Bridging the Gap - Bringing Government Closer to the People

...is the theme for the 2013 Congress of Neighborhoods to be held at City Hall on Saturday, September 28.

All 95 neighborhood councils from across the City of Los Angeles will meet with the Mayor, City Councilmembers, City Department managers and staff as well as neighborhood council leaders and volunteers from across the City.  Three Workshop Sessions will be held throughout the day.

Some of the workshop topics include: Reogranizatiion: A New Structure for Building and Safety and City Planning, Disaster Preparedness, Ethics Training, Roundtable with City Departments and more.  At the end of the day, EmpowerLA Awards and the Congress Action Session.

Some workshops may need to be moved from one time range to another. For more information and updates on Congress Workshop sessions, please go to NCCongressLA.com or call 213-978-1551.

Making the most of the Congress:

(1)  Plan to get to the Congress EARLY.  If you are driving, you will need to park in the garage under City Hall East and then walk to the Congress at City Hall.  If this is your first time at City Hall there will be signs and volunteers along the way to guide you.  Breakfast will be served from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. when Opening Session begins.

(2)  As requested at last year's Congress, we have a few shorter (half session) workshops but most of the workshops are one hour and 10 minutes.  If you choose the shorter sessions, remember to choose two per time session.  Note: If you choose two shorter workshops, please do not choose a workshop in the longer session. You choose the workshops you want to attend.  Bring more people and plan to attend different programs.  Everyone is welcome.  Parking, breakfast and lunch are free. 

(3)  Following the afternoon session there will be a "Congress of Neighborhoods" starting at 2:30 p.m. This is an experimental way to return to the intent of the City Charter Article IX, Section 901(c) provision that neighborhood councils can come together, discuss issues, and possibly take collective action at a Congress. 

The Congress Workshops: 

There are over 30 different workshops offered at this Congress.  All of them have been designed by neighborhood council leaders to be practical, how-to types of sessions.  In each you will receive a broad overview of the subject,  a hand-out and resources you can use to learn more and to take local action.

Regarding the pair of Ethics programs in Session #2 and Session #3.  You MUST take BOTH in order to obtain a certificate for this state-mandated training.

See you at the Congress !

--Your 2013 Congress Planning Committee