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33TOWARDCOMMUNITYENGAGEMENTINCITYGOVERNANCEEVALUATINGNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILREFORMINLOSANGELESJULIETMUSSO,CHRISTOPHERWEARE,MARKELLIOT,ALICIAKITSUSE,ELLENSHIAUCIVICENGAGEMENTPUBLICPOLICYBRIEFING2007USCCIVICENGAGEMENTINITIATIVETHESELFORGANIZATIONOFCOUNCILSMUSTBEATTRIBUTEDTOTHEDEDICATEDEFFORTSOFCOMMUNITYVOLUNTEERS,GOODNEWSFORACITYTHATISFREQUENTLYMALIGNEDASDEVOIDOFCIVICIDENTITYNOWEIGHTYEARSINTOTHEREFORM,WESEEVARIABLERESULTSREGARDINGTHELEGITIMACY,CAPACITY,ANDINFLUENCEOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSTHEMOSTOBVIOUSANDREGRETTABLESHORTCOMINGISTHATNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSDONOTADEQUATELYINCORPORATETHECULTURALDIVERSITYOFLOSANGELESHOMEOWNERSWITHLONGTENUREINTHECOMMUNITYAREMOSTHEAVILYREPRESENTED,WHICHISNOTSURPRISINGCONSIDERINGTHATTHECOUNCILSAREGEOGRAPHICALLYDEFINEDADVISORYBOARDSTHERAMIFICATIONOFTHISSTAKEHOLDERORIENTATIONISTHATLATINOSAREUNDERREPRESENTED,ANDBOARDSAREDISPROPORTIONATELYWEALTHY,WHITE,ANDHIGHLYEDUCATEDTHESEREPRESENTATIVEBIASESENDANGERTHEPOLITICALLEGITIMACYOFTHECOUNCILS,ANDRAISEQUESTIONSREGARDINGTHEIRABILITYTOSPEAKANDACTONBEHALFOFDIVERSECONSTITUENCIESWEALSOIDENTIFYCRITICALSHORTCOMINGSINTHECITYSDEVELOPMENTOFPOLITICALREFORMS“EMPOWERMENTINNOVATIONS”THATWOULDSUPPORTCONSTRUCTIVEENGAGEMENTOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSINGOVERNANCETHECHARTERCONTAINSFIVEPROVISIONSINTENDEDTOCREATEFORUMSFORINTERACTIONTOCONNECTNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSINADVISINGPOLICYFORMULATIONANDSERVICEDELIVERYTHESEPROVISIONSRECEIVEDSCANTATTENTIONDURINGTHECITYSPLANNINGOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSTHEPLANFOCUSEDPRIMARILYONDONERESPONSIBILITIESANDCERTIFICATIONPROCEDURES,ANDINSTITUTIONALSUPPORTFORCOUNCILINVOLVEMENTWITHTHECITYSUBSEQUENTLYHASEVOLVEDINANADHOCANDHALTINGMANNERTHEREISNOTADEQUATESUPPORTFORCOUNCILENGAGEMENTWITHTHECITYWEADVOCATETHATCITYOFFICIALSBROADENTHEIRMENTALMAPPINGOFTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSYSTEMTOCONTAINNOTONLYTHE86COUNCILS,BUTALSOSTRUCTUREDARENASFORTHEIRINTERACTIONWITHTHECITYCOUNCIL,THEMAYORSOFFICE,BOARDSANDCOMMISSIONS,ANDCITYDEPARTMENTSFOURCONDITIONSFORSUCCESSAREIDENTIFIEDINBERRY,PORTNEY,ANDTHOMSONS1994RENOWNEDSTUDYOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSACITYWIDESYSTEM,ADEQUATERESOURCESUPPORT,POLITICALSUPPORT,ANDEMPOWERMENTINNOVATIONSTOSUPPORTPARTICIPATIONINCITYGOVERNANCEWHILETHECITYWIDESYSTEMISINPLACE,POLITICALSUPPORTANDINSTITUTIONALREFORMSHAVEBEENLACKINGMOREOVER,ITISNOTCLEARTHATNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSHAVETHELEADERSHIPRESOURCESREQUIREDTOOPERATEEFFECTIVELYCONSEQUENTLYNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILCAPACITYVARIESCONSIDERABLYACROSSTHECITYGIVENTHEEXIGENCIESOFSELFMAINTENANCE,ANDTHELIMITEDASSISTANCEPROVIDEDBYTHECITY,ITISNOTSURPRISINGTHATSOMENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSSTRUGGLEWITHTHEOUTREACHREQUIREDTOSUSTAINLETALONETODIVERSIFYSTAKEHOLDERPARTICIPATIONWHILEGROUPCONFLICTANDELECTORALCONTROVERSIESGETPOLITICALATTENTION,MANYMORECOUNCILSSTRUGGLEQUIETLYTOGAINTRACTIONONCOMMUNITYISSUESTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILAGENDAISDIVERSEWHILEINSTANCESOFLANDUSEOPPOSITIONGAINATTENTION,NIMBYISMCONSTITUTESARELATIVELYSMALLSPACEONTHEAGENDANEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSSHAPECOMMUNITYDESIGNGUIDELINES,ASSISTLOCALCOMMUNITYORGANIZATIONS,ORGANIZEFESTIVALSANDINVESTINCOMMUNITYBEAUTIFICATIONWHATISNOTWIDELYUNDERSTOODISTHATTHEYDEVOTEANEXTRAORDINARYSHAREOFEFFORTSTOSELFMAINTENANCEANDEXTERNALRELATIONSACTIVITIESTHESEOPERATIONALTASKSARENECESSARYTOSURVIVAL,ANDTHEYABSORBATREMENDOUSAMOUNTOFVOLUNTEERTIMENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSANDDEPARTMENTOFNEIGHBORHOODEMPOWERMENTSTAFFAGREETHATOUTREACHISTHESINGLEMOSTDIFFICULTCHALLENGEFORNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSYSTEMSINOTHERCITIESHAVEBEENFOUNDTOIMPROVECIVICCULTUREBYDEEPENINGTHEQUALITYOFPARTICIPATIONANDFOSTERINGMOREPOSITIVEATTITUDESTOWARDCITYGOVERNMENTMANYOFTHESEEFFECTSAREATTRIBUTABLETOTHERELATIONSHIPSTHATDEVELOPAMONGNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILS,THEIRSTAKEHOLDERCONSTITUENTS,ANDCITYOFFICIALSCONNECTIONSTOCOMMUNITYSTAKEHOLDERSAREIMPORTANTTOINFORMCOUNCILMEMBERSOFLOCALNEEDSANDPREFERENCESANDENABLINGCOUNCILSTOLEVERAGERESOURCESFORCOMMUNITYACTIONRELATIONSHIPSWITHCITYOFFICIALSINTURNCONNECTCOUNCILSTOTHEAGENTSOFGOVERNMENT,PROMOTINGINFORMATIONEXCHANGEANDHELPINGTOFOSTERUNDERSTANDINGANDOPPORTUNITIESFORPARTNERSHIPWEDONOTSEETHECOUNCILSDEVELOPINGSTRONGRELATIONSHIPSWITHTHECOMMUNITYORWITHCITYOFFICIALS,PERHAPSNOTASURPRISINGFINDINGGIVENTHEINSTITUTIONALWEAKNESSESOFTHESYSTEMRATHER,THEREISGROWTHINPOLITICALRELATIONSHIPSBETWEENNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILS,THETYPESOFPOLITICALNETWORKSTHATCANSUPPORTMOREGENERALIZEDPOLITICALMOBILIZATIONINDEED,INSEVERALINSTANCESNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSHAVEEXERCISEDTHEIRMUSCLESINRESPONSETOTHECITYBURGLARALARMANDDWPRATEINCREASEPROPOSALS,ANDMOSTRECENTLY,INOPPOSITIONTOCITYCOUNCILPLACEMENTONTHEBALLETOFPROPOSITIONRTOEXTENDTERMLIMITSWHATEMERGES,INSUM,ISASYSTEMTHATWHILEEFFICACIOUSINSOMECOMMUNITIES,NEEDSTOBEBROADENEDTOINCORPORATEAMOREDIVERSEGROUPOFSTAKEHOLDERPARTICIPANTSTHECITYNEEDSTOPROVIDEMUCHGREATERASSISTANCETOCOUNCILSWITHOUTREACHANDLEADERSHIPDEVELOPMENT,WHILEDEVELOPINGMORESTRUCTUREDARENASFORENGAGEMENTAROUNDPOLICYFORMULATIONANDSERVICEDELIVERYWERECOMMENDREFORMSINTHEFOLLOWINGAREASPARTICIPATORYREPRESENTATIONTOINCREASEDIVERSITYANDIMPROVECOMMUNITYLINKAGES,THECITYSHOULDASSUMERESPONSIBILITYFORELECTIONSANDGENERALIZEDOUTREACHITSHOULDSUPPORTCOUNCILSINPERFORMINGTARGETEDCOMMUNITYO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PROMOTEMORECITIZENPARTICIPATIONINGOVERNMENTANDMAKEGOVERNMENTMORERESPONSIVETOLOCALNEEDS”NEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSMUSTREPRESENTTHEDIVERSITYOFINTERESTSINTHECOMMUNITY,ANDEVERYPARTOFLOSANGELESMUSTBELOCATEDWITHINANEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILARTICLEIOFTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILPLAN,ADOPTEDTOIMPLEMENTTHESYSTEM,BROADENSTHEGOALSSTATEDINTHECHARTERINADDITIONTOPROMOTINGPARTICIPATIONANDMAKINGGOVERNMENTMORERESPONSIVE,THEPLANSUPPORTS“OPPORTUNITIESTOBUILDPARTNERSHIPSWITHGOVERNMENT,”COLLABORATIONANDBUILDINGASENSEOFCOMMUNITYTHEWIDERANGEOFPOSSIBLEINTERPRETATIONSOFTHESEPROVISIONSWASEVIDENTINFOCUSGROUPSTHENEIGHBORHOODPARTICIPATIONPROJECTCONDUCTEDEARLYINTHEIMPLEMENTATIONPROCESSTHENEIGHBORHOODACTIVISTSWHOPARTICIPATEDSPOKEABOUTTHEIMPORTANCEOFCOMMUNITYBUILDING,LOBBYINGREGARDINGCOMMUNITYNEEDS,INFLUENCINGCITYSERVICESANDCONNECTINGTOTHEBROADERCITYGOVERNANCEPROCESSANOTHERMEMBERQUOTEDFORMERNEWYORKMAYORFIORELLOHLAGUARDIA“THEESSENCEOFCITYGOVERNMENTISGOODHOUSEKEEPING”THISPROMPTEDANOTHERTOQUIP“NEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSSHOULDNOTBETHEMAIDWITHTHEVACUUMCLEANERBUTTHEMOTHERINLAWWITHTHEWHITEGLOVES”THECONCERNTHATTHECITYWOULD“OFFLOAD”MAINTENANCEDUTIESWASECHOEDBYAPARTICIPANTWHOSTATED“WEDONTWANTTODOTHECITYSJOBLIKEASELFSERVICEGASSTATION”SOMEFOCUSGROUPPARTICIPANTSFELTNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSCOULDINFLUENCEBROADGOVERNANCEPROCESSES,SUCHASREDISTRICTING,WHILEOTHERSARTICULATEDTHEIMPORTANCEOFCOMMUNITYBUILDINGTHROUGHSOCIALACTIVITIES,SUCHASCOMMUNITYFESTIVALSTHEPARTICIPANTSTEMPEREDTHEIRVISIONS,HOWEVER,WITHADEGREEOFPRAGMATISM“NOONEHASHOPEFORREVOLUTIONARYACTIONS,”ONEPARTICIPANTSTATED,“BUTTHESIMPLEABILITYTOBEHEARD”ANOTHERAGREED“IDONTENTERTAINANYDELUSIONSTHATNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSWILLSHAREPOWERIDOENTERTAINTHEVISIONTHATNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSCANSERVEASFORUMSFORDIFFERENTINTERESTSTOGETTOGETHERANDADDRESSISSUESTHEREISMOREVALUEINTHEFACTTHATTHESEDIFFERENTGROUPSWITHSEPARATEINTERESTSCOMETOGETHERTOFOCUSONCOMMUNITYISSUES”BEYONDTHEBROADANDVAGUECHARTERMANDATESFORTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSYSTEM,THEBASICCHARACTEROFTHISSYSTEMICEFFORTATGOVERNANCEREFORMISINHERENTLYDIFFICULTTOEVALUATEDUETOTHEPROCESSORIENTATIONOFTHEREFORM,ANDTHETYPICALLYCONTESTEDNATUREOFSYSTEMOUTCOMESBECAUSEOFTHIS,WERELYHEAVILYINOUREVALUATIONONTHEEXTENTTOWHICHTHESYSTEMSEEMSTOBEDEVELOPINGCAPACITYFORACTIONPROCESSORIENTATIONTHECREATIONOFTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSYSTEMPRIMARILYCHANGEDTHEPROCESSRATHERTHENSETTINGCONCRETEOUTCOMEGOALSEVALUATINGTHEATTAINMENTOFPROCESSGOALSREMAINSVERYMUCHINTHEEYEOFBEHOLDERFOREXAMPLE,MOREPARTICIPATIONGENERALLYISPREFERREDTOLESS,BUTMOREPARTICIPATIONALSOINCREASESTHEPROBABILITYOFCONFLICTEITHERONPOLICYORPERSONALGROUNDSLESSCONSENSUSEXISTSONHOWMUCHCONFLICTSHOULDBEPROMOTEDANDTOLERATEDINTHESYSTEMTOSOME,LONGRAUCOUSMEETINGSINWHICHDIFFERENTPARTIESCLASHSIGNALTHATNEWVOICESHAVEJOINEDTHEDEBATE,WHILETOOTHERS,SUCHCLASHESPOINTTOASYSTEMRUNAMOKCONTESTEDOUTCOMESTHEEXTENTTOWHICHNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSMAKESUBSTANTIVEACHIEVEMENTSHASBEENCONTESTEDIFNOTHINGELSE,URBANPOLITICSISABOUTRESOLVINGCONFLICTSBETWEENCONTENDINGINTERESTSBYADDINGNEWVOICESTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSYSTEMCHANGEDTHEDYNAMICSOFTHESEPOLICYDEBATES,CREATINGNEWWINNERSANDLOSERSNATURALLY,WINNERSANDLOSERSWILLHAVECONTRASTINGOPINIONSONTHEVALUEOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSINTHESEDEBATESTHECREATIONOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILSHASBEENANEXERCISEINBUILDINGCOMMUNITYCAPACITYCAPACITYINDICATESTHEPOTENTIALFORCOMMUNITYACTION,BUTWHENANDHOWTHATCAPACITYMAYBEEXERCISEDREMAINSELUSIVECOMMUNITYCAPACITYOFTENREMAINSLATENTUNTILAMOBILIZINGISSUE,SUCHASARISEINCRIMERATEORDETERIORATIONOFTRAFFICMOBILITY,PROMPTSTHECOMMUNITYTOACTSIMPLYLOOKINGATNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILACTIONSTODATEPROVIDESANINCOMPLETEPICTUREOFTHEIRUNDERLYINGCAPACITIESTHENOTIONOFCAPACITYBUILDINGIMPLIESACONTINUOUS,DYNAMICPROCESSTHEREFORE,LOOKINGATNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILACCOMPLISHMENTSINTHERELATIVELYBRIEFPERIODSINCECOUNCILINCEPTIONPROVIDESONLYPARTIALEVIDENCEONHOWWELLORGANIZATIONALCAPACITYWILLBEDEVELOPEDANDMAINTAINEDOVERTIMEINTHISEVALUATIONOFTHENEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILS,WESTRIVETOADDRESSTHESEDIFFICULTIESHEADONWESEEKTOEMPLOYASBROADABASEOFEVIDENCEASPOSSIBLEBYCOMBININGMULTIPLEDATASOURCESFROMEIGHTYEARSOFFIELDWORKOURCRITERIACANBEDIVIDEDINTOLONGRUNEFFECTSOFTHESYSTEMVERSUSTHEINTERMEDIATELEVELSYSTEMREFORMSTHATARENECESSARYPREREQUISITESFORTHELONGRUNSUCCESSOFTHESYSTEMTHEINTERMEDIATESYSTEMGOALSINCLUDEASTRONGPARTICIPATORYCORECOUNCILSTHATMAKEUPTHESYSTEMMUSTPARTICIPATEOPENLYANDEFFECTIVELYWITHTHEIRCONSTITUENTSTAKEHOLDERS,WHICHINTURNREQUIRESOPENELECTIONSOFTHEGOVERNINGBOARDANDBROAD,REPRESENTATIVEPARTICIPATIONINNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILPROCESSESDELIBERATIONREQUIRESEFFECTIVEOUTREACHPOLITICALSUPPORTANDPROVISIONOFRESOURCESSUPPORTOFKEYPOLITICALACTORSBOTHINTERMSOFOPENACCESSTOPOLICYMAKINGANDINTHEPROVISIONOFRESOURCESISCRUCIALTHESEREQUISITESINCLUDEAPPROPRIATESUPPORTBYDONEANDTHEIMPLEMENTATIONOFTHEPOLITICALINNOVATIONSOUTLINEDINTHECHARTER,INCLUDINGEARLYNOTIFICATION,INPUTINTOTHEBUDGETARYPROCESSANDMONITORINGOFSERVICESTHESEINTERMEDIATEGOALSAREDISCUSSEDINSECTIONSIITHROUGHIVOFTHISREPORTTHELONGRUNGOALSOFTHESYSTEMOFNEIGHBORHOODCOUNCILS,WHICHAREASSESSEDINTHISSECTIONOFTHEREPORT,AREINCREASEDPARTICIPATIONOFDIVERSESTAKEHOLDERSTHESYSTEMISINTENDEDTOINCREASEBOT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