| 1. Describe Boundaries |
The boundaries of the Hermon Neighborhood Council shall be as follows:
• Start at a point intersecting York Boulevard and the Caltrans fence bordering the southbound lanes of the Arroyo Seco Parkway (SR 110), follow York, east-southeast to the Los Angeles City border with South Pasadena.
• Turn south along this borderline to Oak Hill Place.
• Turn south-southwest on Oak Hill Place. which becomes Hellman Avenue (and runs parallel to and one block west of Collis Avenue, following the eastern edge of the 90042 zip code), to Via Marisol.
• Turn north then northwest on Via Marisol to Lomitas Drive.
• Turn south on Lomitas Drive and continue in a southerly direction following an imaginary line bisecting open space between two approximately parallel streets: Via Colina and Ebey Avenue.
• Turn west, bisecting open space between two approximately parallel streets: Via Arbolada and Pullman Street.
• Turn south, bisecting open space between two approximately parallel streets: Via Arbolada and Monterey Road to an (imaginary) intersection with an administrative boundary dividing the 90032 and 90042 zip codes.
• Turn west-northwest to the northeastern boundary of Ernest E. Debs Regional Park.
• Turn north and follow the boundary line of Debs Park just west of the paper street identified as “Lodge” until reaching the northern-most boundary of Debs Park.
• Continue along that boundary heading northwest towards the Arroyo Seco Parkway (SR 110).
• At the intersection with the southbound lanes of the Arroyo Seco Parkway, follow the Caltrans fence northeast to York Boulevard and back to the starting point.
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| 2. Attach a map of the Neighborhood Council |
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| 3. Explain why these boundaries were chosen. For example, the boundaries may be based on census tracts, on historical landmarks, on existing community planning areas, etc. |
The historic HERMON neighborhood was originally established in a valley area surrounded by and including several low-lying hills, outside of the L.A. City limits in 1903 with the approximate same boundaries as indicated here (and then included the hillsides to the east and south -- since developed by the CRA as the now-separate "Monterey Hills" condo development area). In 1912 -- also with the same historic boundaries -- HERMON was annexed into Los Angeles along with several other small- to mid-sized Northeast neighborhoods. In the 104 years since, the Hermon neighborhood boundaries have been recognized on several occasions as historic, most recently in 2002 as the (exact) "internal" boundaries of Hermon (within its current NC organization) -- less a one-third portion of Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. In addition, the City has placed blue “HERMON” community markers on each of the entry points indicated in the newly proposed NC’s external boundaries. (Debs Park would now become a “shared area” with the LA32 and Arroyo Seco NCs).
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| 4. Do the proposed boundaries overlap with any other Neighborhood Council boundaries? |
Yes
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| 5. If the answer to Question 4 is “Yes”, list the Neighborhood Councils which are affected by the boundary overlap. |
The current "Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council"
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| 6. If the answer to Question 4 is “Yes”, explain why you believe the boundary overlap exists. What is the reason for the overlap? For example, the overlapping area may include a park, a school, a library, a facility or a building of historical significance, etc. |
The proposed HERMON NC overlaps almost entirely with the “internal” Hermon boundaries as outlined in the 2002 “Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council” certification, when Hermon joined a (regional) coalition NC along with what was originally five (5) other nearby communities. [NOTE: The sixth original ASNC community – Cypress Park – was “subdivided” by action of the Commission later that same year, following certification]. This subdivision application is intended to UNDO that overlap with Hermon's existing, coalition NC -- creating a separate NC with no overlapping boundaries with any other.
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| 7. Does the Neighborhood Council area contain at least 20,000 stakeholders? |
No
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| 8. If the answer to Question 7 is “No”, mark the space or spaces below which apply: |
Neighborhood Council represents an historic neighborhood or community AND includes City service providers such as a library or a police station
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| 9. If the population in the Neighborhood Council contains more than 20,000 stakeholders, estimate the total: |
Unknown
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| Why are you seeking a Neighborhood Council subdivision? |
Establishing a separate HERMON Neighborhood Council will allow stakeholders to focus their attention and volunteer efforts primarily on the issues and concerns of their own, home community (this has been the desire of the overwhelming majority of all previous Hermon stakeholder participants in the City's NC system), while being more inclusive of Hermon's diverse population and community interests. Further, subdivision will allow an even greater number of Hermon stakeholders to take part in the NC system (without the limitations inherent in the existing, regional council) in order to “promote public participation in City governance. “ Hermon stakeholders will also -- once again -- be able to determine their own priorities for the funds available to a certified neighborhood council. Most importantly, for the first time the consensus view of Hermon neighborhood stakeholders can be sent directly to City Hall without first having to be approved by stakeholders in surrounding neighborhood's who have little or no sense of Hermon or its needs and specific issues. All this will, ideally, help make “government more responsive to (Hermon’s unique) local needs.”
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| Describe the residential profile of the Neighborhood Council. Examples: ”Mostly single family homes”, “Mostly apartments”, “Mixture of single family and multiple family dwellings”. |
HERMON, though primarily a residential neighborhood, is fairly evenly divided between homeowners and renters. Of the neighborhood's approximate 1,300 housing units, roughly 65 percent are single family homes. The remaining 35 percent consists of roughly equal numbers of condos/townhouses and apartments, as well as one (City Historic-Cultural Monument) mobile home community – the “Monterey Trailer Park.”
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| Describe the commercial or business profile within the Neighborhood Council. Examples: “Mostly businesses with less than 10 employees” “Mostly businesses with around 100 employees” “Mostly businesses with hundreds of employees” “Mostly industrial or manufacturing businesses” “Mostly retail or service businesses” “A mixture of different types of businesses” |
HERMON is “home” to about two dozen "brick-and-mortar" businesses, most of which employ less than 10 employees. The exceptions to that are the neighborhood's main grocer (Fresco Community Market) and two of the three public schools within HNC boundaries. Most standalone businesses are retail-oriented, though a few provide professional services -- including several home-based businesses that count among them a daycare, architectural planning, and similar service providers. “Storefront” businesses include medical equipment suppliers, a church, dentist, alternative medicine practitioner, restaurants, dry cleaners, printing company, gas station, laundromat, hair dresser, and pet grooming service.
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| Describe the economic profile of the Neighborhood Council. Examples: ”Affluent”, “Middle income”, “Mostly unemployed”, “A mix of upper, middle and lower income people”. |
While HERMON's residents represent a fairly broad mix of upper, middle and lower-income people, census and other socioeconomic statistics available show that the largest minority -- if not a small majority -- of the community's residents are blue-collar low- to middle income workers and service providers.
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| Describe the types of employment that are available within the Neighborhood Council. Examples: Retail / Wholesale / Manufacturing / Entertainment / Art / Government / Health Services /Banks / Finance Companies / Insurance / Construction / Public Utilities / Communication / Computers |
[See, for example, the preceding answer regarding the cDescribe the types of employment that are available within the Neighborhood Council. Examples: Retail / Wholesale / Manufacturing / Entertainment / Art / Government / Health Services /Banks / Finance Companies / Insurance / Construction / Public Utilities / Communication / Computers
ommercial/business make-up]. In addition, HERMON currently includes two table-service restaurants, a service station, car repair center (operation currently suspended), large-format printing company, a "continuation" charter school operation, and a small number of not-for-profit organizations.
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| 1. Describe in detail the outreach process used to identify community stakeholders. |
HERMON has an extensive history of employing the most complete outreach methods used by any neighborhood council (or portion of one) in its region -- and perhaps even Citywide. From about 2006-07 onward, a complete list of all residence and business addresses within the Hermon neighborhood began to be compiled -- used initially for direct mail – from Zillow.com and other online resources. Later, hand-delivered invitation/notices of meetings to be held within the neighborhood were used in the place of mailed postcards. Along the way, neighborhood advocates created/revamped a neighborhood Website, adding a Facebook page, Twitter feed, and later -- a Nextdoor dialogue group specific to this neighborhood. As part of tailoring outreach, Hermon has developed a team of 18-20 community volunteer "walkers" who were familiar with -- and living within -- each part of the community to both deliver meetings announcements and bring attention to specific issues they might see while walking the neighborhood. Hermon's goal has always been to include all types of stakeholders and especially to go beyond the outdated idea of a "community" being just its residents (or even just "homeowners"). Throughout the past 15 years -- since Hermon first became involved with the Citywide NC system -- non-resident workers, property owners who lived elsewhere, and even the former "factual basis" stakeholders (and now "community interest" ones) were welcomed at all meetings, and also encouraged to run for seats on the existing, coalition NC board. Meetings held within the community have nearly always included people from every stakeholder category, and on occasion, have even included transients and the homeless.
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| 2. Describe or list the types of outreach activities used to inform stakeholders about the existence or formation of the Neighborhood Council. What types of outreach activities were employed? Examples of outreach activities include mass mailings, telephone calls, public meetings, and door-to-door visits. |
[Please see attached samples of outreach and public meeting agendas]. The very first public meeting held after Hermon’s neighborhood advocates began to discuss separating from its current (regional) NC was patterned after early Department of Neighborhood Empowerment informational meetings from the pre-certification period in Los Angeles (2000-2001) and simply gave an overview of what being part of an NC was intended to do for the Hermon neighborhood. That "Empowerment Forum" in Hermon led to a series of "Hermon Neighborhood Council Formation Committee" meetings nearly every month -- during late 2011 and throughout 2012. From 2013 - 2015, Hermon stakeholders were given regular updates as developments surfaced, related to the "subdivision" discussions and votes of the City's Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, the BONC's "NC Plan Review & Reform Initiative Committees", the Education & Neighborhoods Committee (and its follow-on committees of the L.A. City Council), and the City Council itself. Updates on this lengthy process to amend the City Charter were posted on social media sites and also regularly transmitted to hundreds of Hermon stakeholders via the popular "All Things HERMON" e-newsletter. More specific to the public meetings, mass mailings were used (when personal contributions would permit it), half-sheet handouts with details of upcoming meeting were used -- when funds were not available, and a phone tree was developed whereby anyone who had provided a phone number would receive a call from a volunteer regarding upcoming meetings. In addition, on the day of public meetings, a large 5-foot-square (neon yellow) sign was placed on top of a car in front of meeting hall (on Hermon's main street) which stated "Hermon Community Meeting HERE, 7 PM -- Please Come" For a period of time also, more than a dozen lawn signs (purchased by contributors) were placed in volunteers' yards to announce community meetings – for a full week in advance. Further, 8-10 individuals collected petition signatures on virtually every street in the neighborhood -- letting people know why Hermon wanted to become a separate NC, and handing out tri-fold flyers and fact sheets.
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| 3. Approximately how much time was spent on actual outreach activities prior to submitting this application? Examples include “one hour per week for six months”, “an hour every day for one month”, “at least three months”, “every week since July 2000", etc. |
Over the five-year period since Hermon first submitted a "letter of intent" stating plans to separate from its current regional, coalition NC, community leadership has maintained a steady drumbeat within the neighborhood promoting the creation of a “HERMON Neighborhood Council." From late 2011 to early 2013, well-publicized and "upbeat" public meetings were held nearly every month. Each meeting resulted from an aggregate of 40 hours of volunteer time (including planning and outreach time spent). Once the City began to review and formally discuss Councilmember Jose Huizar's subdivision motion (# 12-1681) placed before City Council (to study and prepare a method for NC groups to "petition for 'subdivision' ... in order to increase/reduce their size for purposes of better representation") -- efforts among supporters of the establishment of a Hermon-specific NC shifted for the most part to lobbying the appropriate officials who would eventually shape and approve such a subdivision policy. Rather than limiting this lobbying effort to just the main 4-5 HNC contacts, however, formation organizers also saw this as an opportunity to allow a wide variety of Hermon stakeholders to attend and speak before BONC and the City Council and its committees. So, over the approximate 30-month period before final City Council votes were taken, from 60-70 different HNC area stakeholders appealed to City officials (in person -- at meetings -- and/or via e-mail) to pass the subdivision policy at it various steps. Those 60-70 stakeholders volunteered up to 5 hours each (including travel time and time spent at City meetings). Then, once a subdivision ordinance (#184526) had also passed City Council in the fall of 2016, public meetings in Hermon were quickly reinstated and stakeholders were given the opportunity on at least three (3) more occasions to weigh in on the proposed NC's board structure and review and approve the bylaws that were drafted, and re-drafted repeatedly between 2011 and this year.
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| 4. Were public meetings held on behalf of the Neighborhood Council? On average, how many people attended each meeting? Were the meetings, in your opinion, productive? |
As shown in the attached outreach materials, posted agendas, and sign-in sheets -- numerous public meetings (both "standalone" gatherings specific to the HNC formation and meetings piggybacked on other regular neighborhood meetings) -- were held between 2011 and 2016. Average attendance at the standalone meetings was typically from 20 to 25. For HNC meetings held in conjunction with other neighborhood gatherings ("Local Issues," "Safety Committee," etc.) the combination of the two meetings being held on the same evening increased attendance to an average of 40-45 (and one "potluck" breakfast meeting also about an HNC formation drew more than 85 stakeholders). Meetings were always productive in terms of: A) gathering a consensus that "subdivision" from Hermon's current (regional) neighborhood council was not only desirous, but very necessary -- if participation in Hermon was going to CONTINUE to grow as it had been prior to 2012. [NOTE: in 5 years of extensive outreach, no more than two (2) Hermon stakeholders ever stated this neighborhood should remain within its existing NC]; B) informing large numbers of stakeholders of the steps necessary to secure the right to subdivide, and gathering and growing base of volunteer outreach workers; and, C) taking broad stakeholder input on how to structure a new, subdivided neighborhood council board of representatives.
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| 5. Attach to this application the original signatures of 200-500 stakeholders within the proposed Neighborhood Council boundaries. Keep a copy of the signatures collected for your records. Signature amounts in excess of 500 will be retained on file by the Department as additional outreach documentation. |
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| 6. Signatures shall, to the maximum extent feasible, reflect the broadest array of community stakeholders who will be active participants in the Neighborhood Council. Please explain how the signature collection process was used to include, inform and educate the widest possible variety of stakeholders. |
As evidenced by signatures provided, outreach to all portions of the HERMON neighborhood was a priority for the HNC formation group -- from the start. Petitions were created just as soon as an initial consensus was reached that Hermon should leave the NC it joined in 2002. Versions of the petition were printed/distributed both English and Spanish (online data sources state Spanish is spoken in 43 percent of Hermon homes; 11 percent of Hermon residents speak English "not well, or not at all"). These were then made available at nearly every community-wide event between late 2011 and 2016, including social occasions and non-business gatherings. In addition, the Formation Committee solicited regular participation from several of Hermon's (mostly non-resident) institutions and included at least one staff person each from the local charter high school and community church as committee members. Those committee members were also tasked with gathering petition signatures from their affiliations -- resulting in a larger than expected number of signers coming from "community interest" institutions in the neighborhood (in all, nearly one-third of the total). Of these the largest number were from 16-19 year-old students at the high school – more "youth" participation than seen by most City neighborhood councils. Most resident signatures were also gathered by neighbors going door-to-door, as volunteers covered nearly every street in Hermon. Further examination of the petitions suggests that the signers represent a diverse group of stakeholders -- ethnically and racially -- as well, approximating the makeup of the Hermon community. Including the students of the charter school (which has an approximate 90+ percent Latino student body) almost 67 percent of petition signers had Hispanic surnames. (Hermon's ethnicity statistics from the last Federal census showed Hispanics at more than 61 percent).
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| 7. Outreach activities are a very important part of all Neighborhood Council operations. Outreach activities should be performed regularly in order to share ideas and to communicate news, events and information. Please describe below how you plan to continue to conduct outreach activities after your Neighborhood Council is officially certified. |
The HERMON neighborhood has an appreciable history of wide-spread outreach and involvement dating to before the advent of the L.A. City neighborhood council system with a newsletter published by a (now defunct) residents' association that was distributed to a large number of HNC area homes. From that beginning, each year saw an even larger percentage of stakeholders contacted regularly with meeting announcements -- until in 2009-10, all addresses were being contacted multiple times per year. Support for a separate Hermon NC is also evident in the fact that the webmaster of the neighborhood Website, the moderators of all Hermon-community social media sites, and all volunteer walkers are also HNC supporters -- ensuring a future for widespread outreach efforts. And, while a specific outreach "plan" would be developed AFTER certification (as it would be up to a stakeholder-selected Interim Steering Committee and/or the first elected board to establish best-practice communication protocols) -- it would be completely within Hermon’s inclusive nature to not only continue such community-wide outreach, but increase it -- as NC funds become available that could be used for that purpose.
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| Attach samples of your outreach materials |
Outreach_samples_ALL.pdf
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| Attach copies of sign-in sheets for any outreach meeting held |
Sign-ins_ALL.pdf
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