Sun Valley Neighborhood Council
Frequently Asked Questions
IS THERE A CITY DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS?
The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (D.O.N.E.) was created by the City of Los Angeles in 1999 as a result of Charter Reform. will assist neighborhoods in forming neighborhood councils by providing organizing advice, training, and printing services for the distribution of flyers. City Council offices can be very helpful in connecting individuals with neighborhood council activity in their area. Many community-based and neighborhood organizations such as residents associations, chambers of commerce, and neighborhood watch groups are also involved in organizing neighborhood councils. D.O.N.E. also provides funding of $50,000 for special projects and Neighborhood Councils can apply for these funds.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS?
Neighborhood councils will promote more public participation in government, making government more responsive to neighborhood needs.
WHAT CAN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS DO?
All neighborhood councils, including the SVANC, will be like "neighborhood lobbyists" and organizers. They will communicate directly with City departments and elected officials and establish local spending priorities.
Neighborhood Councils give people a voice in the Los Angeles City Council political arena. It is a way for people to get organized and directly involved in their own neighborhoods and in the politics that affect them. Neighborhood Councils will be independent, self-governing, and empowered to initiate positive changes within the communities they represent. Community Stakeholders can stay informed through the Early Notification System (ENS), give their input at City Council meetings and help to decide about neighborhood issues. ENS provides an information link between the local Neighborhood Councils and the city government.
HOW ARE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS FORMED?
Communities will decide for themselves how their neighborhood councils will be structured and then petition the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment for certification (D.O.N.E.). The SVANC has already completed this process and was officially certified in May, 2002.
WHO RUNS NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS?
Stakeholders decide how to run their own Neighborhood Councils. Once the Neighborhood Council is certified, Stakeholders vote for members of the governing body whose responsibility it will be to run meetings, contact members of the City Council, vote on official actions, and keep track of money and how it is used.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Anyone who has an interest in the neighborhood can join and is called a Stakeholder. A Stakeholder is anyone who lives, works or owns property in a Neighborhood Council area. A Stakeholder can also be someone who participates in schools, churches and temples, community and non-profit organizations, block clubs, neighborhood and homeowners associations, apartment, condominium and resident associations, school/parent groups, faith based groups and organizations, senior groups and organizations, youth groups and organizations, chambers of commerce, business improvement districts, service organizations, park advisory boards, boys and girls clubs, cultural groups, environmental groups, codewatch, neighborhood watch, police advisory board groups, and/or redevelopment action boards.
WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SVANC?
The SVANC will include the geographic area described as follows and as shown in the AREA MAP:
HOW DO I BECOME A STAKEHOLDER AND JOIN THE SVANC?
Send us an email with your name, address, phone and email. We’ll see you receive all literature and notifications.
I’M A MEMBER OF A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR COMMUNITY GROUP WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SVANC. DO I STILL NEED TO BECOME INVOLVED WITHIN THE COUNCIL?
Yes. Neighborhood councils are a new form of government, so the relationship with the councils and pre-existing groups will develop over time. Certain extremely localized issues will continue to be addressed by local associations as well as the SVANC. The SVANC is currently working together with local associations, Council Offices, as well as the adjacent neighborhood councils on issues that impact us all. The power of the SVANC in giving advice to the City will be that it is speaking as a megaphone for all the people of Sun Valley.
HOW IS THE SVANC GOVERNED?
The Board of the SVANC consists of twenty-three (23) Directors: five (5) Officers elected by the general membership, nine (9) Issue Committee Chairs elected by each individual issue committee, and nine (9) Area Committee Chairs elected by each area committee. No stakeholder can occupy more than one seat on the Board. To the extent possible, the Board will reflect the diversity of the neighborhood council's community stakeholders. Accordingly, no single community stakeholder group shall comprise a majority of the Board, unless extenuating circumstances are warranted and approved by D.O.N.E.