SPA Students Participate in Fifth Annual Public Affairs Day at LA City Hall
posted: Mar 04, 2009
On Friday morning, February 27, UCLA School of Public Affairs graduate students representing the departments of Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning, came to Los Angeles City Hall to study a controversial and complicated issue on behalf of L.A. City Councilmember Wendy Greuel.
This year, the fifth year of the UCLA School of Public Affairs Day at Los Angeles City Hall, the challenge for the 17 students was to formulate a position on the question “Is Los Angeles Green Enough?” In particular, students were tasked to assess the policies and effectiveness of the mandatory and voluntary portions of L.A.’s Green Building Ordinance by researching the issue and interviewing various stakeholders.
As part of the program, co-organized by the UCLA School of Public Affairs and UCLA Local Government and Community Relations, the graduate students researched the issue before embarking on a series of interviews with city and county officials, and civic and nonprofit leaders. Based on their research, interviews (which were conducted during the morning portion of the day) and public debate, moderated by JR DeShazo, associate professor of public policy at the UCLA School of Public Affairs, the students will write a policy memo, outlining their finding and recommendations to Councilmember Greuel.
Students also had the opportunity to attend a regularly scheduled Los Angeles City Council meeting and talk with and interview some of the members including Jan Perry (District 9) and Richard Alarcón (District 7). During the Council meeting, UCLA School of Public Affairs Dean Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr., was honored for his involvement with the Los Angeles community and his new role as Dean, with a proclamation by Councilman Ed Reyes (District 1) who is a graduate of the UCLA School of Public Affairs Urban Planning program. Joining him were UCLA alumni and Council members Wendy Greuel, and José Huizar (14th District).
Speakers and interviewees who participated in the day’s events were:
Claire Bowin, Planning Department, City of Los Angeles;
Jim Dantona, Planning Deputy, City of Los Angeles, Council District 2;
Alex Fay, Legislative Deputy, City of Los Angeles, Council District 11;
Eric Garcetti, Councilmember & Council President, City of Los Angeles, Council
District 13;
Tom Gilmore, Partner, Gilmore Associates;
Nurit Katz, Sustainability Coordinator, UCLA;
Krista Kline, Urban Planning & Design Coordinator, Mayor’s Office of Economic Development;
Tim Kohut, Director of Architecture, Abode Communities;
Joan Ling, Executive Director, Community Corporation of Santa Monica;
David Nahai, CEO and General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power;
Bernard Parks, Councilmember, City of Los Angeles, Council District 8;
Jan Perry, Councilmember, City of Los Angeles, Council District 9;
Erin Rank, President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles;
Lara Regus, Project Manager, Abode Communities;
Ed Reyes, Councilmember, City of Los Angeles, Council District 1;
Isabel Rivero, Director, Mayor of Los Angeles’s Business Team;
Cynthia Ruiz, President, Board of Public Works, Los Angeles City Commissioner;
Holly Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer, Building Industry Association (BIA/GLAV),
Los Angeles Ventura Chapter;
Sam Siegel, Legislative Deputy, Council District 13;
Walker Wells, Director, Green Urbanism Program, Global Green USA;
Roy Willis, Executive Vice President, Lennar Urban Development Group.
Students participating in this year’s Public Affairs Day at City Hall were:
David Castle (MPP/MBA ’10),
Kristen Coleman (MA UP ’09),
Sonja Diaz (MPP ’10),
Clare Fox (MA UP ’10),
John Gahbauer (MPP/MBA ’10),
Derek Ishikawa (MPP/JD ’09),
Maeve Johnston (MA UP ’10),
Jennifer Lantz (MA UP ’10),
Frank Lopez (MPP ’10),
Juan Matute (MA UP/MBA ’09),
Nisha Mehling (MPP ’09),
Kimberly Ngiangia (MSW ’09),
Lindsay Ross (MPP ’10),
Brady Ruebusch (MA UP ’10),
Michelle Sandler (MA UP ’09),
Kevin Schaaf (MPP ’09),
Bruce Stoffmacher (MPP ’09).