What are Neighborhood Councils?
Neighborhood Councils are the closest form of government to the people. They give their communities a voice at City Hall on important issues like development, homelessness, and public safety.
Neighborhood Councils are advisory bodies with annual budgets funded by taxpayer dollars. Board members are City officials who are elected by those who live, work, or own property or a business in the community that a Council represents, and they donate their time and service as volunteers.
The Neighborhood Council system was established in 1999 as a way of ensuring that the City government remains responsive to the different needs and lifestyles of Los Angeles’ rich variety of communities. There are currently 99 Neighborhood Councils in Los Angeles, each serving about 40,000 people.
The first candidate filing period begins December 16, 2018. Neighborhood Council elections will be held from late March to mid-June. LA’s 99 Neighborhood Councils form the grassroots level of the Los Angeles city government. The system was established in 1999 to connect their communities to City Hall. The Neighborhood Councils advocate on issues like homelessness, land use, housing, emergency preparedness, sustainability, aging, youth programs, transportation, and parks. While Neighborhood Council board members are volunteers, they are public officials elected by the members of their community. Most board members serve two-year terms; a few Councils have four-year terms. For more information: https://clerk.lacity.org/elections/neighborhood-council-elections
Build your resume by joining a board or committee. Get free training on marketable skills like community organizing or ethical handling of public funds.
Gain valuable experience to qualify for other roles – volunteering with your Neighborhood Council can demonstrate your ability to serve in positions of greater responsibility. LA City Controller Ron Galperin and District 4 City Councilmember David Ryu both began their political careers on their local Neighborhood Councils.
Region 2 Candidate filing period: Saturday, January 19, 2019 – Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Region 2 Election Day: Saturday, May 4, 2019
Region 2 Councils: Granada Hills North, Granada Hills South, North Hills West, Northridge East, Northridge West, Porter Ranch
