Quentin Drew Gymnasium







Councilwoman Hahn with Barbara Piggee, Director of the Bradley Milken Center, Richard Benbow, Executive Director of the Community Development Department and John Jones, Quentin Drew's son

I was honored to join with community leaders to officially name the gymnasium at the Bradley Milken Community Center after the late Quentin Drew.  Quentin served as President of the Watts Neighborhood Council and worked to bring theatre to the community with the Watts Village Theatre.  He passed away last year after a battle with cancer.

San Pedro Gets Brand New Fire Station
Councilwoman Hahn cuts the ribbon to the new station with San Pedro honary Mayor Joe Donato, LAFD Chief Berry, Mayor Villaraigosa and local kids, Kelsey & Vince Roche-Burke 

Fire Station 36 in San Pedro is open!  It was a great community gathering when we cut the ribbon on the new station, which was built with Prop F funds (approved by voters in 2000).  

We all welcomed our new Fire Chief, Douglas Barry at the event. Chief Barry is a longtime LA Firefighers and I think it is always a plus when we are able to appoint one of our own, one who has risen through the ranks, to lead one of our departments. It sends the right message to all of our City employees that we reward hard work and appreciate them. I am confident that Chief Barry will be a great leader.

Councilwoman Installs Neighborhood Council Officers

Councilwoman Hahn with new officers of the Harbor City Neighborhood Council

It was great to be able to install the new officers of the Harbor City Neighborhood Council.  This is a great neighborhood council that is working to improve the community.  They have worked hard to organize community clean-ups, helped to prioritize Public Works and Transportation projects, and planted a number of trees in their community.

I am constantlyworking to empower our neighborhood councils and I expect great things from this new Board.

Remember to Get Your Flu Shot

Councilwoman Hahn gets her flu shot

I recently got a flu shot for the first time ever.  We all know that the flu can be annoying and debilitating, but it can also be very dangerous.
I urge everyone, especially senior citizens and children under 5, to get their shots this year.

I got mine at the Little Company of Mary/San Pedro Hospital.  They will be holding a clinic that is free and open to the public on November 17 from 9 - noon.  Call 310/514-4FLU to reserve a time.  You must be over 50 or suffer from health problems to qualify. 

Great News in Watts!

Councilwoman Hahn and the Watts Gang Task Force

Crime remains down in Watts.  In fact, it has decreased 50%--which is unprecedented. 

For almost 2 years now, I have been holding weekly community meetings in my office.  These meetings evolved into Watts Gang Task Force and we have worked to improve the relationship between the LAPD and the community.  Working together, we have impacted crime and made a big difference in the community.

Congratulations to the Watts Gang Task Force.  Keep up the great work!

                                                                            Fall 2007
Habitat for Humanity
Last week, we were fortunate enough to have President Carter and his wife
here in L.A. for the Habitat for Humanity Jimmy Carter Work Project.
Councilwoman Hahn with President & Mrs. Carter  
and Habitat for Humanity LA CEO, Erin Rank
         
Every year, President Carter and his wife Rosalynn, along with Habitat for Humanity, chose one city for a week long build to create new housing for well-deserving families. This year they chose Los Angeles and we built 30 new homes, 16 in San Pedro and 14 in the Harbor Gateway. It was a great event with thousands of volunteers converging in our towns to put the spotlight on the need for affordable housing.

I have been involved with Habitat for Humanity for years, formally serving on the Board of the Long Beach organization. I also have a long history with the Carter family, as the President and my father, Supervisor Kenny Hahn, were close friends. In fact, my father gave the first piece of County owned land to Habitat for Humanity to use for houses back in 1991. So, when I heard that the President was deciding where to go this year, I personally wrote to him to remind him of our history and told him how honored I would be to have him in San Pedro and Harbor Gateway for this year's build. He could have chosen any city in the world, so having him chose Los Angeles meant a great deal to me.

It is no secret that we are facing a shortage of affordable housing in Los Angeles. And, in my opinion, nothing improves our neighborhoods more than increasing the number of homeowners. We know that when families own homes, kids do better in school, families thrive and neighborhoods thrive.

Together, we have added 30 new homeowner families to Los Angeles. My staff and I helped to build some of the homes.  I worked on a home built Councilwoman Hahn and staff with President Carter completely by women, with the help of San Pedran John Olguin.  Power women, using power tools, to build the American Dream for a very deserving mother and her four children.  It was a remarkable experience for me, for the families, and for all of Los Angeles.

Gang Prevention Funding Ballot Measure Update
I recently agreed to delay putting my gang prevention measure on the February 2008 ballot.  Instead, it looks like it will be on the Councilwoman Hahn with Magic Johnson           November 2008 ballot.  The measure will raise $30 million annually for gang prevention, intervention, job training and after-school programs through a $38 a year parcel tax.

Facing a fiscal emergency, the City Council voted to place another ballot measure on the February 2008 ballot.  The Communications User Tax measure will allow the city to maintain $270 million in annual revenue that otherwise would have been lost. I believe that putting the gang prevention measure on the same ballot would hurt them both.  The Communications User Tax is a priority so it is in the best interest of the city to delay the gang measure.

The gang prevention ballot measure is really vital to our city.  The Police Department is doing all that that they can, but until we work with our kids at an early age and teach them to stay out of gangs in the first place, we will never win this war.  This initiative will finally fund this missing piece in our war on gangs.

I plan to use the time between February and November to continue building a strong coalition that will help me get this measure passed.  I recently met with Magic Johnson about the measure, and he understands its importance.  Additionally, we recently received the support of LA City Firefighters, our rank and file LAPD  officers and the National Association of Women Business Owners.  If you would like more information about how to get involved, feel free to email me at janice.hahn@lacity.org.

Harbor Gateway Community Center
Almost a year ago, 14-year-old Cheryl Green was shot and killed while standing outside her home with friends at 3:30 in afternoon.  Following Cheryl's death it became clear that there was not enough in her Harbor Gateway neighborhood for young people to do after school.  If only she had been in an after school program that fateful afternoon in December.

I have been meeting with local community members every other week since Cheryl's death and one of our top priorities has been finding a place for a community center.  The community helped me identify a vacant lot as the best location and we recently got the land donated by REMCO, the company that owns it.  I am expediting the creation of the center and already have the commitment of the Boys & Girls Club of the South Bay to provide programs and activities for local kids.

I am looking forward to opening the new center soon, giving the young people of Cheryl's neighborhood a place to go after school and on weekends.


A Rose for a Pioneer Woman
I recently joined Councilwomen Perry and Greuel at the rose garden at Exposition Park, to honor Geraldine Ferraro by planting a rose that has been named after her. Proceeds from the sale of the Geraldine Ferraro Commemorative Rose, designed by the Jackson & Perkins, will benefit Multiple Myeloma Research. 
Councilwoman Hahn, Councilwoman Greuel and Geraldine Ferraro, join kids, to plant the Geraldine Ferraro Commemorative Rose

Ms. Ferarro was the first woman to run for Vice President of the United States.  She served as a trailblazer for women elected officials everywhere.  She was also diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma many years ago.

I remember when she came to Los Angeles as a candidate for Vice President in 1984.  I thought her canadicey was so important that I took my daughter Katy, who was 6 at the time, out of school to meet Ms. Ferarro at the airport.  I wanted my daughter to know that her opportunities were unlimited!



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