ohaji.abdallah@lacity.org; lisa.s.davis@lacity.org; richard.campbell@lacity.org; marcelino.ascensio@lacity.org; daniel.tarica@lacity.org; councilmember.park@lacity.org; jacob.burman@lacity.org; sean.silva@lacity.org; juan.fregoso@lacity.org
Subject: Immediate Corrective Action Needed for the Vera Davis LVNOC Process
Dear Bureau of Engineering, Department of Cultural Affairs, and Council District 11 staff,
I am writing in response to the November 17 LVNOC meeting at the Vera Davis McClendon Center. The meeting made clear that the City must take immediate steps to correct the procedural and transparency issues that continue to undermine the Prop K process.
The LVNOC panel seated tonight included eight members, even though Prop K rules allow only seven. The agenda lacked required public comment time, did not include any supporting materials for review, and was not posted with adequate notice. Minutes from the first LVNOC meeting in 2024 are still missing, and the public has repeatedly been left without essential documentation or clarity on who is officially serving on the committee.
Community members also made their position unmistakably clear tonight: they want the City to consider restoring Vera Davis as a resource center that reflects its history and the needs of the people who have relied on it for decades. The City must not push forward with decisions without acknowledging this input or without a lawful and transparent process.
I am asking the City to take the following steps:
Correct the composition of the LVNOC so it complies with Prop K requirements.
Immediately release the minutes from the October 2024 LVNOC meeting.
Publish an accurate LVNOC roster, all relevant meeting materials, and future agendas with full legal notice.
Commit to a clear public process that includes meaningful community input before any decisions are advanced about future programming.
The Vera Davis Center is too important, and its history too deep, to be reshaped through an opaque or inconsistent process. I urge the City to take these corrective steps now to rebuild trust and honor the community’s voice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
