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The iconic Whittier Boulevard sign overlooks a commercial stretch of East L.A.<\/p>\n
Photo by Andrew Lopez \/ Boyle Heights Beat<\/p>\n
This\u00a0article\u00a0<\/a>was originally published by\u00a0Boyle Heights Beat<\/a>, a nonprofit newsroom of the L.A. Local News Initiative serving Boyle Heights and East L.A., on Feb. 9.<\/p>\n East Los Angeles residents will soon have a chance to share their ideas on local government at a series of community forums, nearly a year after a report\u00a0concluded that becoming a city wasn\u2019t financially feasible.<\/a><\/p>\n
The first of six East L.A. Community Forums will be held on Feb. 21 at Salazar Park in East L.A. Residents can attend in person or virtually to weigh in on whether a\u00a0Municipal Advisory Council (MAC)<\/a>\u00a0or similar advisory body could benefit the unincorporated community.<\/p>\n How East L.A is governed and what could change<\/p>\n Because East L.A. is not an incorporated city, it falls under direct oversight of L.A. County. That means decisions about services and developments are handled by county officials \u2014 in this case by Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the area and more than 2 million constituents.<\/p>\n If established, a MAC would be led by citizens and directly advise the county Board of Supervisors on issues unique to East L.A.<\/p>\n MACs don\u2019t have the power to make laws, authorize budgets or direct county operations but can, however, provide a structure for public input and give stakeholders a direct line of communication to county leadership. Some residents argue that the current governance structure does not adequately serve the community of nearly 120,000 and that an alternative form of representation could help address local needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Although the\u00a02025 report<\/a>\u00a0detailed the fiscal challenges for incorporation, several East L.A. residents and stakeholders agreed that the push for the study was less about cityhood and\u00a0more about financial transparency for East L.A<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Who is leading the outreach?<\/p>\n The forums are being led by the Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator and Fellowship (LEEAF) program through California State University, Los Angeles, at the direction of the county CEO\u2019s office. According to a spokesperson, the outreach is expected to conclude in the spring with a report submitted to the Board of Supervisors by the end of July 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n LEEAF has conducted several analyses on the economics of unincorporated East L.A., its most recent being an assessment of how\u00a0ICE raids impacted businesses in the area<\/a>.<\/p>\n The forums are free and will focus on small group conversations to allow all attendees to speak and share insights. Meetings will run for approximately 90 minutes and have a place for children ages 5-12 to play.<\/p>\n How to attend<\/p>\n Interested in making your voice heard at one of the forums? See a complete list of the meetings below. While RSVPs are suggested, they are not required.<\/p>\n Feb. 21 at 2 pm at Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Blvd.\u00a0Register here<\/a>Feb. 26 at 5\u00a0pm at East L.A. Library, 4837 East 3rd St.\u00a0Register here<\/a>Feb. 28 at 2\u00a0pm at City Terrace Park, 1126 North Hazard Ave.\u00a0Register here<\/a>March 4 at 5:30\u00a0pm at East L.A. Service Center, 133 North Sunol Dr.\u00a0Register here<\/a>March 5 at 5:30 pm (Virtual meeting on Zoom)\u00a0Register here<\/a>March 7 at 2\u00a0pm at Saybrook Park, 6250 Northside Dr.\u00a0Register here<\/a><\/p>\n
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