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Neighborhood Council Board Election – Candidate Forum and How to Vote
For the Youth Representative seat only, those who are 14 years of age or older can vote for this seat.
For any questions about voter registration, contact the City Clerk at clerk.electionvbm@lacity.
The list of HGNNC candidates and their statements is here.
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National 311 Day
The Board of Public Works and Information Technology Agency, will promote city services during the week of March 6-10 to celebrate National 311 Day which takes place on Saturday, March 11.
During the week leading up to March 11 (March 6-10), the City will use traditional and social media, videos broadcast on the City’s Channel 35, and e-blasts to constituents to spotlight highly requested services and the ease with which Angelenos can use 311 or MyLA311 to request such services.
Monday, March 6 – Graffiti removal
Tuesday, March 7 – Bulky Item pickup
Wednesday, March 8 – Pothole repair
Thursday, March 9 – Broken streetlights
Friday, March 10 – Street Sweeping schedules
SoCalGas Announces $10 Million to Support Low-Income Families, Seniors and Small Restaurant Owners Impacted by Unprecedented Regional Gas Market Prices
Thousands newly eligible for winter bill assistance after SoCalGas bolsters United Way’s Gas Assistance Fund with historic $5 million contribution $4 million will revive Fueling Our Communities – a collaboration with local nonprofits that has provided free meals and groceries to tens of thousands of Californians since 2020 $1 million in aid to small restaurant owners through the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced $10 million in shareholder funding to help customers with bill assistance and to bolster community resources for those who may be struggling financially.
The company committed $5 million in shareholder funding to the Gas Assistance Fund, a program administered by the United Way that provides income-qualified customers with one-time grants to help pay their natural gas bills. The contribution is the largest in the fund’s 40-year history and will help the United Way expand access to the program to thousands of additional Southern Californians this winter.
SoCalGas also announced it will contribute $4 million from its donor advised fund to relaunch its popular Fueling Our Communities program, a collaboration with local food banks and nonprofits that has provided free meals and groceries to thousands of Californians facing food insecurity since 2020.
In addition, SoCalGas will contribute $1 million in aid from its donor advised fund to small restaurant owners through the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, a fund that was started in 2021 to help small restaurants with improvements, upgrades, employee retention and to manage debt, losses and rising costs.
“This winter’s unprecedented natural gas prices, on top of already high inflation, have been a real hardship for many Southern Californians, especially our most vulnerable, our seniors, and people facing difficult circumstances,” said SoCalGas CEO, Scott Drury. “Thanks to the incredible work of the United Way, and the network of tireless, nonprofit leaders who support our work in the community, we will be able to help many more of our neighbors, families, and small businesses in cities and towns across Southern California this winter.”
“These contributions will provide much-needed relief for some of our most vulnerable residents at a time when cold temperatures make it harder to turn down the heat,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “As we learn more about the West Coast market conditions that led to unusually high bills, proactive partnerships like this one are addressing the immediate very real needs of our community. I continue looking forward to what soon may be a return to more normal natural gas prices.”
EXPANDED ACCESS TO GAS ASSISTANCE FUND
SoCalGas’s latest contribution to the Gas Assistance Fund will help the United Way expand income eligibility for the program and increase the grant amount available to each qualified customer from $100 to up to $400 for the remainder of the 2023 program. Additionally, income-eligible older adults (55+) and those facing certain financial hardships may be eligible for extra grant funding.
“Over the last four decades, the Gas Assistance Fund has helped hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Californians who face difficult choices during cold months between staying warm and other basic necessities like food and medicine,” said Elise Buik, president & CEO at United Way of Greater Los Angeles. “This historic contribution will help the United Way dramatically expand our reach and allow thousands of individuals, older adults, and families across our region to remain healthy and housed this winter.”
FUELING OUR COMMUNITIES – 2023
The Fueling our Communities Program began in 2020 as a collaboration between SoCalGas and five regional nonprofits to provide free meals to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the program’s first summer, SoCalGas and its partners provided more than 140,000 meals to 40,000 individuals from underserved communities across Southern California. With its latest $4 million contribution, SoCalGas aims to significantly expand the Fueling our Communities program via new and existing partnerships with food banks and nonprofits with a focus on serving families and seniors in need.
SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES
The Restaurants Care Resilience Fund was started in 2021 to help small restaurants with improvements, upgrades, employee retention and to manage debt, losses and rising costs. SoCalGas has supported the fund since its inception.
“What started as a lifeline to restaurants during the pandemic has grown into a robust fund to assist small restaurants with grants to strengthen their businesses and invest in their people,” said Alycia Harshfield, executive director of the California Restaurant Foundation. “SoCalGas’ incredible generosity, commitment, and leadership has a lasting positive ripple effect, and we are proud to partner with them again to make such a meaningful impact.”
MARKET CONDITIONS IMPROVE
After a significant drop in February from January’s unprecedented natural gas commodity prices, market prices for March 2023 usage are currently forecasted to be significantly lower than February’s prices. In addition, the restoration of service to an out-of-state pipeline, which has been offline for two years, is expected to increase supply capacity to the Southwest. Consistent with regulatory requirements, SoCalGas will file March core procurement prices (rates) with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) at the end of February.
The core procurement rate reflects the price SoCalGas pays for natural gas for residential and business customers. That rate changes each month. SoCalGas does not set the price for natural gas. Instead, natural gas prices are determined by national and regional markets. SoCalGas buys natural gas in those markets on behalf of residential and small business customers, and the cost of buying that gas is billed to those customers with no markup.
WHAT CAUSED PRICES TO SPIKE IN JANUARY?
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), a number of factors have contributed to higher natural gas commodity prices:
• Widespread, below-normal temperatures on much of the West Coast, including Washington and Oregon;
• High natural gas demand for heating by customers in areas with below normal temperatures;
• Reduced natural gas supplies to the West Coast from Canada and the Rocky Mountains;
• Reduced interstate pipeline capacity to the West Coast because of pipeline maintenance activities in West Texas (the out of state pipeline mentioned earlier in this news release); and
• Low natural gas storage levels on the West Coast.
According to the EIA, the U.S. set a natural gas consumption daily record on Dec. 23, 2022, further exacerbating supply and demand challenges. Several experts discussed these market conditions at a California Public Utilities Commission public hearing earlier this month. Video of that proceeding is available here.
IS ADDITIONAL HELP AVAILABLE?
In light of unprecedented market conditions, the California Public Utilities Commission voted earlier this month to accelerate the California Climate Credit. As a result, SoCalGas customers will receive a credit of $50.77 in their February or March bill, depending on their billing cycle.
In addition, SoCalGas continues to encourage customers to take advantage of programs and services that can help manage usage and save costs.
Eligible customers may sign up for a Level Pay Plan (LPP), for example, which averages their annual natural gas use and costs over 12 months. There are also financial assistance programs for eligible customers who are experiencing hardships.
SoCalGas’ free Ways to Save tool may also help customers with energy savings options through a personalized savings plan that offers a household energy analysis, customized energy-efficiency
recommendations, bill comparisons, and energy usage comparisons that could help save on natural gas bills. Customers can also sign up for weekly Bill Tracker Alerts to monitor natural gas consumption, take steps to reduce usage, and avoid bill surprises.
Customers can visit socalgas.com/ManageHigherBills for more information on the factors that lead to higher bills and ways we can help.
Notice: Public Hearings for SoCalGas Application for Increase of Gas and Electric Rates
Notice of Participation Hearings Southern California Gas Company’s Request to Increase Gas Rates Application A.22-05-015
Para más información sobre esta reunión pública, y cómo este cambio impactará su factura, llame al 1-800-342-4545.
Why am I receiving this notice?
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) would like to hear from you. You are invited to participate in a public forum, also called a Public Participation Hearing (PPH), about SoCalGas’ 2024 General Rate Case (GRC) application. At the public forum, you can make comments and raise concerns with the CPUC’s Administrative Law Judge (Judge) who is overseeing this rate increase request.
How will the public forums be held?
As part of the CPUC’s ongoing efforts to protect customers and community members, and provide the greatest access, these hearings will be held virtually. Your participation by providing your thoughts on SoCalGas’ request can help the CPUC make an informed decision.
You can also provide written public comments at any time during the proceeding at apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/A2205015
Where and when will this/these Public Forum(s) be held?
March 6, 2023
2:00 p.m.
Virtual PPH
Phone Number: 800-857-1917
Passcode: 1767567#
Webcast: adminmonitor.com/ca/
March 15, 2023
6:00 p.m.
Virtual PPH
Phone Number: 800-857-1917
Passcode: 1767567#
Webcast: adminmonitor.com/ca/
SoCalGas’ March 6 and March 15, 2023, PPHs will be held virtually, meaning you can participate via internet or via phone using the access details above. Please note: If you need a language interpreter for these virtual hearings, please contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor’s Office using the contact information at the end of this notice at least five business days before the Public Forum. If you wish to make a public comment, you must participate by phone using the phone number above. After calling in and entering the passcode above, press *1, unmute your phone and record your name when prompted. You will be put into a queue in the order you dialed in.
Why is SoCalGas requesting this increase?
On May 16, 2022, SoCalGas filed its 2024 General Rate Case application (A.22-05-015) with the CPUC. The application, as updated in November 2022, requests authority to increase revenues for 2024-2027. SoCalGas is requesting to increase revenues by $738 million (20.2% increase over 2023 expected revenues) in 2024. This application also includes requested increases of $295 million (6.7%) in 2025, $261 million (5.6%) in 2026, and $379 million (7.7%) in 2027. The cumulative requested revenue increase is $4,740 million.
Every four years, SoCalGas is required to file a GRC application with the CPUC to set annual revenues. Annual revenues are the total amount of money a utility is allowed to collect through rates in a given year. The revenues requested in this application pay for the costs of owning and operating gas infrastructure. This application does not include the cost to purchase natural gas for SoCalGas customers and does not determine how revenues are assigned to customer groups. Those are evaluated and authorized in separate proceedings.
SoCalGas is requesting this increase to:
- Continue to invest in its gas delivery system to enhance safety and reliability, and to manage risks that could impact its employees, customers, and/or system;
- Invest in the gas system and technologies that advance clean energy for customers and the environment;
- Continue to invest in the needs of customers by enabling diverse customer service capabilities, and to empower customers with information and tools to better manage their gas use;
- Meet regulatory and compliance requirements driven by system safety and reliability and environmental compliance; and
- Invest in efforts and programs to maintain a highly-trained, qualified, and diverse workforce.
If the CPUC approves this application, SoCalGas will implement new revenues in gas rates beginning on January 1, 2024. This will impact your monthly bill.
How could this affect my monthly gas bill?
If SoCalGas’ rate request is approved by the CPUC, the typical residential monthly bill using 36 therms per month would increase by approximately $8.28 or 13.2% per month in 2024, compared to estimated 2023. Individual customer bills may vary.
How does the rest of this process work?
The assigned Judge will consider proposals and evidence presented during the formal hearing process. The Judge will issue a proposed decision that may adopt SoCalGas’s application, modify it, or deny it. Any CPUC Commissioner may sponsor an alternate decision with a different outcome. The proposed decision, and any alternate decision(s), will be discussed and voted upon by the CPUC Commissioners at a public CPUC Voting Meeting.
Parties to the proceeding are currently reviewing SoCalGas’ application, including the Public Advocates Office. The Public Advocates Office is an independent consumer advocate within the CPUC that represents customers to obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with reliable and safe service levels. For more information, please call 1-415-703-1584, email PublicAdvocatesOffice@
Your participation by providing your thoughts on SoCalGas’ request can help the CPUC make an informed decision.
Where can I get more information?
Contact SoCalGas
Email: centralfiles@
Mail: Jamie York, 8330 Century Park Court, CP31E, San Diego, CA 92123
A copy of the Application and any related documents may also be reviewed at https://www.socalgas.com/
Contact CPUC
Please visit apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/
If you have questions about CPUC processes, you may contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor’s Office at:
- Phone: 1-866-849-8390 (toll-
free) or 1-415-703-2074 - Email: Public.Advisor@cpuc.ca.
gov - Mail: CPUC Public Advisor’s Office, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
Please reference SoCalGas GRC Application A.22-05-015, in any communications you have with the CPUC regarding this matter.
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Unprecedented Blizzard Warning Issued In Los Angeles County
Angelenos may get a rare snow day with snow in the Santa Monica Mountain foothills and blizzard conditions in the San Gabriel Mountains.
A blizzard warning has been issued for Los Angeles County, for the first time in history.
The blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service applies to the local mountains, but the storm will bring a “cold core” over the entire region Saturday. It’s a major concern in a county with roughly 70,000 unhoused people.
The warning will remain in effect from Friday morning to Saturday afternoon when as much as 7 feet of snow could fall at the highest elevations, according to the National Weather Service. At lower elevations and mountain passes 6 inches to a foot of snow is anticipated. Wind gusts may reach 75 mph, making visibility near zero. Officials are urging drivers not to try to head up the mountains during the storm.
“Travel should be restricted to emergencies only,” according to the NWS. “If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle.
“By Saturday night, 2-5 feet of total snow accumulation is likely above 4000 ft with isolated amounts near 7 feet at higher elevations, the weather service warned. “Accumulations of 6- 12 inches likely between 2000-4000 feet, including most major mountain passes.”
Snow levels may drop to 1,500 feet, meaning that the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna mountain ranges could get a rare dusting.
The low-elevation snow will contribute to what could be “the largest amount of 24-48 hour snowfall seen in decades, likely rivaling the 1989 storm, for our Ventura and Los Angeles County mountains,” according to the NWS.
“Snowfall of this rate and amount could lead to damage to structures and trees with an immense threat of avalanches, especially in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains by Saturday,” forecasters said.
Temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s in most of the area, although they will drop into the 30s in the mountains and some valley areas, particularly at night, and into the 20s in the Antelope Valley.
Though residents of Los Angeles and Orange counties awoke to sunny skies, Wednesday, the intense storm looms. The front end of the powerful winter storm moved into Southern California early Wednesday.
Winds began blasting large swaths of the area Tuesday night, rattling windows while knocking down trees and power lines in parts of the South Bay. A tree even fell onto some cars and an apartment building in Manhattan Beach.
High surf, meanwhile, pounded the coast, prompting the closure overnight of the Redondo Beach Pier due to the large waves.
The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory that will remain in effect for all Los Angeles County beaches until at least 3 a.m. Thursday. Forecasters said waves of up to 12 feet were anticipated, along with powerful rip currents that “can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea.” Forecasters also warned of possible coastal flooding.
The windy conditions that greeted many residents Wednesday morning were expected to diminish, “but it will still be a cool blustery day with a chance of showers mainly over the mountains,” according to the National Weather Service.
“An unusual winter storm will approach the area Thursday and will then produce periods of heavy rain and heavy mountain snow to the region Friday through Saturday night,” forecasters said.
According to the NWS Los Angeles office — which is actually based in Oxnard, this is believed to be the first time it has ever issued a blizzard warning for the area. Forecasters initially said one had previously been issued, but after checking records dating back 40 years, there was no evidence of any such warnings.
Ahead of the blizzard warning, a winter storm warning will be in effect in the mountains until 4 a.m. Friday for the mountains, thanks to anticipated “low elevation snow, strong winds, and very cold wind chills.”
In the Antelope Valley, a winter weather advisory will be in effect until 4 a.m. Friday, with forecasters anticipating 3 to 6 inches of snow in the foothills and 1 to 3 inches on the valley floor, with winds gusting to 45 mph.
When the brunt of the storm begins to arrive Thursday, all major mountain passes will be at risk of snow, while other areas could get up to a half-inch of rain.
By Thursday night, however, things will begin to worsen.
Coastal and valley areas could get between 2 and 4 inches of rain during the storm.
The cold weather posed a major health threat to the unhoused and people without access to adequate shelter and heating.
“Please take precautions to ensure you, your loved ones, and your neighbors are staying safe and warm,” said Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis, MD, MPH. “The most vulnerable people to the cold are children, the elderly, those with disabilities, and those with special medical needs. If you need a warm place to stay, there are shelters and other public facilities available to help keep you safe, warm, and dry.”
Persons seeking shelter services to stay in a warm place can visit www.lahsa.org/winter-shelter.
The county offered tips for staying safe during this unusual cold spell:
- Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Never use a generator inside a home, shed, or garage even if doors and windows are open. Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors, and vents.
- Never use charcoal grills or camp stoves indoors. Deaths have occurred after people burned charcoal or used camp stoves in enclosed spaces, which produced lethal levels of carbon monoxide.
- Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
- Do not touch or approach a downed power line; call 9-1-1 if you see a downed or damaged electrical line.
- Avoid using candles. If possible, use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended or near children or bedding. Extinguish candles when you leave the room.
- Have a plan for backup power if you or someone in your family is dependent on electricity for medical devices.
- Wear layers and have blankets available to add additional warmth. Layers will keep you warmer than a bulky sweater. Stay dry to avoid hypothermia.
- If it is safe, check on neighbors who may need assistance — older adults, people with disabilities, and young children are more at risk in extreme cold.
LAEWDD Child Care Grant for Single Parents
The LAEWDD Child Care Grant for single parents will provide eligible applicants up to $1K per month for six months in childcare support & employment training opportunities.
Visit http://bit.ly/lacipgrant for more information.
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Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) First-Time Homebuyer Program
The Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) has programs to assist first-time, low- and moderate-income homebuyers purchase homes in the City of Los Angeles. These programs are designed to assist first-time homebuyers with purchase assistance for the down payment, closing costs, and other costs to help eligible homebuyers realize their dream of homeownership in the City.
For more information on LAHD’s First-Time Homebuyer Programs, please visit https://housing.lacity.org/.
LA City Council Approves Contracts for Mental Health Services at City Libraries
The L.A. City Council approved more than $800,000 in contracts to provide assistance to librarians and other library staff to train them should they encounter someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis.
The L.A. City Council approved three new contracts Tuesday for mental health services at public libraries. The contracts total more than $800,000 and will provide help for library staff who encounter people going through a mental health crisis as well as provide case management and counseling for library patrons.
Why it matters
Karen Pickard-Four, head of LAPL’s Library Experience Office, said the need is there on a daily basis for mental health resources at the city’s libraries.
“We constantly have to train staff to respond to people that are in our branches. The great thing is going to be able to provide assistance to people who are suffering,” Pickard-Four said.
She told LAist last year that part of the goal of the mental health contracts is also to have less police involvement when someone is in crisis in a city library.
What’s next
Pickard-Four expects at least five additional contracts will follow the first three. The services will soon be available at the Central Library and some branch libraries. Ask your local L.A. library for more info on how to benefit from these services.
CA Urges Feds To Probe Gas Companies, Increases Rebates
Help for skyrocketing gas bills is on the way. Credits ranging from $90 to $120 will appear on utility bills as soon as March.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking federal authorities to investigate the recent spike in natural gas prices — an increase that has been evident to many Californians as their utility bills skyrocket. Households across the state opened their January gas bills last week to find their gas bills tripled in a single month.
“Since late November 2022, wholesale natural gas prices throughout the West have risen to alarming levels that greatly exceed prices in the rest of the country,” Newsom wrote Monday in a letter to Willie Phillips, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Utility providers had cautioned California customers to expect January gas bills totaling twice or more than what they paid for the same period in 2022. Even so, the spike exceeded the forecasts. The companies cited an unprecedented confluence of circumstances, including a recent cold snap, pipeline constraints associated with maintenance work in Texas, low gas storage in the Pacific region, and increased transportation rates.
Newsom characterized the cost spike as “extreme and unexpectedly high.”
“I, therefore, ask that FERC immediately focus its investigatory resources on assessing whether market manipulation, anticompetitive behavior, or other anomalous activities are driving these ongoing elevated prices in the western gas markets,” Newsom wrote. “And, if warranted, I ask that FERC bring its full enforcement powers and resources to bear to protect customers.”
At the state level, help is on the way. Credits ranging from $90 to $120 will appear on gas and electric bills as soon as March after the California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to accelerate the California Climate Credit, according to the governor’s office. The credit represents the consumer’s share of payments from the state’s cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and was previously scheduled to be granted in April by natural gas companies, according to CalMatters.
The $90 to $120 credit will be applied to residential utility bills starting in March for customers of PG&E, Southern California Edison, SDG&E and SoCalGas, according to Newsom. Customers of Bear Valley, Liberty, PacifiCorp and Southwest Gas will also get an accelerated credit, and the amount received will vary.
The public utilities commission and the California Energy Commission will hold a hearing Tuesday with market experts to examine the causes and impacts of the gas price increase.
“Millions of California families are opening their utility bills to sticker shock — and we’re taking action now to provide relief to help with those high gas bills,” Newsom said in a news release.
“We know this provides only temporary relief from soaring bills. That’s why I’m asking the federal government to use its full authority to investigate the spike in natural gas prices and take any necessary enforcement actions. We’re going to get to the bottom of this because Californians deserve to know what’s behind these exorbitant bills.”
Article from https://patch.com/california/northridge/s/iklgi/ca-urges-feds-to-probe-gas-companies-increases-rebates