Congress of Neighborhoods

Agenda - August 3rd

July 26, 2002

To: Neighborhood Council Leaders
From: Greg Nelson, General Manager, DONE
gnelson@mailbox.lacity.org

Re: Congress of Neighborhoods, Aug 3rd

This event will be like none other that you've ever attended. Neighborhood Council leaders from all over the city will come together for training, networking, and meeting key representatives from city departments. Some will the leaders of Neighborhood Councils that have been certified, and others will come from groups that are still organizing. In fact, we will have a special track just for those who are organizing.

The event will be held at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. Registration, informal networking, and a continental breakfast will be from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. The event will open with short welcoming remarks from the Mayor, and you'll hear from city leaders who will be making special invitations to the certified Neighborhood Councils to become part of making the system work. The event is scheduled to end about 3:15 p.m. Parking will be validated, and lunch will be provided.

There will be something for everyone. It is recommended that each developing or certified Neighborhood Council bring several members because it won't be possible for one or two people to attend all of the events. For example, Grass Roots Venice will be bringing 20 people; Old Northridge 19; Northwest San Pedro 11, Mid City 11, and Sun Valley 9. In fact, Reseda will be showing up with 14 people, and Silver will come with 19, and they aren't even certified yet.

To reach the hotel pretend like you're going to visit the Universal Studio Tour. Go into the main entrance from Lankershim Blvd. where the Red Line station is. As you go up the hill, the hotel is on the right. You can follow the signs and go left to the parking structure. Staff will direct you to the main ballroom. Or you can be dropped off directly outside the ballroom by going straight as you enter the hotel property, and proceeding to the ballroom drop off area. If you choose to take the Red Line, shuttles run regularly to and from the hotel.

If you would like to attend, you need to register with us. This is not an event that is open to the general public. You may do so by responding to this e-mail, by fax to (213) 485-4608, or by calling toll-free to (866) LA HELPS. Tell us your name, which workshops you would like to attend, and if you consider yourself a member of a Neighborhood Council that is certified or in development, we'd like to know that so your name tag can proudly reflect your neighborhood.

After the 9:30 to 10:30 p.m. general assembly, there will be three periods of workshops with lunch and networking from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. There are six different tracks of training, but you don't need to stick with the same track throughout the day. You can pick and choose which classes you want to attend.

Track 1 "Building a Neighborhood Council"
(For developing Neighborhood Councils) 10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Organizing and Networking Noon - 1:00 p.m. Communication and Outreach 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Certification

Track 2 "Power and Politics"
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Impacting the City Budget (Mayor's budget director) Noon - 1:00 p.m. Organizing for Power - Best Practices (Hear how powerful you can be from some of the most powerful people in the city) 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Organizing for Power (Public Allies)

Track 3 "Building Power"
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Strategic Planning Noon - 1:00 p.m. Work Plan Development (New City America) 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Strengthening Your Power Base (Coro and others)

Track 4 "Making Neighborhood Councils Work"
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Making Meetings Work Noon - 1:00 p.m. Solving Community Problems (Hear from some key city agencies) 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Elections - Best Practices

Track 5 "Where's the Money?"
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Where's the Money? (Getting money, and free stuff, and becoming a nonprofit) Noon - 1:00 p.m. Holding the Money (Treasurer training) 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Ethics and the Brown Act

Track 6 "Communication"
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Access Through Information (How to know what's going on) Noon - 1:00 p.m. Communicating Through the Media (Media experts share tips) 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Communicating with Stakeholders (Sharing best practices)

Additional Workshops
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Planning and Zoning - Director of City Planning Noon - 1:00 p.m. USC Neighborhood Participation Project (They visited other cities) 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Planning the Next Congress (Want to plan the next one?)

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
305 E. First Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
866 / LA HELPS
213 / 485-1360
213 / 485-4608 fax