Bass announces safety preparedness measures ahead of Jewish Holy Days
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell announced this weekend that the city is taking safety preparedness measures to protect Jewish communities before the High Holy Days.
“Any and all forms of antisemitism are unacceptable in Los Angeles and we are taking action to protect Jewish Angelenos, especially as we head into the High Holy Days,” said Bass. “With Rosh Hashanah starting Monday evening, the LAPD is taking proactive, preventative measures. I want to thank the LAPD for their continued efforts and collaboration in protecting our communities.”
In coordination with Bass and Jewish community leaders, the LAPD is taking the following actions to protect Jewish Angelenos:
- Additional patrols and visibility around Jewish places of worship.
- Engagement with Jewish institutions and community leaders.
- Ensuring officers are familiar with the dates of the Jewish High Holy Days and are educated on the customs, traditions, and forms of worship observed during these sacred times.
- Updating the locations and points of contact for all Jewish Houses of Worship, institutions, private schools and community centers.
Hahn celebrates opening of formerly homeless new apartments
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn (D-Southeastern LA County, including Long Beach, San Pedro, Diamond Bar, Whittier, Cerritos, Downey, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hacienda Heights) joined Holos Communities on Friday to celebrate the grand opening of Laurel Grove, Holos’ second Project Homekey development.
Laurel Grove transformed a former Motel 6 into a vibrant development, creating 97 studio apartments for previously homeless individuals, a park, and a living lung at an impressive price point and timeline.
“Laurel Grove is yet another testament to what’s possible with Project Homekey: in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost, we’ve been able to convert an old motel into a space that’s not only beautiful and integrated into the community around it, but that’s going to give people a lifeline,” said Hahn, whose district includes West Whitter-Los Nietos. “Everyone who moves in here will be able to finally take a breath, focus less on where they will find to sleep tonight, and more on turning a page in their lives.”
Project Homekey, California’s innovative, COVID-era program, helped developers purchase and convert underutilized hotels and motels into permanent supportive housing. The streamlined process dramatically reduced the time required to assemble capital and source land to expedite projects like Laurel Grove. Although most Homekey funding has now been allocated, it is an excellent example of the types of tools needed to address the region’s housing crisis.
Located directly across from the local high school, Laurel Grove enjoys a spirited connection with its neighbors. The high school’s art program has generously designed and donated original artwork for the project, infusing the community’s shared spaces with creativity and pride. This partnership exemplifies the collaborative spirit that defines the Laurel Grove neighborhood and celebrates the contributions of local youth.
Calabasas Mayor Kraut gives General Plan update
Calabasas Mayor Peter Kraut gave constituents the City’s General Plan Update, Building on 2024 Progress, on Friday.
“At the City Council meeting last week, our Council received an update on progress made in 2024 to further the City’s General Plan and I am pleased to report progress on the land use, open space and conservation elements,” wrote Kraut.
“Highlights from 2024 include the proposed annexation of Craftsman’s Corner and new measures to guide responsible development, such as beginning Architecture Review Panel meetings for all new projects and advancing the Objective Design Standards process to ensure housing types remain compatible with the City’s character.
“The City also expanded its open space network by acquiring 0.28 acres of protected land in Old Topanga and continued long-range efforts to remap significant ridgelines to better safeguard important topographic features.”
Kraut wrote that In addition, Calabasas strengthened protections for natural resources by enforcing the Oak Tree and Landscape Ordinances for all new developments, while also enhancing community amenities by adding new bike lanes and upgrading existing ones.
“These efforts demonstrate the City’s commitment to thoughtful growth, conservation and community engagement. Stay involved in future discussions by signing up for notifications for Council and Commission meetings or key projects in Calabasas,” Kraut wrote.
Padilla introduces bipartisan, bicameral bill to protect documented DREAMERS
U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), along with U.S. Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to provide a pathway to citizenship for long-term residents who were brought legally to the United States as children as dependents on their parents’ work visas.
The America’s CHILDREN Act would allow 250,000+ documented Dreamers living in the United States to stay and contribute to the country and protect them from deportation or other hardships they unfairly face as a direct result of our outdated immigration system.
The U.S. visa system grants certain dependent children of visa holders legal status until they turn 21, but long green card backlogs have led to many such children aging out. These long-term residents often have no choice but to leave the United States if they cannot transition to a new status, leaving them in legal limbo and splitting families living here legally for years. This gap leaves young people, many of whom have only known the United States as home for most of their lives, vulnerable.
The bill would establish age-out protections so that Documented Dreamers can keep their place in the green card line after their 21st birthday. Without this fix, the U.S. would risk losing talented young individuals — educated here and contributing to the American economy — to global competitors.
“These Documented Dreamers are Americans in every way except one: their parent’s green card is tied up in red tape,” said Padilla. “This long overdue change is about more than just immigration reform — it’s about righting a wrong that’s a byproduct of our outdated immigration system.
“Our bipartisan bill would prevent these hardworking young members of our communities and economy from ‘aging out’ of their parents’ visa status when they turn 21, and create additional green card opportunities for Documented Dreamers. I appreciate the partnership of my colleagues across the aisle and urge others to stand up and do the right thing for these young Americans.”
