This document summarizes the first issue of the Pacoima Today publication. It was created by community activists Edwin Ramirez and Morris Pichon to inform residents of their rights and how to improve the community. The publication highlights issues in Pacoima like trash, safety concerns, and violations of city codes regarding vehicles on streets and sidewalk clutter. It encourages residents to contact their city council representative and code enforcement to address these problems.

1. You have in your hands the first issue of Pacoima Today. The concept of this publication was born of Edwin Ramirez and Morris Pichon, two communi- ty activist who have served the Community of Pacoima many years.
This effort was created to serve the residents by informing them to the many rights they possess, and the path to improving their community.
Pacoima is littered from end to end with used furniture, mattress, tires, plastic bags of trash and assorted other construction and waste materials.
We have an elected representative serving on the Los Angeles City Council with a responsibility for the well being of the citizens of Council District 7. If you don’t voice your preference for service, nothing will be done.
It is the responsibility of each person in the district to contact the Coun- cilman when there are issues which de- means the community and presents a dan- ger to our health and the well being of our families.
There are eight people on the
staff of the councilman who are employed to handle problems and issues that plague the citi- zens of CD-7.
As city employees on the CD-7 staff they work for you, the taxpayer. The decay and decadence that we live with daily is the respon- sibility of the city government to correct.
Some functions of city government are well run, others functions appear to ignore and neglect this section of the city. Open your eyes, are you satisfied with what you see as you drive through Pacoima?
If you desire to live in a cleaner com- munity, without trash on every street corner and alley, get active and report these irritating situa- tions by dialing 3-1-1. Identify the location of the problem, to city authorities.
If you don’t receive service within five working days call the councilman’s office at: 818-485-0600.
If you are new to Pacoima, or been here for a generation you have an obligation to speak to your neighbors and get them interested in maintaining a healthy and safe environment.
mrp
Wake up Pacoima
Pacoima Today May 2014
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
PACOIMA TODAY
May 2014
Wake Up Pacoima
1
Empty City Hall
1
Curbside Habitation
2
Safety Concerns
2
Code Enforcement
3
LAMC
3
Cluttered Sidewalk
4
Inside this issue:
Pacoima City Hall
After millions of dollars spent on the Pacoima City Hall, it is basically vacant. Ex- cept for the 7th Council District staff, the building is empty.
There are office spaces on the first and second floors, but none are occupied. It would be nice if the Department of Building & Safe- ty and/or the Department of Transportation & Parking Enforcement were located in CD7. An empty City Hall is of no benefit to the citi- zens. Why do LA city Council build things that it can not staff? What a waste! of money that we don’t have.
Next print: Information about the City Controllers’ website; use it and find out how much money the City gets, where it comes from and where it goes. Want to know the budget allocation to City Dis- tricts? (CD7)
Comments - Questions - Share Concerns.
E-mail them to:
moepichion@aol.com or ramediv@yahoo.com

2. Throughout the com- munity of Pacoima our streets are inundated with trailers, campers and motorhomes. Per the Los Angeles Municipal Code SEC. 85.02 it is illegal to use the streets and public parking lots for habitation.
These vehicles not on- ly contribute to the accumula- tion of trash and debris, but it house transient and people on the move.
It is important that you be aware and call the city au- thorizes to remove these vehi- cles in violation of the LAMC to protect your home and your
families.
Our children play in the front yard and ride bicycles up and down the sidewalk. The pro- tection of our children must be primary when dealing with strangers. Allowing total strangers to linger within twenty feet of your young children is a dangerous practice.
Being vigilant about the street you reside on is important for the safety of your community and families. This is an effort to caution families to be aware of the dangers constant facing their homes and children.
mrp
Page 2
PACOIMA TODAY MAY 2014
Safety Concerns
Everyone should get to know the Senior Lead Officers (SLO) at LAPD Foothill Divi- sion. Getting familiar with the Officers at Foothill can eliminate some of the fear and apprehen- sion we have when we come in contact with them.
Whenever you feel a need to talk to the Los Angeles Police Department, don’t hesitate to contact the SLO and ask them to review the matter, before there is a crisis.
LAPD PHONE NUMBERS
SLO Adriana Munguia.… 818-634-0685
SLO Steve Nunez……. …818-634-0652
Foothill Division Desk…..818-756-8861
Dangers of Curbside Habitation
Have you attended a Neighborhood Council meeting?
THE PURPOSE of the PNC is:
To offer a forum to engage all Pacoima Stakeholders to collaborate and deliberate on matters affecting the community.
To be an advocate for Pacoima to both government and private agencies on those issues where there is broad community consensus.
To develop and implement standards that protects the health, welfare and aesthetic quali- ty of the community.
To collaborate with organizations in Pacoima, as well as other organizations the PNC de- sires to support in order to accomplish objectives or projects.
The MISSION of the PNC is to im- prove quality of life by promoting par- ticipation in City governance, facilitat- ing delivery of City services, and em- powering Stakeholders by sharing in- formation and education. Whereby, Pacoima will ultimately become a greater community.
www.pacoimanc.com
Meetings are on the 3rd Wednesday of the Month

3. PACOIMA TODAY MAY 2014
Page 3
Pacoima Curbside Appliances
RECYCLE
IT’S THE LAW
Located through out the Pacoima community on any
Avenue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the Pacoima Curbside
Appliance Stores are open to service you.
11400 Glenoaks Blvd ., Pacoima, CD7
12800 Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima, CD7
10900 Glenoaks Blvd., Pacoima, CD7
Pacoima Curbside Marina
Located at 11000 De Garmo Street, Pacoima,
CD7 is the Pacoima Marina and boat storage ser-vice
available to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. Pick-ups and drop off at your conven-ience.
LAMC Sec. 80.73.2
PROHIBIT THE USE OF STREET
FOR STORAGE OF VEHICLES
Per the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC),
it is against the law to utilize the curbs of this
city for selling products like appliances, cars
and furniture.
Pacoima is beginning to look like a third world
ghetto, in violation of many of the laws in the
state of California, the county of Los Angeles,
and the city of Los Angeles, yet the city Code
Enforcement agencies do nothing.
Do you want the city services that you pay for?
Insist that the so call civil servants are perform-ing
the jobs they are being paid to perform.
Who enforces the laws of the City of
Los Angeles? Apparently no one!
Look around this Community.

4. We would all like to think that we are living in a 21th Century, but as we travel down Van Nuys Blvd, all that exist is what resembles a third world market place. At times I see something one might find in in an 18th Century western town. The only things that are missing are the hitching post and road apples.
PACOIMA TODAY MAY 2014
Page 4
A large number of business have tables on the sidewalks where they display their prod- ucts or hang them on their windows, awn- ings, fences or custom stands; others use flags, banners or loud music to attract cus- tomers.
It will be interesting to know how many of them are in violation of City Ordinances, Municipal Codes and/or Building and safety codes.
Even more interesting to know is: “Who is responsible for enforcing them?”
Pacoima Today