Meeting Summary
What Happened
The council met on June 17, 2025, with 13-15 members present. Most of the meeting's public comment period concerned two matters not otherwise contested on the floor. The council closed the public hearing on converting the Little Tokyo Business Improvement District from a merchant-based to a property-based assessment structure (Item 6, CF 25-0408); dozens of property and business owners spoke both for and against the conversion, with supporters — including the Little Tokyo Business Association, Little Tokyo Public Safety, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California — citing recent vandalism, boarded storefronts, and an assault on an employee as evidence the current volunteer-run, merchant-funded BID cannot adequately fund security, cleanup, and marketing, while opponents cited inadequate outreach, undelivered ballots, and concerns about affordability for fixed-income residents and small property owners. No vote was taken; ballot tabulation was scheduled for a public livestream on July 1, 2025. Numerous speakers, including representatives of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Public Counsel, Bet Tzedek, and United Teachers Los Angeles, urged the council to direct the LA Housing Department to execute the previously approved Stay Housed LA eviction-defense and tenant-services contract before its June 30 expiration, saying the city attorney's office had delayed final execution despite council approval on April 25 and the mayor's signature on May 1.
The council adopted a resolution, as amended by Council Member Ysabel Hurado, authorizing the city clerk to place a related matter on the July 1 agenda (Item 19), and adopted Item 32 as amended by Council Member Imelda Padilla.
Contested Votes
The council adopted, 14-1-0, two separate items funding outside legal services agreements: additional funding for a contract with Maynard Nexsen PC (Item 7, CF 24-0674) and an amendment substituting Stoel Rives LLP for Downey Brand LLP on a writ-of-mandate compliance matter (Item 8, CF 23-0498-S2). Council Member Adrin Nazarian cast the lone no vote on both without floor comment.
The council adopted, 11-2-2, acceptance of the Fiscal Year 2024 Urban Areas Security Initiative grant (Item 16, CF 24-0975). Council Members Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez voted no without floor comment.
Public Comment
Beyond the Little Tokyo BID and Stay Housed LA testimony described above, a speaker renewed a longstanding push for the city to remove Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star, arguing the 2007 installation lacked required Board of Public Works authorization and citing more than 6,000 petition signatures. Other speakers criticized alleged LAPD use of force against protesters opposing federal immigration enforcement and reiterated calls for the council to reinstate remote/call-in public comment. Several speakers were warned for disruptive conduct.
Contested Votes
Tallies and member votes are the official record (LA City Clerk CVVS). Descriptions are drawn from the meeting transcript.
Item 7 — CF 24-0674 (Adopted): Additional funding for a legal services agreement with Maynard Nexsen PC.
| Vote | Members |
|---|---|
| Yes (14) | Bob Blumenfield, Curren D. Price, Eunisses Hernandez, Heather Hutt, Hugo Soto-Martinez, Imelda Padilla, John Lee, Katy Yaroslavsky, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Monica Rodriguez, Nithya Raman, Tim Mcosker, Traci Park, Ysabel Jurado |
| No (1) | Adrin Nazarian |
Item 8 — CF 23-0498-S2 (Adopted): An amendment substituting Stoel Rives LLP for Downey Brand LLP to assist with compliance in a writ-of-mandate case.
| Vote | Members |
|---|---|
| Yes (14) | Bob Blumenfield, Curren D. Price, Eunisses Hernandez, Heather Hutt, Hugo Soto-Martinez, Imelda Padilla, John Lee, Katy Yaroslavsky, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Monica Rodriguez, Nithya Raman, Tim Mcosker, Traci Park, Ysabel Jurado |
| No (1) | Adrin Nazarian |
Item 16 — CF 24-0975 (Adopted): Acceptance of the Fiscal Year 2024 Urban Areas Security Initiative grant.
| Vote | Members |
|---|---|
| Yes (11) | Adrin Nazarian, Bob Blumenfield, Curren D. Price, Heather Hutt, Imelda Padilla, John Lee, Katy Yaroslavsky, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Monica Rodriguez, Tim Mcosker, Traci Park |
| No (2) | Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Martinez |
| Absent (2) | Nithya Raman, Ysabel Jurado |