Neighborhood Council leaders weigh in on Buscaino’s $3 million grant fund
Although he was among the only two members of the Los Angeles City Council to vote against cutting $150 million from the Los Angeles Police Department this past June, the community grants program that District 15 Councilman Joe Buscaino proudly announced on April 6 is funded with $3 million of that reallocated money.
With his vote against the budget, the councilman gets to be true to his roots as a cop and provide his district with the extra goodies that come with the saved money. The next thing to watch for is what projects the grants go to.
Nonprofits from San Pedro, Harbor City, Wilmington, Harbor Gateway and Watts have until April 30 to apply for grants from $10,000 to $100,000. After that, residents of the City of Los Angeles can vote for one proposal per community from May 10 to May 30.
“I believe each [council district] is getting probably about the same $3 million,” said Ryan Ferguson, field deputy for Buscaino, at the April 20 meeting of the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council. “But there are other … allocations from the $150 million that are going to various departments and programs.”
Harbor City Neighborhood Council President Danielle Sandoval said $12.5 million was allocated to Council District 15 out of the $150 million that was cut, but only $3 million is being offered in grants.
“It hasn’t been transparent as to where the rest of the money is going, and what that process is,” Sandoval said. “And, the community hasn’t even been told at all to see where we want the money allocated; however the money that was allocated was supposed to go to disadvantaged communities, communities of color.”
However, a joint report from City Administrative Officer Richard H. Llewellyn Jr. and Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon M. Tso revealed that approximately $12.1 million is proposed to be allocated to CD 15, all of which is going to specific services, such as reimagining public safety and homelessness. $3,078,123.34 is proposed to be allocated to Buscaino’s grant program. $1,000,000 will go to San Pedro; $328,123.34 will go to Harbor City; $550,000 will go to Wilmington; and $1,200,000 will go to Watts.
Sandoval recently attended a town hall meeting in South Los Angeles with Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Mark Ridley-Thomas, who are involving the community in how the reappropriated funds will be used. She argued that it would have been smart for Buscaino to do the same.
“It’s just disheartening that … there’s not a lot of transparency or communication, or outreach to the community,” Sandoval said. “I do think it’s a good thing that the money is going to nonprofits, I just would like the whole community to be involved in that, and it doesn’t feel like it is. It feels political.”
Even though there are several neighborhood councils in the areas represented, the selection process circumvents them entirely, instead relying on a website where the public votes.
“It’s an interesting exercise in direct democracy,” said Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council President Doug Epperhart. “In terms of having the neighborhood councils involved, they can be plenty involved. They can look at the proposals and come forward and say hey, we think people should support this one, or that one.”
Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council President Lou Caravella said it would be nice if the neighborhood councils were included in the process, especially given how often they work with local nonprofits and people in their neighborhoods.
“That being said, we are familiar with it, and the councilman’s office told us about it, so we’re trying to promote it,” Caravella said.
Caravella said he would be open to his council reviewing the proposals, and seeing if there are any standouts. He said the council could find out where the community’s interest lies.
“That’s another advantage that neighborhood councils have,” Caravella said. “We get opinions on the priority of the neighborhood pretty frequently.”
Sandoval argued that the neighborhood councils should be involved in the process.
“We’re the voice of the community,” Sandoval said. “We’re the ones on the ground, we’re the ones … in contact with our neighbors, with our stakeholders.”
Sandoval said that she has been involved with the neighborhood councils for seven years and has been on the board of both Harbor City and Central San Pedro. During that time, she has
never seen Buscaino, a former LAPD officer, speak at any of their meetings. However, his field deputies do attend the meetings.
“It’s very disappointing,” Sandoval said. “I’m more in contact with the field deputies than with our councilman.
To be considered for a grant, nonprofits’ proposals must be in at least one of seven categories, including:
• Addressing homelessness and its root causes, including addressing and preventing poverty
• Addressing racial disparities
• City services/beautification
• Jobs/economic development
• Nonprofit/community Investment
• Recreation/youth programming
• Reimagining public safety
“It’s going to be interesting to see what comes forward,” Epperhart said. “The criteria is actually really broad, perhaps too broad. But, you know, the proof is in the pudding, so I guess we’ll see what comes out.”
Epperhart said there is no real centralized reporting on police activity, and that people mainly rely on newspapers.
“There’s a lot of things that need to be addressed,” Epperhart said.
Epperhart said he would be disappointed if the program has several projects proposing the beautification of sections of Tarzana and South Shores or the west side. However, there is a chance for these grants to make a real difference.
“I’d like to see a program that looks at teaching people about things like implicit bias, a program that really sets up a civilian monitoring of police activity,” Epperhart said.