The Los Angeles City Council convened on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, addressing critical issues including Olympic preparations, Palisades fire recovery fee waivers, and LAPD communications staffing.
Council President Harris-Dawson called the meeting to order with 15 members present, establishing quorum. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilmember Rahman. Roll call confirmed attendance from Blumenfeld, Harris-Dawson, Hernandez, Hutt, Hurtado, Lee, McOsker, Nazarian, Padilla, Park, Price, Rahman, Rodriguez, Soto-Martinez, and Yaroslavsky.
The Council approved minutes from January 28 and commendatory resolutions. Items 2-10, 12, and 14 were approved with 12 ayes. Item 14 required reconsideration to remain on the desk pending a committee report (13 ayes on reconsideration).
Public comment focused heavily on Item 30 (Palisades Fire Fee Waivers). Over 20 Pacific Palisades residents testified about losing homes in the January 7-8, 2025 fires. Speakers emphasized:
Additional testimony addressed:
Councilmember Hernandez questioned CAO about recommending only 43 of 109 requested positions funded by ULA (United to House LA/Measure ULA). CAO representative Eve Bachrock explained:
Vote: 15 ayes (Item approved)
Councilmember Soto-Martinez questioned Deputy Chief John Pinto about creating an exempt Police Administrator position ($191,000 salary at Step 2) for internal communications. Key concerns raised:
Council members criticized:
Councilmembers Rodriguez, Hernandez, and Soto-Martinez expressed concerns about messaging inconsistencies and lack of transparency. Harris-Dawson called the Chief's comments about not enforcing laws "way beyond the pale" and "wholly unacceptable."
Vote: 10 ayes, 5 noes (Item approved)
Councilmember Park thanked CAO team and Councilmember Yaroslavsky for collaboration over two months since initial consideration. The item provides fee subsidies (not complete waivers) for rebuilding structures damaged in the Palisades fire.
Councilmember Rodriguez Amendment: Requires property owners to reimburse the city for fee subsidies if they sell before certificate of occupancy is issued. Park offered friendly amendment to exempt condos and townhomes from this requirement, recognizing different dynamics with HOAs.
Vote: 15 ayes (Item approved as amended)
Items 10, 12, 14, 20, and 30 sent forthwith for immediate implementation.
Complex ordinance providing exemptions from discretionary entitlement processes for 2028 Olympics preparations. Planning Department representative Hagel Salman-Kerry presented six amendments:
Item 11C (Hernandez-Soto Martinez): Restricts digital display hours near residential areas to 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Technical amendment applied to both Chapter 1 and Chapter 1A of zoning code for citywide parity. Vote: 13 ayes, 1 no
Item 11D (Soto-Martinez): Requires clear findings for converting temporary Olympic projects to permanent structures. Mandates quarterly reports to Council detailing applications and approvals by district, analyzing trends like over-concentration. Vote: 14 ayes
Item 11E (Yaroslavsky-Rahman):
Item 11F (Yaroslavsky-Lee): Originally requested 50% revenue sharing from digital assets. Amended verbally by Yaroslavsky to instruct Office of Finance to conduct revenue sharing study within 60 days exploring mechanisms for city to receive "up to 50%" of net new revenue from digital Olympic signage. Vote: 14 ayes
Councilmember Yaroslavsky raised concerns about:
Councilmember Hurtado questioned enforcement of 14-day deadline, given city's history of missing deadlines. Discussion clarified that all four liaisons must agree for exemption approval; if any disagree, project goes through regular planning/zoning process.
Council President Harris-Dawson criticized City Attorney's office for submitting "serious policy intervention" document within 24 hours of vote after item had passed through two committees, stating this "lends credence to those who argue that the function of policy development...should be separated from an elected office."
Final Vote on Item 11 (as amended by 11A-F): 13 ayes, 1 no
Fee Subsidies Approved: Pacific Palisades fire survivors will receive permit fee subsidies with guardrails requiring reimbursement if sold before occupancy (condos/townhomes exempted). Addresses approximately 7,000 structures destroyed in January 2025 fires.
Olympic Preparations Advanced: Zoning exemptions approved with community protections including residential signage restrictions, 14-day decision timelines, illegal operator prohibitions, and revenue sharing study.
LAPD Position Created: Despite concerns about messaging and transparency, $191,000 Police Administrator position approved for internal communications (10-5 vote).
Housing Positions Deferred: Only 43 of 109 requested LA Housing Department positions approved for immediate need; remaining 66 positions to be considered in budget process.
Transparency Concerns Raised: Council President formally objected to City Attorney's late-stage policy interventions. Multiple members criticized LAPD leadership's public statements on law enforcement and immigration cooperation.
The meeting adjourned with items 10, 12, 14, 20, and 30 sent forthwith for immediate implementation.
only impact the community but to impact what is happening here and really try to engage with as much information so that we can also be of support to the port. From marine architects to dock workers and truck drivers everyone in between many of us here grew up and started working in this port so the connection runs through streets and neighborhoods schools and friendships it's important to do this because we've got a responsibility as the city and port of los angeles to give back and that's our motivation every day here at cabrillo marine aquarium we're surrounded by the sea life that calls southern california home and just beyond it the waters that will host olympic sailing in 2028 but first the world arrives in LA for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The city is already getting ready with the opening of its first official hospitality house at La Plaza, a place of culture, community and soccer pride known as Casa Mexico. Los Angeles is proud to announce something truly extraordinary. La Plaza will serve as Casa Mexico. Mexico's hospitality house for the 2026 FIFA World Cup together we look forward to welcoming the world. For us, it means a combination of all the various programming that we do, always free, always accessible, under the umbrella of Casa Mexico, and we're sprinkling in some special events. We will be doing community days, we will have a film series, we're going to have our Summer of Salsa programming, and the goal is that folks can just walk in at any time, sit down on our grass and watch whatever match may be on that day. Plus, we'll have some pretty exciting viewing parties as well. It's very important that we have a full, open space, and inclusive space to invite the thousands of tourists who are going to come to Los Angeles. I mean, it's great to have this here because it is the birthplace of Los Angeles. And so to make it an attraction and to expose people to Mexican country, identity, and culture, especially emerging ones, to our Mexican-American and American communities, that's going to be really important. Across Los Angeles, thousands of volunteers stepped up for a count that helps tell a deeper story. Over three nights, more than 4,500 people counted important information on those living without shelter. Information that helps shape funding, policy, and pathways to housing. Because at its core, the greater Los Angeles homeless count is about one thing. Helping people get inside. We're here in the Skid Row neighborhood, but it's a county-wide effort to count everybody who is homeless tonight. We use the numbers we get for our federal data, our state data, county and city data, so we know exactly who's out there, what our numbers are, and we can use that data to then help people get inside. Every year we get better and better at counting the data, and the accuracy is really important for the data so that we know we can rely on it and we know that we can ask our funders to rely on it as well. We're looking at the map. We have 4,600 volunteers. We have 150 sites across the region. There is something I have to say so satisfying about number one being part of the count