District 9 for our Public Works Town Hall with Council Member Kern Price. Having current Deep Price, our council member in front of us for him to hear our concerns, our complaints is very important. We hear from all of our residents issues related to our lights, our sidewalks, streets, trees, uh, everything that encompasses infrastructure. And we have all of our bureaus here in one sitting. So you have a one-stop shop opportunity to get your voices heard and to get many of your answers related to your 311 questions as well. Good evening, everyone. So this is the first uh town hall of this kind here in Council District 9. But with the new Board of Public Works here uh at the City of LA, we're going around the city in all 15 council districts to present our ideas and listen to our constituents. And we're so excited to be here at Augustus High School in CD 9 to listen to some of the concerns related to public works. And our next one will be in November, hopefully in a neighborhood close to you. So please follow our social media and our website for additional information. And so if you have any questions, problems or concerns, don't hesitate to contact the council office. There are many barriers to re-entering the workforce after serving a prison sentence. So today we are having a second chance job fair for individuals who are just as involved and have been on probation or parole and are looking for that second opportunity back into the workforce. So currently today, my involvement with this program would be I'm here to assist the participants that come in looking for a job. We have more than 10, 15 employers giving job opportunities to individuals who come in looking for employment. They just need to know what they want to start and we're here to help. Along with the help of EWDD, we want to make sure that we're able to help them become self-sufficient, help them land a good paying job, and then be able to support themselves. Councilmember John Lee, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, said the directive will ensure efficiencies in LAPD hiring and aligned with commitments to a safe city. Currently, the LAPD has over 8,000 officers, around two officers for every 1,000 Los Angeles residents. For more information, visit Mayor.gov slash press. Councilwoman Heather Hutt announced that a portion of Coliseum Place from Victoria Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard will be co-named as Diane Watson Corridor. Diane Watson is a retired Congresswoman whose legacy led to significant advancement in civil rights, health care, education, and humanitarian efforts. Watson was the first African American woman elected to the California State Senate. And later, she represented the 32nd and 33rd California Congressional Districts.gov. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez announced that she has secured funding to replenish the grant relief program for those impacted by ICE rates in her district. According to Rodriguez, the relief program is for individuals and families she represents who have faced financial hardship due to current immigration activity.gov. The grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis for as long as funds allow. For more information, visit the social media links at cd7.lacity.gov. Since LA's inception, multiple cultures have been intertwined with the city. Councilmember Eunys Hernandez led this year's city celebrations of El Grito and Mexican independence, addressing the current challenges and meeting the moment with joy. The people of Los Angeles El Grito is something that it's been celebrated all over the city all my life. Years ago, it got brought to City Hall, and it's one of our biggest celebrations of the year. We know we have to work together, otherwise we're gonna all fall together. Los Angeles is the home of the largest concentration of people of Mexican origin outside Mexico City. I am honored to be the Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles and to come and celebrate our independence, our pride in our identity, our culture. Today for the city of Los Angeles, I think it's so fitting that one of our toughest Mexican Americans on the council, Eunicis Hernandez, is running El Grito this year, a year where there's so much fear, so much uncertainty, and so much creative thinking related to how we protect our community nowadays.
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