Brief

Introduced by Eunisses Hernandez and Katy Yaroslavsky, this motion directs the Municipal Improvement Corporation of Los Angeles to install solar-powered streetlights across the city and establishes funding through the Street Lighting Maintenance Assessment Fund. Council approved it 14-0-1 on March 24, 2026, and transmitted it to the Mayor on March 25 for signature by April 6, 2026. Neighborhood councils including NoHo and North Westwood submitted community impact statements.

Full summary

This motion, introduced on February 13, 2026, by Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Eunisses Hernandez with support from Monica Rodriguez, Traci Park, and Hugo Soto-Martinez, authorizes a $65 million surge installation of solar-powered streetlights across the city. The funding would be added to the 2025-26 Municipal Improvement Corporation of Los Angeles program, with the Street Lighting Maintenance Assessment Fund as the source. The program requires a minimum of 500 solar streetlights installed per Council District, aiming for broad geographic equity across all 15 districts. The motion directs the City Administrative Officer to formally add the $65 million to the MICLA program and instructs the Bureau of Street Lighting and the CAO to deliver an implementation plan within 15 days of adoption. That plan must address an annual expenditure schedule, necessary staffing and equipment, operating costs, and any financial instruments such as reimbursement resolutions or special fund loans needed to run the program. Critically, the plan must also lay out a timeline and funding strategy for converting all remaining eligible streetlights citywide to solar power, framing this surge as part of a longer-term grid-independence goal. The motion moved quickly through the committee process. The Public Works Committee approved it on February 25, 2026, and the Budget and Finance Committee concurred on March 3. Both committees voted unanimously in favor. The full Council adopted the item on March 24, 2026, by a vote of 14-0-1. The City Clerk transmitted the file to the Mayor on March 25, with an action deadline of April 6, 2026. No formal fiscal impact analysis from the CAO or Chief Legislative Analyst was completed before the committees acted. Community impact statements were submitted by North Westwood Neighborhood Council on March 9 and NoHo Neighborhood Council on May 19, after the Council vote.

Activity (11)

• 2026-05-19 Community Impact Statement submitted by NoHo Neighborhood Council.
• 2026-03-25 City Clerk transmitted file to Mayor. Last day for Mayor to act is April 6, 2026.
• 2026-03-24 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-03-20 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 24, 2026.
• 2026-03-09 Community Impact Statement submitted by North Westwood Neighborhood Council.
• 2026-03-03 Budget and Finance Committee concurred with the Public Works Committee's action of February 25, 2026.
• 2026-02-27 Budget and Finance Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on March 3, 2026.
• 2026-02-25 Public Works Committee transmitted Council File to Budget and Finance Committee.
• 2026-02-25 Public Works Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-02-20 Public Works Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on February 25, 2026.
• 2026-02-13 Motion referred to Budget and Finance Committee; Public Works Committee.

Documents (10)

• 2026-05-19 Community Impact Statement submitted by NoHo Neighborhood Council · cis
• 2026-03-24 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-03-13 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-03-09 Community Impact Statement submitted by North Westwood Neighborhood Council · cis
• 2026-03-03 Joint report from Public Works Committee and Budget and Finance Committee · report
• 2026-03-03 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-02-25 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-02-25 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-02-24 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-02-13 Motion · motion