Meeting Summary
What Happened
Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson presided over the meeting with 11 members present initially, later joined by a 12th member. Council Member Jurado continued item 22 (qualified bonds for hotel project) to March 10th and moved to approve the lien for item 2. Council Member McOsker called item 46 (fire commissioner appointment) special and later continued item 11 (lien at 1829 East 97th Street) to April 21st. Council Member Nazarian held item 36 on desk for a substitute motion and requested receive and file status for items 15 and 20. Council Member Rodriguez called item 25 for separate vote and items 48 and 49 for amendments.
The council unanimously approved multiple routine items including personnel committee reports, housing contracts, public works projects, and administrative matters. Items 26, 27, 32, 34, and 35 were initially carried over for one week but later reconsidered and approved when 12 members were present. Several Building and Safety lien confirmations were approved as recommended, with some items receiving "receive and file" status after liens were paid.
Item 25 (CF 26-0136) - LAHD Civil Service Exemptions: The council voted 10-2 to approve exempting various Los Angeles Housing Department positions from Civil Service pursuant to Charter Section 1001(d)(4). Council Members Rodriguez and Padilla voted against this measure.
Item 36 (CF 26-0196) - Ramadan Observation Funding: Council Member Nazarian introduced a substitute motion for Council Member Raman's original motion requesting funding for Ramadan observation services at City Hall, including illumination on Friday, February 20, 2026. The substitute motion passed unanimously 12-0.
Item 46 (CF 26-1200-S5) - Fire Commissioner Appointment: The council unanimously approved the appointment of Yolanda Regalado to the Board of Fire Commissioners for a term ending June 30, 2029. Council Member McOsker praised Regalado's background as a former LA County Sheriff and business owner, noting her family's history of service to first responders, including her brother Benny who died in the line of duty at the Proud Bird Fire in the 1980s.
Items 48 and 49 - Unarmed Crisis Response: Both items related to the Unarmed Model of Crisis Response (UMCR) passed unanimously 12-0 with amendments. Item 48 (CF 26-0061) adopts UMCR on a permanent basis, improves coordination and technology integration, advances the Department of Community Safety, and establishes centralized care-first response to non-violent crises. Item 49 (CF 25-0331) requests a report on consolidating unarmed crisis response into a single citywide program. Council Member Hernandez delivered extensive remarks supporting the program, noting it has responded to 18,733 calls with 96% resolved without police involvement, costs $35 per hour versus $85 for LAPD response, and could divert over 25,000 calls annually when scaled citywide. The full program would cost approximately $40 million annually, less than the $56 million paid in seven recent LAPD liability settlements.
Public comment featured extensive testimony from transgender, gender expansive, and intersex (TGI) community members advocating for a $4 million TGI Wellness and Equity Initiative over two years. Multiple speakers from the Trans Latina Coalition requested city investment in community-based organizations serving TGI populations. Fast food workers also testified supporting a Fair Work Ordinance requiring predictable scheduling and know-your-rights training. Additional speakers supported recognition of International Long COVID Awareness Day and lighting City Hall in teal on March 15th.