Agenda Now Available for the Regular Consolidated City Council Meeting on January 9, 2023

Regular Consolidated City Council Meeting

Attend In-person or virtually Via Webex

Meeting Details:

When

Monday, January 9, 2023

Regular Session: 7:00 PM 

Where

Mike Balkman Council Chambers

9770 Culver Blvd., Culver City, First Floor

(Courtesy option to attend virtually via Webex)

***Indoor masking is highly recommended, but not required, at City Council, Commission, Board and Committee meetings

The meeting agenda is currently available on the City's website.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEETING PARTICIPATION:

 ***The public may attend this meeting in person or via video conference.***
Virtual attendance is offered as a courtesy. Technical difficulties shall not require meeting postponement.

How to Submit Written Public Comment Prior to the Meeting:

Find the active eComment link to the right of the agenda date, then choose the agenda item and add your comment. Watch a video tutorial on How to Make an eComment. Email comments to [email protected] or [email protected], or mail comments to City Clerk c/o City Clerk’s Office, 9770 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, specifically identifying the meeting date.

Comments must be received at least 4 hours in advance of the meeting. Written comments WILL NOT be read aloud during the meeting.

How to Attend the Meeting:

Attend In-Person: Face masks are strongly recommended but not required. Learn about the Coronavirus and the City's response, recommendations, and requirements.

Join Online via Webex: Once the meeting has started, find the meeting link under "Attend a Meeting Remotely" on the City's website. Registration is no longer required.

How to Provide Verbal Public Comment In-Person or Online: ***New Process***

Find the meeting link under "Request to speak at a Meeting" on the City's website. Complete and submit the online form. Indicate if you are attending in-person or online and select all the items on which you wish to make a verbal comment. A QR code to the online form will be provided on site for in-person attendees. Verbal public comments are taken at the time the particular agenda item is considered. Requests to speak must be submitted before the start of the public comment period for each agenda item or will not be considered. Whenever reasonable, speakers will be called in chronological order based on when they registered to speak. Each speaker may address the members of the body for up to three minutes.

Contact Us:

Any person needing reasonable accommodation related to disabilities or if you think you may have technical other issues joining the meeting online should contact in advance the City Clerk’s Office at (310) 253-5851 or via email at [email protected] .

Press Release: Culver City Proclaims Local Homelessness Emergency

Culver City Proclaims Local Homelessness Emergency

The City of Culver City has proclaimed a local homelessness emergency on January 3, 2022.  A proclamation of a local emergency was issued by City Manager John Nachbar in his capacity as the City's Director of Emergency Services.  It will allow Culver City to operate beyond its normal operational policies and procedures to better address the homelessness crisis, align the City with other regional jurisdictions, and open the door to potential new funding opportunities to address the crisis.

"Culver City is taking this action as a further step to address the ongoing homelessness crisis. Even after years of effort by the City to resolve the problem, unhoused persons are still suffering daily on streets and sidewalks throughout our community. We need to do everything possible to end this crisis," said Culver City Mayor Albert Vera.

The proclamation follows Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' declaration of a local emergency on homelessness on December 12, 2022. Culver City is entirely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles. The most recent count of people experiencing homelessness in the community identified approximately 350 unhoused residents.

In recent years, Culver City has made unprecedented investments into homelessness solutions, including an annual commitment of $3.2 million from the City General Fund for a new Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit consisting of professionals to address the homelessness and mental health crisis; $275,000 from the City’s General Fund to explore a Safe Parking or Safe Camping Program; $845,000 from a combination of Measure H funding, the City General Fund and the City's Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund for an expanded Culver City homeless street outreach team; $260,000 from the City's General Fund and the Westside Council of Governments Innovation Grant funds for an internal motel voucher program for temporary housing. 

To address the need for local shelter space and supportive housing, the City applied for and was awarded $26.6 million from the State of California, Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) under Project Homekey for the creation of harm reduction, service enriched interim and permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals through the conversion of two local motels. Further, under the leadership of the City Council, the City made a one-time commitment of $7.3 million from Culver City Housing Authority funds for Project Homekey construction and an ongoing annual commitment of approximately $5 million from the City General Fund for Project Homekey staffing, operations and services. The Project Homekey Interim and Permanent Supportive Housing project will be the first in the City and will provide housing for approximately 20% of the homeless population.

The homelessness crisis has put a strain on the City’s public safety resources.  Paramedic and fire calls to address the crisis on City streets and in our other public spaces have increased at alarming rates, such that in 2022 there were nearly 1,200 calls to the Culver City Fire Department (CCFD) involving unhoused persons, including 680 calls for emergency medical services. This is an increase of 13% from 2021 and a 47% increase from 2020. There were also 106 calls to CCFD regarding fires, which is an increase of 38% from 2021.

The City Council will consider ratifying the proclamation of local emergency at its meeting on January 9, 2022.

About Culver City

Culver City is a five-square-mile, urban community of 40,779 residents surrounded mostly by the City of Los Angeles but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. It is centrally located on the Westside near Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles International Airport.  Culver City is particularly known for its well-run public school system, "small town" charm, growing high-tech and creative economies, and a dynamic downtown that is regionally known as a destination for restaurants, live theater, and art galleries. 

Corrected: Press Release: Culver City Proclaims Local Homelessness Emergency

Culver City Proclaims Local Homelessness Emergency

The City of Culver City has proclaimed a local homelessness emergency on January 3, 2023.  A proclamation of a local emergency was issued by City Manager John Nachbar in his capacity as the City's Director of Emergency Services.  It will allow Culver City to operate beyond its normal operational policies and procedures to better address the homelessness crisis, align the City with other regional jurisdictions, and open the door to potential new funding opportunities to address the crisis.

"Culver City is taking this action as a further step to address the ongoing homelessness crisis. Even after years of effort by the City to resolve the problem, unhoused persons are still suffering daily on streets and sidewalks throughout our community. We need to do everything possible to end this crisis," said Culver City Mayor Albert Vera.

The proclamation follows Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' declaration of a local emergency on homelessness on December 12, 2022. Culver City is entirely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles. The most recent count of people experiencing homelessness in the community identified approximately 350 unhoused residents.

In recent years, Culver City has made unprecedented investments into homelessness solutions, including an annual commitment of $3.2 million from the City General Fund for a new Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit consisting of professionals to address the homelessness and mental health crisis; $275,000 from the City’s General Fund to explore a Safe Parking or Safe Camping Program; $845,000 from a combination of Measure H funding, the City General Fund and the City's Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund for an expanded Culver City homeless street outreach team; $260,000 from the City's General Fund and the Westside Council of Governments Innovation Grant funds for an internal motel voucher program for temporary housing. 

To address the need for local shelter space and supportive housing, the City applied for and was awarded $26.6 million from the State of California, Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) under Project Homekey for the creation of harm reduction, service enriched interim and permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals through the conversion of two local motels. Further, under the leadership of the City Council, the City made a one-time commitment of $7.3 million from Culver City Housing Authority funds for Project Homekey construction and an ongoing annual commitment of approximately $5 million from the City General Fund for Project Homekey staffing, operations and services. The Project Homekey Interim and Permanent Supportive Housing project will be the first in the City and will provide housing for approximately 20% of the homeless population.

The homelessness crisis has put a strain on the City’s public safety resources.  Paramedic and fire calls to address the crisis on City streets and in our other public spaces have increased at alarming rates, such that in 2022 there were nearly 1,200 calls to the Culver City Fire Department (CCFD) involving unhoused persons, including 680 calls for emergency medical services. This is an increase of 13% from 2021 and a 47% increase from 2020. There were also 106 calls to CCFD regarding fires, which is an increase of 38% from 2021.

The City Council will consider ratifying the proclamation of local emergency at its meeting on January 9, 2023.

About Culver City

Culver City is a five-square-mile, urban community of 40,779 residents surrounded mostly by the City of Los Angeles but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. It is centrally located on the Westside near Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles International Airport.  Culver City is particularly known for its well-run public school system, "small town" charm, growing high-tech and creative economies, and a dynamic downtown that is regionally known as a destination for restaurants, live theater, and art galleries. 

Culver City Welcomes its New Planning and Development Director: Mark Muenzer

Culver City Welcomes its New
Planning and Development Director
Mark Muenzer

The City of Culver City is pleased to announce that Mark Muenzer will be the City’s new Planning and Development Director. Mark will join the City on January 30, 2023 and will report to City Manager John Nachbar. Mark will oversee three Division Managers, 21 other employees, and an approximate budget of $6.5 million. He will lead the restructuring efforts of the Planning and Development Department. This newly formed department contains the following divisions: Current Planning, Advanced Planning, and Building Safety.

Mark most recently served as Community Development & Transportation Director for the City of Redwood City, California. In this position, he led a multi-faceted department, which includes four City divisions: Planning, Building & Code Enforcement, Engineering and Transportation, and GIS/Analytics. Under Mark’s leadership as the Department Head, he managed several large-scale development and planning processes including updating the City’s Downtown Precise Plan, creation of a new 18-acre mixed-use Transit District, multiple large-scale residential and mixed-use development projects, an update to the City’s Housing Element, the completion and implementation of an organizational review of the Building & Code Enforcement Division, the coordination of ongoing multiple large construction projects, as well as directing numerous public transit, transportation planning and capital improvement projects.

Mark has an extensive background in his profession with other cities as well. His experience includes serving as the Community Development Director for the City of Menlo Park, California. Prior to relocating to California, Mark served as Director of Community Development for the City of Evanston, Illinois; held various management positions with the City of Chicago, Illinois; and served as the Community Development Director for the City of Countryside, Illinois.

Mark assumes this position following the retirement of Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld and the City’s reorganization of that Department.

About Culver City

Culver City is a five-square-mile, urban community of 40,779 residents surrounded mostly by the City of Los Angeles but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. It is centrally located on the Westside near Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles International Airport.  Culver City is particularly known for its well-run public school system, "small town" charm, growing high-tech and creative economies, and a dynamic downtown that is regionally known as a destination for restaurants, live theater, and art galleries. 

Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - January 11, 2023

Finance Advisory Committee Meeting

Meeting Details 

When

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

at 7:00 PM 

Where

Utilize the Courtesy Virtual Option 

or Attend In-Person:

Patacchia Conference Room, First Floor of City Hall

9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232

Indoor masking is highly recommended, but not required.

The agenda and related items are currently available.

Instructions For Meeting Participation:

How to Submit a Written Public Comment Prior to a Meeting: Find the active eComment link to the right of the agenda date, then add your comment to the agenda item you choose. Watch a video tutorial on How to make an eComment. Mail comments to: Finance Advisory Committee, 9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232.

How to Attend and Provide Public Comment at the Meeting: The public will be able to attend ANY commission, board, or committee (CBC) meeting in-person or remotely via Webex. Attending a Webex meeting will no longer require registration. To join remotely, simply click on the link located on the Meetings & Agenda webpage once the meeting has started. 

New Process to Participate and Speak Remotely: While those attending a meeting remotely via Webex will no longer be required to register to attend, anyone who attends a meeting remotely and wishes to SPEAK will need to REGISTER TO SPEAK and identify the specific agenda items for which they have comments. All links to register to speak will be available soon after the meeting agenda is posted: at least 72 hours in advance of a regular meeting and at least 24 hours in advance of a special meeting.

Those attending meetings in-person will also be required to REGISTER TO SPEAK, either in advance or when they arrive at the meeting. All speakers are encouraged to register in advance of the meeting, as speakers will be called in chronological order, based on time of registration.

Any person needing reasonable accommodation related to disabilities, including assisted listening devices, is welcome to contact the City Clerk’s Office at (310) 253-5851 or via email at [email protected].

With frequent service and direct connection to the Expo line, Culver CityBus Line 7 can make it easy to attend meetings at City Hall! Plan your trip online or by calling 310-253-6500.