EmpowerLA

Apply by 3/31: Grants up to $25K for small businesses, nonprofits, independent contractors Round 5 of the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program is open through Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 5:00pm. $500 million is available for these grants statewide, in grant amounts ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, for eligible small businesses, nonprofits, and independent contractors impacted by COVID-19 and the related health and safety restrictions which arose from the pa...ndemic. The grant is open to California-based small businesses and nonprofits who are active and have been in operation since at least June 1, 2019. This grant is also open to people that file taxes with TIN numbers and people that work as independent contractors such as rideshare or delivery drivers, or most others who get paid on a 1099. All applicants must be able to show that they were negatively impacted by COVID-19, through situations such as business closures or restrictions. APPLY NOW Learn more about the program and how to apply here: https://CAReliefGrant.com Your application must be made through one of the agencies in Los Angeles County which is partnering with this program. See a list of participating LA-based agencies here: https://CAReliefGrant.com/partner/los-angeles/ Please note that receiving a grant from the LA Regional COVID Fund would not deem you ineligible for the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant. This new grant program is being administered separate and apart from the LA Regional COVID Fund, so if you applied for that grant, please apply for this one too! The awards are being administered on behalf of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) at the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)Development by Lendistry - a minority-led, LA-based community development financial institution. MISSED THE DEADLINE? If you missed the March 31 deadline for this phase of the grant cycle, get details on when the next phase opens at https://CAReliefGrant.com. Please apply - and please share with your networks, neighbors, family, and friends!

Thanks to The Civics Center for inviting our General Manager, Raquel Beltrán, to talk to this great group of politically-engaged youth about Neighborhood Councils and how they can get involved! The Civics Center educates youth on the power of voting and civic engagement, and supports efforts for student-led voter registration and pre-registration for young voters. Learn more about their work at https://thecivicscenter.org/.

Help your neighbors get vaccine appointments! Many people in our communities have trouble navigating the sign-up process for COVID vaccines. If you have the time and ability, please help your loved ones and neighbors get signed up for their appointments. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has created a step-by-step guide to signing up for a vaccine - or helping someone sign up - using the California Department of Public Health's MyTurn COVID vaccine portal. ... Check out the vaccine sign up guide here: http://tiny.cc/AppointmentGuide Visit the MyTurn vaccine portal at https://MyTurn.CA.gov . . . #COVIDvaccine #COVIDvaccines #COVIDvaccination #COVIDvaccinations #COVIDLosAngeles

Many thanks to LA CityView35 for having us on to talk about this year's all Vote-By-Mail Neighborhood Council elections! Learn more about the 2021 Neighborhood Council elections, happening now through mid-June, at: http://EmpowerLA.org/elections

Many thanks to LA CityView35 for having EmpowerLA General Manager Raquel Beltrán on #LAThisWeek to talk about the new Youth Council taking shape in the City of Los Angeles! It's named after Olivia Mitchell, who led the City's original Youth Advisory Council program under Mayor Tom Bradley. City Councilmembers Mark Ridley-Thomas and Paul Koretz both served on that Council. In February the two of them - together with Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez - introduced the motion to dir...ect the Dept of Neighborhood Empowerment to create a new Youth Council for Los Angeles. The item now goes to the City Council's Arts, Parks, Health, Education, and Neighborhoods Committee for consideration. Check out the video for a preview of what’s to come! We'll share more details as we have them, including info on how to get involved. You can also stay in the loop by signing up for updates for City Council File 21-0182: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm

This Sunday 3/14 at 6:30pm - join Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment and the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance for a webinar all about #recycling! RSVP via the link in their post below to get the Zoom details. See you there!

Vote early and avoid the long lines! You don’t have to wait till Election Day on Tuesday to vote in person or by mail. Here are your options in Los Angeles County for casting your ballot & checking its status, or you can visit L.A. County Registrar-Recorder for more info ... VOTE IN PERSON NOW TILL TUES 11/3 Los Angeles County Vote Centers are open these days and hours: Sunday 11/1: 10am - 7pm Monday 11/2: 10am - 7pm Tuesday 11/3: 7am - 8pm Look up your closest Vote Center at: https://Locator.LAvote.net/locations/VC VOTE BY MAIL No postage required. Just make sure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day, Tuesday 11/3 - and don’t forget to sign it before sending! USE A DROPBOX Ballot dropboxes are available till 8pm on Election Day. LA County has over 400 dropboxes - find yours at: https://Locator.LAvote.net/locations/vbm WAS YOUR BALLOT RECEIVED? Check the status at http://LAvote.net/av_inquiry WHAT’S ON YOUR BALLOT? Look up the elected offices and propositions on your ballot at: http://Ballotpedia.org

Wishing you a safe & wonderful Halloween! (Neighborhood Council Jack-o-lantern by talented former EmpowerLA staffer Arin Abedian)

Join LA Animal Services this Friday October 30th from 2 - 3pm (PT) to learn about housing rights for service animals and emotional support animals! Link to RSVP and learn more is in their post below.

We love LA! Huge congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers on their drought-ending #WorldSeries win While we missed making our annual team trip to Dodger Stadium for a Friday Night Fireworks game (for which we each buy our own tickets), we could not be prouder of our Boys in Blue!

It's Pro Bono Week now through Friday October 30th at the LA Law Library! Pro Bono Week is a series of free legal classes and workshops that’s an annual tradition for the LA Law Library, and it’s taking place online this year. Pro Bono Week is a celebration of the value of legal help for community members, many of whom are facing challenging situations during this time. The classes, workshops, and one-to-one assistance with a lawyer can be a lifeline in a constituent’s dea...lings with the legal system. See the list of offerings and sign up to join these virtual events online or by phone at http://ProBonoWeek.LALawLibrary.org

Do you provide childcare in the City of Los Angeles? Licensed childcare providers who have been economically impacted by COVID-19 may be eligible for grants ranging from $10,000 - $40,000 through this program sponsored by Economic & Workforce Development Department & City Council President Nury Martinez. Applications are due by this Thursday October 22nd at 12:00 noon (PT). Learn more about the City of Los Angeles COVID-19 Child Care Provider Grant Program and apply at https://laecefund.org/

Parking enforcement is back in the City of Los Angeles! LADOT Official resumes enforcement of regular parking restrictions on LA streets Thursday October 15, 2020, so please alert your friends, family, and neighbors. LADOT has also launched several economic relief programs to help with parking-related debt. Visit their website to learn more about these programs and read the details on enforcement starting back up again at: https://ladot.lacity.org//ladot-resume-parking-enforcement

Census operations are ending early. This is our last chance to be counted. Fill out the #2020Census TODAY: https://My2020Census.gov Please note that today, Thursday October 15th, is the *LAST DAY* to respond. There has been confusion over the true end date because of ongoing actions in the courts, so some people may still think the Census ends on October 31. But that isn't correct, as on Tuesday 10/13, the Supreme Court ruled to give Angelenos less than 36 hours to complete ...their 2020 Census. Deadlines and details on how to respond online, by phone, or by mail are listed below. With only a 60% response rate, and given these last minute changes, we need your help to please share this news with anyone you know who may not have responded! Please repost this to your Facebook accounts, or cut and paste the short paragraph at top into a text to family and friends. NEW DEADLINES: Online Response Deadline (My2020Census.gov)- Friday, October 16 at 2:59am Phone Response Deadline - Thursday, October 15 at 11:59pm English (844) 330-2020 Spanish (844) 468-2020 Additional languages on https://my2020census.gov/ Paper forms must be postmarked by Thursday, October 15 Thank you so much for your help getting Angelenos counted!

Join the L.A. City Department of Public Works tomorrow (Thursday October 15th) from 3-4pm for their celebration of Latino and Filipino American History Month! RSVP for this virtual event via the link in their post below.

The largest disaster preparedness event in Los Angeles - the Valley Disaster Preparedness Fair - is happening online this Saturday, October 10, 2020, 9:00am - 1:00pm. . Every Angeleno from any part of the City who RSVPs is welcome to join, to learn how they and their loved ones and neighbors can create a preparedness plan; gather the right supplies; and respond efficiently and effectively to different types of emergencies. . Leading experts will be presenting throughout th...e day on topics ranging from financial preparedness kits, emergency tips for pets, and first aid. . You will receive info to join the virtual fair events with your registration confirmation. Complimentary family emergency preparedness starter kits are also available to attendees, while supplies last. Sign up to attend and learn more at https://www.valleydisasterfair.com/ . Download the flyer in English and Spanish for this year’s Fair here: https://www.valleydisasterfair.com//SaveTheDateFlyer2020.p . . LINDA & BILL HOPKINS MEMORIAL BLOOD DRIVE . As part of this year’s fair, there will also be a blood drive happening this Saturday and Sunday October 10th and 11th from 10:00am - 4:00pm, at the Northridge Fashion Center. . Blood donations will be by appointment, to help ensure participant health and safety. Learn more and sign up to give blood here: https://www.valleydisasterfair.com/blooddrive.php See more

Please join us on Thursday October 22, 2020 at 1:00pm PT for our presentation to City Council on outreach plans for the 2021 Vote-By-Mail Neighborhood Council elections. (The presentation, which was originally slated for October 8th, was rescheduled due to a conflict with the League of California Cities’ virtual conference this week.) Our presentation will be made to the City Council’s Health, Education, Neighborhoods, Parks, Arts, and River Committee (HENPAR). LACityClerk wi...ll also be on hand to discuss how they plan to administer these elections, which will be the first NC elections to take place via Vote By Mail. Info on how to join this virtual meeting will be on the October 22nd HENPAR meeting agenda. If you’ve not yet done so, subscribe to that Committee’s agendas here, and a copy will be emailed to you before the meeting: https://www.lacity.org///subscribe-council-meeting-agendas For more info, please also visit the City Council File for the 2021 Vote-By-Mail Elections, which is City Council File 20-0963, located here: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm The Neighborhood Empowerment/City Clerk joint report on plans for elections outreach and admin will be available in that Council File in advance of the HENPAR meeting, so you can get a preview of what we’ll be presenting on October 22nd. You can get an email notice when this report or other material is added to the NC Elections Council File, by clicking the envelope button at the top of the webpage, to subscribe to this file.

***GRANTS for small biz, independent contractors, nonprofits*** The fifth application round for LA Regional COVID Fund recovery grants is open! Deadline to apply is Friday, October 9, 2020. Los Angeles County-based small businesses, micro-entrepreneurs, and nonprofits may be eligible to apply for grants in the following amounts, if they have been financially impacted by the pandemic, and have revenues which fall at or under the limits listed below. ...Continue reading

Final Police Reform Community Forum is today, Thurs Oct 1, 4:00-7:00pm The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Building Trust and Equity, will be conducting the final session in their virtual community forum series today, Thursday, October 1, 2020, from 4:00 - 7:00pm (Zoom info below). All members of the public are welcome to attend, and share their ideas and concerns. This forum series is aimed at listening to ideas and s...uggestions for police reform from community groups, social justice advocates, clergy, academics, and other community-based organizations. The recommendations will be used by the Police Commission and the Advisory Committee in building a roadmap for continued police reform. Under the direction of the Commission President, the Advisory Committee has begun its comprehensive review to evaluate existing reform proposals, past reforms recommended for the LAPD, recruitment and hiring, data collection and retention, and discipline and accountability. ZOOM INFO FOR OCT 1 Community Forum on Police Reform hosted by LA Police Commission Thursday, October 1, 2020, from 4:00 - 7:00pm Join online: https://lapd.zoom.us/j/97273589743 Or by phone: (877) 853-5257 Meeting ID: 972 7358 9743 CAN’T ATTEND, OR WANT TO SHARE YOUR IDEAS IN WRITING? Members of the public wishing to provide specific proposals on police reform may submit their written ideas via email, to the following address (max 2 pages, please): [email protected]

Parking enforcement resumes Thursday October 15, 2020 in the City of Los Angeles, for street cleaning, abandoned vehicles, oversize and overnight restrictions, peak hourand anti-gridlock zones, and expired registration. Relaxation of these restrictions was originally slated to end October 1, but the LA City Council voted on September 30 to push resuming enforcement back to October 15, to allow time for outreach to be conducted, notifying the public of the change. Impounding ...of vehicles in which there is vehicle dwelling will meanwhile be delayed for 30-60 days, to allow time for development of a next steps plan. Read the September 30th City Council motion here: https://clkrep.lacity.org///20-0147-S7_misc_Amd%20CD15.pdf Visit the entire City Council file on pandemic-related relaxation of parking enforcement restrictions here: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm