Community Impact Statements
A Primary Tool for Neighborhood Councils

by: Dr. Daniel Wiseman
..... dwisemanmd@yahoo.com

to: Presidents, Representatives & Stakeholders of the Los Angeles City Neighborhood Councils

Community Impact Statements (CIS’s) are one of the most effective ways with which our Neighborhood Council can make its opinions known to the City Council.

Community Impact Statements are clearly and unequivocally documented.

1. CIS’s are made known to the Council Members even before they are developing and deliberating the issue in committee or in City Council.

2. CIS’s become part of the Council File (the documents which are the formal recommendations and motions which establish the policies and laws of our City). They are seen by all (Council Members, their staffs, City Officials, us, etc.) when they review the Council File.

3. CIS’s appear on the agendas when the issue comes before the City Council.

4. CIS’s are part of the process of “exhausting our administrative remedies;” the legal actions necessary before a lawsuit may be started.

Our Council Members can not ignore our CIS’s nor the fact that we express our opinions in them…even ‘tho they (Alarcon, Zine, others) say they don’t read the agendas but rely on their staff to “keep the Council Member up on what is important.”

In addition, they often refer to the NC’s and NC opinions in their public comments, in their deliberations. Hopefully, they will incorporate the messages in our CIS’s in their final decisions.

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How to Submit a Community Impact Statement (Instructions from DONE)

In mid-2003, the City began a new system through which Neighborhood Councils can adopt Community Impact Statements that summarize its official position on City issues and have them printed directly on the meeting agendas. It’s a unique and unprecedented way for each Neighborhood Council’s voice to be known to the City Hall decision-makers and the world before a vote is taken.

There are several ways to send Community Impact Statements to the City Clerk for inclusion on the agendas of the City Council, its committees, and City commissions. A paper version may be sent via postal mail, hand-delivery, fax, or it may be sent through the Internet at http://applal.lacity.org/cis

Getting Set Up:

Each Neighborhood Council with an elected board should notify the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment of up to five official representatives who are authorized to submit its statements. The City will trust that they will be transmitting only official and authorized Community Impact Statements.

Please provide the representatives’ names and contact information to Ms. Jacqueline Mendez via e-mail at Jacqueline.Mendez@Iacity.org, or by fax to (213) 485-4608. She will send each representative a username, password, and instructions on how to use the system. A copy of the Neighborhood Council’s board minutes appointing the representatives or a letter from the Neighborhood Council President is required to confirm the authorized representative(s).

The Process:

Community Impact Statements are limited to 100 words. Usually, it is a summary of a more lengthy position that was adopted. The City Clerk will attach the original statement to the official City Council file, and will scan the statement into the Council File Index system so that it can be retrieved by the public through the Internet.

The City Clerk will not edit statements except in accordance with City Council rules. Statements containing offensive or defamatory language will be returned with an explanation by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. If the statement is received by the City Clerk in a timely way, it will be printed on the agenda below the Fiscal Impact Statement for the item. The full statement and any attachments will be placed in the City Council file.

If the statement is received too late, it will be included in the City Council file, copies will be distributed at the City Council meeting, and the Clerk will announce at the City Council meeting that a statement has been received from a Neighborhood Council. At the direction of the City Council President or the City Council, the statement may be read into the record.

A Neighborhood Council may submit only one statement for each agenda item. If several Neighborhood Councils submit statements on the same issue, the agenda will note that fact, and identify the Neighborhood Councils that submitted the statements. The agenda will also note whether the Neighborhood Councils support or oppose the item. The original statement will become part of the official record.

Neighborhood Councils may submit a statement on any agenda item it wishes. Neighborhood Councils are not restricted to commenting on matters within its boundaries because many important issues may not be geographically based, or may directly affect more than one Neighborhood Council.

Neighborhood Councils may use its statement to request a delay of a vote. However, such a request cannot prevent the City Council from taking an action. The City Attorney has advised the City Council to make reasonable efforts to comply with the spirit and intent of the law, and to notify Neighborhood Councils as soon as possible prior to making decisions.

The Department recommends that either the statement, or the larger official position that will be added to the record, if submitted, include other enlightening information about the vote and the position, such as explaining the other side of a divided vote, the results of an advisory vote taken may have been taken among the stakeholders, the results of a community survey, or a reversal of a previous position. For instance, if the vote is less than unanimous, decision-makers may want to know the reasoning of the other side for the sake of clarity.

It is also suggested that information be included that explains who made the decision (i.e., was it a vote by the entire governing board, by a committee, or by an officer authorized by the board to take positions, etc.?). The point is that there have already been some problems with individuals within a Neighborhood Council speaking for themselves and giving City agencies the impression that they are speaking for the entire Neighborhood Council.

The City Clerk will accept statements only from Neighborhood Councils that have governing boards in place, and have voted in a public meeting to establish the position, or have established in a public meeting some other process for establishing official positions.

Via Fax or Mail:

You may submit a signed statement by faxing it to the City Clerk at (213) 978-1079. It can also be mailed or hand-delivered to the City Clerk at 200 North Spring Street , Room 395, City Hall, Los Angeles 90012.

Council File Index:

To track any City Council file and to view related documents, such as the Community Impact Statements, go to http://cityclerk.lacity.org/CFI/

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Below, is an example of a CIS as to format and content:

(You can append as much material as you want, here, to clarify and emphasize your opinion.)

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Dr. Daniel Wiseman
dwisemanmd@yahoo.com