ONE BIG THING: CHARTER REFORM
What Happened?
LA’s City Charter (basically our City’s constitution) is undergoing a reform process that was catalyzed by the racist leaked recordings in 2022, which exposed politicians conspiring for their own political gain. The scandal put a greater spotlight than ever before on longstanding issues within LA’s core governance structures and sparked calls for reforms to make City Hall more accountable and representative.
For months, a Charter Reform Commission gathered input and developed recommendations for the City Council. But unlike normal legislation, Charter reforms require voter approval because they change the City’s foundational governing document.
This week, the City Council voted on which reforms to send to the November 2026 ballot and which proposals to shelve for 2028 or future years.
Police Reform
Perhaps the most consequential reform was LAPD Charter Reform, which passed on a 9-6 vote.
While City Council is responsible for the public safety of our residents and funding LAPD — the City Charter creates ambiguity around whether elected officials can establish department-wide policy.
That disconnect has contributed to years of conflict over accountability and has made Los Angeles a major outlier among American cities. No other city — big or small — prevents its elected legislators from making policy like this.
Our measure would clarify that elected officials can establish broad LAPD policies while preserving the department’s day-to-day operations, independent investigations, and existing civilian oversight.
Residential Voting
Another major reform headed toward the ballot is Residential Voting, which passed, 10 votes to 5.
The measure would give Los Angeles voters the opportunity to decide whether the City should be allowed to create a future program allowing certain longtime residents who are not U.S. citizens to vote in local elections.
Longtime residents who pay taxes, raise families, own businesses, and contribute to their communities should have a voice in the decisions that affect their daily lives. While voting remains restricted to citizens for state and federal elections, a growing number of cities and jurisdictions across the country have adopted forms of residential voting.
If approved by voters, the measure would not immediately create a voting program. Instead, it would authorize the City Council and Mayor to develop eligibility requirements, registration procedures, and other safeguards through future legislation.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about Residential Voting
Parks Funding
In a 14-1 vote, City Council moved to double parks funding incrementally over the next decade.
LA’s parks recently ranked 93rd out of the top 100 biggest cities in the US. For decades, we’ve underinvested in the public spaces that make our neighborhoods livable. Doubling parks funding would mean more trees, cleaner parks, safer playgrounds, expanded recreation programs, and new opportunities for millions of Angelenos — especially in Black and brown communities that have historically been left behind.
The measure does not include any new revenue streams, meaning the City would need to cut funding from other programs to support parks at this level or develop new revenue sources to close the gap.
Council Expansion & Controller Reforms
Not every reform proposal made it across the finish line. Two major measures we supported — expanding the City Council from 15 to 25 members and strengthening the budget and independence of the City Controller's Office — failed to receive enough support to advance to the ballot.
The proposals were aimed at making City Hall more representative and strengthening independent oversight of City finances. Both are off the table for 2026, but the underlying problems they sought to address haven't gone away.
That means for now, these reforms will have to wait until 2028 or beyond. We'll continue organizing, building support, and making the case for a City Hall that is more representative and accountable to the people it serves.
Why it Matters
The last major Charter reform was more than 25 years ago. Together, these measures represent a rare opportunity to reshape how Los Angeles governs itself.
LAPD Reform would make public safety policy more accountable. Residential Voting would expand participation in local democracy. And parks funding would bring desperately needed investment to public spaces across the city.
What’s Next?
We still have a few more steps before anything is a done deal:
1️⃣ Final ballot language needs to be approved by City Council by July 1
2️⃣ Mayor signs off on the measures
3️⃣ Voters decide in November
One More Quick Hit!
- The City’s Most Attended Watch Parties!
CD13 is burning up with fútbol fever – and we’ve got the numbers to prove it!
Over 830 attendees came out to watch Argentina vs. Algeria, and over 575 came out for the opener of Mexico vs. South Africa – making our Watch Parties at Echo Park Lake one of the most popular FREE events in the city!
The excitement is just getting started, we’ve got 5 more watch parties! Tune in to be part of LA history…
Sunday, June 21st
- Spain VS Saudi Arabia at 9:00am
- Belgium VS Iran at 12:00pm
- Uruguay VS Cabo Verde at 3:00pm
- New Zealand VS Egypt at 6:00pm
Friday, June 26th
- Norway VS France at 12:00pm
- Uruguay VS Spain at 5:00pm
- New Zealand VS Belgium at 8:00pm
To find more showings near you, visit kickit.lacity.gov
CD13 Pet of the Week
Meet Dulce, our pet of the week!
If you couldn’t already tell, we love pit bulls here at CD13 and this sweet boy is no exception.
Did you know that ‘pit bulls' is just an umbrella term for all bully type breeds? These beautiful dogs are severely overlooked and misunderstood, pit bulls of all different mixes like Dulce make up at least 22% of shelter intakes all across our nation.
Want to help create meaningful change? Visit Dulce at East Valley today, and see if it’s a match!
