Councilman David Ryu has dedicated over $50,000 of his discretionary funding to finally get the parkway trees in Hancock Park trimmed. The trimming started in September and the city will do two blocks every weekend, starting at 7:30AM and going until 6PM. The streets will be posted so that parking will not be permitted the days of the trimming. We’ll keep block captains informed of the trimming schedule as it is communicated by the Council Office. If you have questions contact Nikki Ezhari in the Councilman’s Office. Her email address is: nikki.ezhari@lacity.org and her phone number is 323-957-6335.

Don’t forget to attend the Association’s Annual Meeting on Monday, October 17th, 7PM at 3rd Street School. There will be speakers from the Association, the LAPD as well as Councilman Ryu. This is also the time when the election of the Association’s Board of Directors takes place. If you are a member in good standing, meaning you’ve paid your Association dues, you’ll have received a ballot. The nominees are: Patricia Alexander, Cindy Chvatal-Keane, Jennifer DeVore, Indy Flore, Joel Kozberg, Joanne Medeiros, Pam Newhouse, and Victoria Vickers. Visit the Association’s website to read brief biographies. Either send in your ballot or bring it to the meeting. This is a great opportunity for you to talk to your Councilman, the LAPD and the Association, have your questions answered and find out how you can help your community.
Don’t be a crime victim. Lock you house, car and activate your house alarm if you have one. Contact Officer Dave Cordova if you are a victim of a crime and Dave can take a crime report. Call his cell phone, 213-793-0650 or send him an email, 31646@lapd.lacity.org with all the information, including your name and telephone number.

Join a committee and be an active member of the Hancock Park Community. The Association’s website is: http://www.hancockparkhomeownersassociation.org/ . The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

Patricia Alexander

Patricia Alexander has been a resident of Hancock Park since 2012. She is a block captain and serves on the Friends of Third Board at Third Street Elementary. Patricia is on the Third Street Elementary Beautification Committee, which in the past year implemented a beautification project on June Street funded by a grant from the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society. Patricia is married to Hani Alexander and they have 3 elementary aged children. Patricia has a BS in Business from the University of South Florida and an MBA from the University of Tampa.

Cindy Chvatal-Keane

Cindy Chvatal-Keane has been a member of the HPHA board for 20 years and she currently serves as the board president. Cindy also co-chairs the Block Captain/Neighborhood Watch, Historic Preservation and Land Use Committees. She is helped formulate a plan for the long-term care and maintenance of Hancock Park’s parkway trees and the Highland Ave Median. Cindy developed and maintains the current block captain email information system, which provides the neighborhood with information about a wide range of issues important to residents such as: crime activity, emergency procedures, lost pets, traffic issues, City meetings that involve Hancock Park, and HPHA meetings. She believes strongly in preserving the residential character of Hancock Park and its R-1 Zoning designation, which protects the status of single family homes. Cindy co- founded the Hancock Park Historic Preservation Advocacy Group and was a key player in the process that culminated in the establishment of an HPOZ for Hancock Park. She currently sits on the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Traffic and Transportation Committee, is a member of the Executive Board of the California Science Center and is an Executive Producer of the television series C S I.

Jennifer DeVore

Jennifer DeVore has been on the HPHA board for 14 years and has lived in Hancock Park for 19 years. She is currently the recording secretary of the board and works on historic preservation, emergency preparedness among other committees. In addition to her work in the neighborhood, she is currently a board member on the national board of YaleWomen. Jennifer has previously been on the review board of the HPOZ for Hancock Park and also on the boards of the Ebell and the Yale Club of Los Angeles. She and her husband, Marc Feinstein, are the parents of three teenage boys. Previously, she was director of marketing at the Los Angeles Times. Jennifer received her BA in American Studies from Yale and her MBA from UCLA.

Indy Flore

Indy Flore serves on the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone board as well as the HPHA board. Born and raised in London, Indy lives in Hancock Park with his wife, Julie Buxbaum (novelist), and their two young children who attend Wagon Wheel Nursery and Third Street Elementary. Indy currently works in private equity and has a background in investment banking and law. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, Oxford and King’s College, London.

Joel Kozberg

Joel Kozberg is a native of Los Angeles and has lived in Hancock Park for 20 years. He is a trial attorney who specializes in the litigation of complex business disputes. As a board member of the HPHA, he has responsibility for matters implicating legal issues. In addition to his legal training, Joel also has degrees in business and architecture, having received an MBA at UCLA and an AB at UC Berkeley. Joel also serves as a board member of Los Angeles Team Mentoring, an organization that mentors at-risk middle school students, including participants at John Burroughs in Hancock Park.

Joanne Medeiros

Joanne Medeiros was raised in West Los Angeles and is a proud graduate of UCLA for her BA, and Occidental College for her MA in Education. She is currently the Southern California Manager for ELLE DECOR and House Beautiful, two of the leading design titles published by Hearst Magazines. She has a passion for residential design, gardens and architecture developed through her professional career and international travel. She moved to Hancock Park almost 12 years ago, remodeling her 1930 Mediterranean villa. Joanne was an important part of the team that planned and implemented the John Burroughs Middle School beautification project. With the help of HPHA and WSHPHS, over $150,000 in local funds were raised to upgrade the school and surrounding grounds.

Pam Newhouse

Pam Newhouse has lived in Hancock Park since 1992 and has served as a member of the HPHA board since 1996. She is currently the chair of the Graffiti Committee, which works to keep our neighborhood graffiti- free. She is also a member of the Parkway Trees Committee, which works on neighborhood beautification through the restoration of Hancock Park’s parkway tree canopy, and a member of the Traffic and Transportation Committee, which seeks to mitigate traffic issues in our neighborhood. She has previously served as the treasurer and corresponding secretary of the Association and as a member of the Land Use/Zoning Committee. Pam is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and has worked as a finance attorney.

Victoria Vickers

In her nearly 22 years on the Hancock Park Homeowners board, Victoria Vickers has served the community in a variety of positions including Recording Secretary, Membership Records, Traffic Committee, Neighborhood Watch Block Captain, and HPOZ Committee. She currently is the Treasurer of the Association. She looks forward to addressing the concerns of the community and preserving the Hancock Park we all know and love.

The Association’s Annual Meeting will take place on Monday, October 17th at 3rd Street School, so put the date on your calendar and plan to attend. The Council Office, LAPD and other important organizations will be there giving information and answering questions. Reports from the Association’s committees will keep you up-to-date on what’s going on in street maintenance, historic preservation, crime prevention, filming and safety. And, most important, this will give everyone a chance to ask questions and find out if there’s a committee that could use your help.

The Annual meeting is also when the election of half the members of the Association’s Board of Directors takes place. If you are a member in good standing, meaning you’ve paid your Association dues, you’ll have received information about the upcoming election and a list of the nominees presented by the Board. These nominees are: Patricia Alexander, Cindy Chvatal-Keane, Jennifer DeVore, Indy Flore, Joel Kozberg, Joanne Medeiros, Pam Newhouse, and Victoria Vickers. Visit the Association’s website to read brief biographies. Ballots for the election will be mailed to members in good standing in the next month.
Crime continues to be a problem so don’t forget to keep you and your family safe by locking your house, car and activating your house alarm if you have one. If you are the victim of a crime file a report with Officer Dave Cordova. Dave can take a crime report if you call his cell phone, 213-793-0650 or send him an email, 31646@lapd.lacity.org with all the information, including your name and telephone number.

The Association’s Committees are always looking for new members to so join a committee by visiting our website and be an active part of our community. The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

No one needs reminding that the revitalization of Hollywood has moved south to the borders of Hancock Park. Now the sleepy Melrose border is alive with new construction and Wilshire Blvd.’s Miracle Mile is changing its character from primarily low impact business offices to condominiums and other housing. Growth can be a benefit for everyone, but and that’s where we are now … but … without thoughtful input from neighbors, fair and appropriate regulation and enforcement of the law developers will build, leave and stick us with the mess.

The Association has been working with other neighborhood groups on mitigating the impact of two large developments on Hancock Park’s border. The Farmer’s Insurance property on Wilshire Blvd been sold and the new owners will build condominiums and houses. The developers, working with neighbors, have developed a reasonable plan to balance this new residential activity with the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Melrose Avenue does not enjoy the same protection that The Park Mile Plan provides for Wilshire and the proposed redevelopment of the Paramount Studios property will have a major impact. Paramount’s first proposal to construct new parking structures, a new office tower and to install electronic billboards creating an Electronic Sign District was not approved at the recent City Planning Commission meeting. City staff, the Council Office, and everyone near this site were successful in scaling back such overwhelming development and raising Paramount’s contribution to traffic mitigation by $500,000.

The work done by you, your neighbors and your Association show that it is possible to have constructive input into large developments. Now, more than ever, it’s important that all of us stay aware of any proposed changes, hearing requests or construction in the areas surrounding Hancock Park. Your participation in writing letters and attending hearings is critical to keeping the residential/commercial balance right for all of us.

The Association’s Committees are always looking for new members to so join a committee by visiting our website and be an active part of our community. The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

The Association has completed another successful elm tree planting as part of the Tree Committee’s project to renew Hancock Park’s beautiful elm forest. Trees, like all living things, have a life span and Hancock Park’s elms are reaching the end of theirs. The Tree Committee has removed dead trees, stumps and replanted with a mixture of American Elms, the original elm, and Frontier Elms, a newer, hardier, more drought tolerant variety. Given the unpredictability of rainfall and temperature ranges, the Committee decided to add to the variety to ensure the survival of our arbor.

Councilman David Ryu’s Office has been making a concerted effort to clean up neighborhoods of trash, graffiti and items dumped illegally. Just take a look at the cleanup done at the corner of Lillian Way and Melrose, where the council office cleaned up years’ worth of garbage and erased graffiti on the walls. Working with the LA Conservation Corps the council office has a website where you can request a cleanup – http://davidryu.lacity.org/clean_streets?utm_campaign=w_10&utm_campaign=w_15&utm_medium=email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=davidryucc&utm_source=davidryucc .

Unfortunately, crime is still occurring in Hancock Park. Please remember to lock your house, car and activate your house alarm if you have one. If you are the unfortunate victim of a crime file a report with our Senior Lead Office, Dave Cordova. Dave can take a crime report if you call his cell phone, 213-793-0650 or send him an email, 31646@lapd.lacity.org. Send him all the information, including your name and telephone number. The Wilshire Division Front Desk can be reached at 213-473-0476 for questions and information.

The Association’s Committees are working hard to keep Hancock Park a great place to live; so join a committee by visiting our website and be an active part of our community. The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180. LAPD, Wilshire Station Front Desk – 213-473-0476

Because Los Angeles continues to suffer from lack of adequate rainfall and falling ground water levels our parkway trees are suffering. Our trees are critical to managing the many environmental challenges facing us including lowering temperatures by providing shade, purifying water and cleaning the air. Trees take much less water than regular landscaping and should be a vital part of any landscaping plans, especially drought tolerant plantings. We just have to keep in mind that trees need regular, deep watering; twice a month. As part of the Association’s commitment to maintaining the health as well as the beauty of Hancock Park we’ve been able to get a firm commitment from the Council Office to remove this year many of the dead parkway trees. In fact, the City has already started on Rossmore. We will then remove the stumps and plant a new healthy tree.

This last month the Association planted new Elm Trees on Rossmore Blvd. While trees live a long time, they don’t live forever and the stately elms and sycamores that make up most of Hancock Park’s arbor are reaching the end of their life span. And the sever water conditions haven’t helped. Drive down Rossmore and take a look at the new trees and imagine how beautiful the summers will be as these elms join their more mature neighbors and continue to shade Rossmore.

The Association’s Committees are always looking for help, so visit the website, see if there is a committee that you’d like to work with and contact us. The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

The Purple Line subway construction on Wilshire Blvd. from Highland Avenue to LaBrea Blvd will require an extended closure of Wilshire Blvd. this coming year. Metro has provided residents and business owners with two options for this closure: 1) Seven full weeks; or 2) Sixteen weekends. Our new councilman, David Ryu, is asking his district to tell him what they think so he can represent us to Metro. The Association, along with our area schools, many of the surrounding neighborhood associations and many of the business owners on Wilshire, support the Sixteen Weekend Closure option.

The choice of sixteen weekend closures is the only option that keeps our streets safe for residents and everyone who lives, works and goes to school in Hancock Park. The traffic management plan Metro has proposed, after little true study, will be to divert traffic to Olympic Blvd. and 3rd Street. This represents an increase in commuter traffic of over 40% on our streets; streets already packed during rush hour. Metro will also do no traffic mitigation for interior residential streets, meaning that desperate drivers will be speeding down all of Hancock Park’s streets. Finally, Metro did not study the impact on the over 2,200 children who attend our neighborhood’s schools, many of whom are driven to school or take the bus.

On the bright side there is some good traffic news: The City has approved left-turn arrows in all four directions at the intersection of Melrose and Rossmore/Vine. The first two signals for Rossmore/Vine north and south are budgeted for this coming year. Thanks to our Councilman, David Ryu, and his staff for working on achieving this important milestone.

Don’t forget El Niño is just beginning so signup for Emergency Alerts – http://www.elninola.com/; check out the Emergency Management Website for the City – http://emergency.lacity.org/index.htm and the LA County Preparedness website – https://www.lacounty.gov/elnino.

The Association’s Committees are always looking for help, so visit the website, see if there is a committee that you’d like to work with and contact us. The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

The arrival of rains driven by the El Niño weather system are predicted for southern California in January. Be sure you’ve:
• Fixed leaks and clean out gutters and downspouts;
• Paint exterior wood trim as cracks can carry water directly into the wood;
• Check window glazing;
• Store emergency repair materials;
• Check tires, wipers, battery, light and brakes on your car;
• Make sure your yard drains properly;
• Have a ‘health check and risk assessment’ for your trees by an arborist. Because of the drought many trees are stressed and sick.
• Secure important documents.

Check out websites: http://www.water.ca.gov/ – California Department of Water Resources; http://www.ladbs.org – LA Dept of Building and Safety-Homeowners Guide for Flood, Debris Flow and Erosion Control; http://www.ready.gov – National Weather Service, LA County Preparedness – https://www.lacounty.gov/elnino and http://www.aaa.com – 3A’s.

Your new HPHOA Board of Directors are: Patricia Alexander, Tim Allyn, Chris Bubser, Cindy Chvatal, Jennifer DeVore, Indy Flore, Greg Glasser, Peter Gorelick, Susan Grossman, Joel Kozberg, Joanne Medeiros, William Newby, Pam Newhouse, Susan Roth, Cami Taylor, Ben Thompson, Jon Vein, Victoria Vickers, James Wolf. The Board is looking forward to continuing the Association’s work on traffic mitigation, historic preservation, tree planting, and street repair. Join us on a committee!

The HPOZ Preservation Plan -http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park regulates our HPOZ. Contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and use the online form (http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist) if you plan on making changes to the exterior of your house. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or at the City’s Anti-Graffiti Request System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 and by calling Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has proposed closing Wilshire Blvd. for an extended period of time for subway construction. The community has so far been presented with two options: 1) Close Wilshire Blvd. completely for 7 full weeks; or 2) Close Wilshire Blvd. on weekends for 22 straight weekends. Both of these options will cause enormous disruption to traffic, residential neighborhoods and businesses. 

The Council Office, along with the Association and other community organizations has been successful in getting the MTA to agree to do Traffic and Noise studies before making a decision. These studies are due to be completed and made available to the community in January of 2016. The Association will then conduct a survey of Hancock Park residents to determine which option we consider most reasonable, and to propose mitigation plans for ensuring that drivers won’t be funneled through our or neighboring communities. 

With thoughtful planning and preparation it should be possible to direct traffic on to surrounding arteries rather than through residential streets. Please, go to the MTA website (https://www.metro.net/projects/westside/ ) and think through the options so you’ll be ready to vote when the survey invitation appears in your email box.

While the Wilshire Division LAPD and our security services have been successful in lowering the recent increase in crime, it’s important that you keep yourself informed. Subscribe to the LAPD Wilshire Division Twitter Feed – https://twitter.com/LAPDWilshire and keep yourself up to date. Also, if there is a street light out, a sidewalk buckled, a pot hole, or a fallen tree file a Service Request with the City at My 311 – http://lacity.org/myla-311/myla-311-service-request . Councilman Ryu is working with the Association on developing a plan to repair our concrete streets and has promised to address the problems with dead and dying trees.

If you’re thinking of changing the street visible exterior of your house, including hardscaping, find out if your changes are in keeping with our HPOZ. The Hancock Park Preservation Plan (http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park) is the legal document that regulates our HPOZ. Read it and then contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and get her input. There is an online form which can start the process: http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist . Renata will then help you schedule a consultation with the HPOZ Board, made up of an architect and four of your neighbors. And El Nino is coming, so make sure your house, and yard are prepared – https://www.lacounty.gov/elnino

Thanks to the folks at 3rd Street School, Councilman Ryu and his office, the LAPD, and the Tree People for helping make our annual meeting such a success. And, especially, thanks to Hancock Park residents for attending and participating in making our community a great place. Remember to volunteer for a committee!

As anyone who drives the city knows, many neighborhoods are facing wholesale house teardowns replaced by huge, generic construction. That’s why our Hancock Park HPOZ is so important. Because of our HPOZ Hancock Park continues to maintain the unique architectural and historic structures that make us one of the most beautiful places to live in America. If you’re thinking of making changes to the exterior of your house, even ‘small’ changes, find out if your changes are in keeping with our HPOZ. The Hancock Park Preservation Plan (http://www.preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park) is the legal document that regulates our HPOZ. Read it and then contact our City Planner, Renata Dragland (renata.dragland@lacity.org), and get her input. There is an online form which can start the process: http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/initial.screening.checklist . Renata will then help you schedule a consultation with the HPOZ Board, made up of an architect and four of your neighbors. Even if all you have is a vague idea contact Renata and get input. Remember, if your project is not correctly permitted and approved you can be forced to undo the changes at your own expense. The HPOZ Board meets at 6PM on the first and third Wednesdays of every month at the John C. Fremont Branch of the LA Public Library – 6121 Melrose Avenue (at June Street). These meetings are public meetings. The Preservation Plan for Hancock Park can be found at: http://www.hancockparkhomeownersassociation.org/ or http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/hancock-park ).

And, as the Tree People reminded us at the Annual Meeting, don’t let your trees die; water them deeply twice a month. Our trees are vitally important to our and the environment’s health. Remember, to keep you and your family safe by locking your house and car; not leaving items in plain sight, setting your house alarm (if you have one), and paying attention to any unusual activity. If you think a crime is happening call 911, DO NOT confront someone yourself. Report graffiti sightings by calling 311 or use the City’s Anti-Graffiti System – http://anti-graffiti.lacity.org/welcome.cfm?CFID=1007&CFTOKEN=411CDB4F-0FC3-4EE1-89DE58DCCB435538 or call Hollywood Beautification, 323-463-5180