Brief

In September 2023, Councilmember Monica Rodriguez moved to direct the city to assess and strengthen infrastructure investments in areas prone to severe weather and natural events. The motion passed Council 12-0-3 on September 26, 2023. Since adoption, the Emergency Management Department submitted a follow-up document in May 2026, which is now pending review in the Public Safety Committee ahead of a scheduled June 10, 2026 hearing.

Full summary

This motion, introduced by Councilmember Monica Rodriguez and seconded by Councilmember John S. Lee, was prompted by a series of damaging weather events in the preceding year, including winter and spring atmospheric rivers and Tropical Storm Hillary. The motion observes that the same neighborhoods repeatedly bear the brunt of these events, citing flooding in the San Fernando Valley due to inadequate drainage, elevated water flows through the Los Angeles Riverbed, and mudslides in hillside communities. Each time these events occur, the Emergency Management Department activates its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate a city response, but the motion argues that reactive coordination is not enough and that the city must invest proactively in the infrastructure underlying those recurring risks. The directive asks the Emergency Management Department and the Chief Legislative Analyst, assisted by the City Administrative Officer and relevant departments, to report back to Council with a map of areas continuously at risk during adverse weather and natural events, a prioritized list of projects and action items that could reduce those risks, and an identification of the funding needed to support those efforts. The goal is a forward-looking infrastructure investment plan, not merely an after-action report. The motion cleared the Public Works Committee on September 12, 2023, and the full Council adopted it 12-0 with 3 abstentions on September 26, 2023, subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51. Nearly three years later, the Emergency Management Department submitted a responsive document dated May 11, 2026, which was referred to the Public Safety Committee and scheduled for a hearing on June 10, 2026. The file remains open with an expiration date of June 2028, indicating the city is still working through the reporting and planning process the original motion set in motion.

Activity (10)

• 2026-06-10 Public Safety Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-06-05 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 10, 2026.
• 2026-05-13 Emergency Management Department document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee.
• 2026-05-12 Document submitted by Emergency Management Department, dated May 11, 2026.
• 2023-09-27 Council action final.
• 2023-09-26 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2023-09-22 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on September 26, 2023.
• 2023-09-12 Public Works Committee approved item(s) .
• 2023-09-08 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 12, 2023.
• 2023-09-06 Motion referred to Public Safety Committee.

Documents (5)

• 2026-05-11 Report from Emergency Management Department · report
• 2023-09-27 Council Action · council_action
• 2023-09-26 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2023-09-12 Public Safety Committee Report · other
• 2023-09-06 Motion · motion

Council votes (1)

• 2023-09-26 Adopted — 12-0-3 · Regular