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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - Four births and two deaths every second this year… we are going to need more affordable housing.
"Not now, Mr. Preven, the priority is the Olympics for which we do not need to build a single unit of affordable housing."
Let’s give the benefit of the doubt here because I want to believe in the Olympics. The idea of nations coming together, and showcasing athletic excellence, it’s inspiring, right? But... if you haven’t read the New York Times article about what went down with the Paris Games and Salt Lake City’s 2034 bid... holy crap.
Federal agents subpoenaed a top swimming official over doping cover-ups involving Chinese athletes—athletes who, by the way, went on to rake in gold medals in Paris. And instead of supporting clean competition, the International Olympic Committee pulled a power play. They told our delegation: play ball, shut down the investigation, or forget about hosting the Winter Games.
So what did our guys do? They caved. Utah’s governor, Gene Sykes—who’s basically a Goldman Sachs guy turned Olympic broker—agreed to some nonsense about WADA’s "supreme authority," basically selling out American law enforcement to please the global sports cartel.
(Paul Krekorian, rises and begins to APPLAUD)
Now, I’m all for Salt Lake City hosting the Games, but at what cost? If the Olympics are just about protecting shady deals and sweeping doping scandals under the rug, then who’s winning here?
It’s not the athletes. It’s not the fans. And it’s certainly not the people seeking affordable housing.
Smart Speaker: Certainly, the Studios will benefit, and there are plenty of swimming lessons available.
"Get him out of here."
We need answers, not applause for backroom deals.
Greetings, Supervisors.
Smart Speaker: Eric Preven, Studio City. Happy New Year, obviously.
Thanks to Supervisor Barger and Solis for the idea to shut down the County for what I estimate to be a $15 million taxpayer-funded day-off in honor of former President Jimmy Carter. Sure, Carter was a beloved statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner, but does honoring him really require empty offices and halted services on January 9?
The cost to the county for taking a day off in 2018, it will be more in 2025.
We do have mucho unmet needs, remember?
President Biden's executive order for federal closures mirrors Trump’s 2018 move for George H.W. Bush. Apparently, it's now a bipartisan tradition to hand out lazy days on the public dime. Flying the flags at half-mast? Absolutely. Closing essential services and milking the County budget dry? Hard pass. Greedy, naughty governance at its finest!
Keep working, folks—Jimmy would probably agree.
TrumpOlympicsTM Inauguration Test Drive
While the 60th Presidential Inauguration is undoubtedly significant, sending 50 sworn deputies on a three-day assignment to Washington, D.C., raises serious questions about its benefit to Los Angeles County residents.
The $294,000 cost—covering salaries, benefits, and supplies—is reimbursed by the Metropolitan Police Department, but let’s call this what it is: a boondoggle. The Sheriff’s Department already faces critical local challenges, from staff shortages to rising crime and accountability issues. Why are we diverting resources nearly 3,000 miles away for ceremonial purposes?
Taxpayers deserve deputies focused on public safety here in our neighborhoods, not deployed for optics and prestige. If this assignment has genuine merit, it’s certainly not clear from the information provided. I urge the Board to reconsider this proposal and demand transparency on how such expenditures align with the priorities of Los Angeles County residents.
Running California:
California’s 2024 legislative session brought a mix of bans, crackdowns, and future-focused policies—but whether it’s effective governance or overzealous rulemaking is up for debate. The state seems determined to outlaw everything but confusion.
Among the highlights: serial shoplifters now face cumulative theft math; cannabis cafes offer a snack with your smoke; and octopuses get a reprieve from hypothetical farming. Progress peeked through with protections for gender identity and child influencers, a ban on toxic chemicals, and relief from medical debt. Yet the state sidestepped bolder moves like cash reparations for Black residents and a sweeping A.I. safety bill.
It’s a reflection of California’s signature approach: innovate in bans, dabble in progress, and keep us guessing.
Sneakers, the new "White Shoes": Governor Gavin Newsom and LA City Council's Nithya Raman
In this landscape, Governor Gavin Newsom and Councilmember Nithya Raman embody the new “white shoes” of California governance: polished, aspirational, and skilled at managing their images. Newsom’s glossy rhetoric on housing and climate often outshines actual results, while Raman’s high ideals clash with local controversies like questionable park projects and struggles to meet constituent needs.
California leads with style and ambition, but the gap between vision and execution reminds us that “white shoes” shine best when the floor is kept clean—something this legislative haul only partially achieves.
County Lawyers [Total REDACTION = Omission]
The absence of a corrective action plan for the Department of Public Works lawsuit alleging age, gender, and national origin discrimination is a glaring omission. Meanwhile, for the tragic death of Elida Mendez-Ibarra—a case dripping with preventable neglect brought against DHS—we get a grimly exhaustive list: pressure-relieving mattresses, fall risk assessments, imaging turnaround goals. A $375,000 settlement doesn’t buy justice, just a horror story annotated with bureaucratic jargon.
And let’s not forget the $1.9 million payout for a pedestrian struck by a public defender navigating “heavy glare" in a parking lot. The corrective action? A plan, sure—but no sunglasses for employees? January 9, 2025, Jimmy Carter Remembrance Day, might be the perfect occasion to hand out free shades, along with some retroactive accountability.
The pattern here is crystal clear: the dirty stuff, the systemic issues—like workplace harassment and discrimination—are buried without so much as a cursory note. Meanwhile, typical accidents are overanalyzed to death, wrapped in performative solutions that look more like PR strategies than genuine reform.
This is not governance; it’s selective transparency, an affront to public accountability.
Trash Talkers
The landfill crisis highlights everything wrong with the County’s approach to sustainability and accountability. The closure of Chiquita Canyon Landfill has thrown waste management into chaos—displaced waste, overburdened transfer stations, and skyrocketing costs. Illegal dumping is poised to spike, hitting vulnerable communities hardest.
This isn’t just about logistics; it’s about misplaced priorities. Public Works seems more focused on catering to Harvard-Westlake and the New York owners of Sportsmen’s Lodge, whose projects erased cultural landmarks while leaving a hotel and beloved rec center destined for the landfill. Add to that the possible removal of a T-Mobile tower on the golf course Harvard-Westlake redeveloped, leaving users scrambling for service.
Meanwhile, landfill price gouging and backroom deals raise serious questions. Why does the County pursue shady, short-term arrangements instead of fair, sustainable waste practices? The lack of oversight and dismissal of community input reflects systemic failures—from crumbling infrastructure to unchecked contracting fraud—where private interests trump public needs.
Public Works may claim they’re managing the crisis, but the real garbage is a system that prioritizes profit over people, heritage, and the environment. It’s time to stop sending our history—and our trust—straight to the dump.
Public Works Caters to JOCs
Thank you for the opportunity to address this matter. While flood control is critical, the $40 million allocated under these Job Order Contracts (JOCs) highlights troubling transparency issues. Public funds are flowing through spreadsheets with no meaningful oversight, and delegating unchecked authority to Mr. Pestrella deepens public distrust.
The Harvard-Westlake River Park Project exemplifies the problem. First of all, it's a giant private Athletic Complex. With $100 million allocated, it spans 16 acres owned by Whitsett Management and 1.1 acres leased from the Los Angeles County Flood Control District— (eyes narrowing) yet the lease remains conspicuously absent.
The legal challenge by Save Weddington nobly exposed conflicts of interest, including Planning Commissioners Samantha Millman and Caroline Choe—Harvard-Westlake alumni and donors—refusing to recuse themselves. Allegations of Brown Act violations and suppressed public input went unaddressed, and the judge’s recent denial of the challenge only reinforces insider cynicism.
Beyond this, the school’s under-the-radar trustee contributions and political ties—directed toward figures like Adrin Nazarian, Paul Krekorian, and too many to count—raise serious questions about whether public resources are being diverted to serve elite interests. Now neighbors claim that a T-Mobile tower was removed during Harvard-Westlake’s sweeping scrape of the area, causing service disruptions.
Public Works employees who speak out face harassment and retaliation, leaving transparency in tatters. Is the Board willing—or able—to implement the oversight needed to ensure integrity in contract management?
(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch.)
