HOLMBY NEWS
May 31, 2024

From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.

1.  Security Update – Robbery at Gunpoint
2.  Breakfast with Neighborhood Council Presidents
3.  Westwood Library Book Sale
4.  Final LA City Budget
5.  Free Concert at Westwood Library
6.  Activities & Things to Do
7.  Resident Ads

1.  SECURITY UPDATE – ROBBERY AT GUNPOINT

As you may know, our community has been targeted by burglars over the past few years, but now we are experiencing other crimes here and in the Village. Several residents who belong to one of the neighborhood WhatsApp chats have reported attempted kidnappings of children and their mothers in front of the Target store in the Village. It’s reported that perpetrators initiate a conversation, then split up and then try to force mothers/and or children into a car. In addition, a letter follows regarding a father and his two sons being held at gunpoint in front of Warner Avenue School as they were taking an evening walk.

PLEASE BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS WHEREVER YOU MAY BE. In the past, police have recommended pepper gel spray. Amazon has a product that sprays up to 20′ without any blowback.

ROBBERY AT GUNPOINT
A homeowner on the 500 block of Loring reported the following:

This past week between 12:10 am to around 12:16 am while on a walk with my brother and father, we were held up at gunpoint in an attempted robbery near Warner School on Warner between Loring and Woodruff.  The men were in a White Chevy Cruze and took a right from Loring onto Warner and parked in front of 669 Warner Ave.  The car pulled over and turned off their lights and then reversed and parked leaving the engine on.  Then when we were right across the street from them two men jumped out of the back seat of the car, one of the men was Hispanic wearing a gray jacket and had a black beanie on and was around 20 years old; the other I couldn’t see.  They told us to “slide over all the money and stuff you have right now” to which my dad said to my brother and I to run as he charged both of them yelling at them.  They both showed fear and backed up a little bit which led my dad to yell at them more.  Both the men ended up getting in the car and speeding away, taking a left turn on Woodruff and driving completely down the street.  My brother and I ran.  I went to 701 Holmby Ave. and hid on the porch fearing they saw me at the end of the street turning right on Holmby.  My brother ran down Loring Ave back to my house to get my mom and a car and drive back to see what had happened.  We know there was one driver and two other men and they drove down Woodruff, most likely taking a right onto Beverly Glen.

Security footage needed.  We are asking if you could please send us any of the doorbell, security camera, or Tesla sentry mode footage to us so we can try to catch these men.  Please call, text, or email if you can help.

If you need any help getting footage between that period of time or don’t know how to export the footage to send us please still try to reach out because we can help obtain the files.

Please notify HWPOA at hwpoa@aol.com or contact the office at 310-470-1785 if you have any helpful information regarding this incident.

File a Police Report Online: click here
EMERGENCY: 911
NON-EMERGENCY: 1-877-275-5273
All other City Services: 311
West L.A. Community Police Station –1663 Butler Ave.
James Allen, Senior Lead Officer
Office: 310-444-0741
Email: 39318@lapd.online
West LA Community Police Station Website:  click here
LAPD Website: www.lapdonline.org

2.  BREAKFAST WITH NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL PRESIDENTS

On Tuesday morning, I attended a breakfast meeting with most of the Neighborhood Council Presidents who represent neighborhoods across CD5 (our city council district). This breakfast was the first of many moving forward, and Councilwoman Yaroslavsky’s hope is to establish an ongoing dialogue where we can collaboratively address our shared priorities. While each neighborhood council has its own unique opportunities and challenges, many of these are similar or interconnected. During our meeting, we talked about public safety, transportation, and quality of life issues, and how we plan to collaborate on joint solutions.

I look forward to future meetings and hope that our neighborhood concerns, district wide, will be addressed. It was helpful to hear what other westside neighborhoods are involved in and what their needs are, which surprisingly, are very different from Holmby Westwood’s. My appreciation to Katy for putting the meeting together!

Sandy Brown
Vice President, Westwood Neighborhood Council

3.  WESTWOOD LIBRARY BOOK SALE

BIG BOOK SALE!
Friends of Westwood Library Used Book Sale

Saturday, June 1 2024
10 am to 2 pm
Front Patio of Westwood Branch Library
FREE Validated Parking

Discover hidden gems, timeless classics, and thrilling reads—all at unbeatable prices at the Friends of Westwood Library’s Used Book Sale!

Whether you’re a fiction aficionado, history buff, or lover of all things non-fiction, there’s something for everyone. Don’t miss this chance to build your personal library while supporting the community.

Pricing:

• Hardcover books: $2 each
• Paperback books: $1 each
• Coffee Table/Art books: $4 each

See you there!

4.  FINAL L.A. CITY BUDGET

From Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky:

Last week, the City Council officially passed a budget for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1. If you have been following the budget process this year, you know that reduced revenue projections and increasing costs have left the City’s finances in a precarious position. As a result, we had to make several hard decisions on how to best fund key city services with limited resources. However, despite these challenges, we were able to maintain or expand funding in several critical areas:

• Funding for the hiring of 574 additional police officers
• $185 million for Inside Safe, the Mayor’s signature interim housing program
• $6.5 million to preserve services and shelter for survivors of domestic violence
• Funding to prepare a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
• Restoration of positions that had been slated to be eliminated in several key departments, including the Department of Transportation, Recreation and Parks, and Street Services
• Funding for the Housing Department to enforce the Home Sharing Ordinance
• Support for the Fire Department to improve fire station infrastructure

I appreciate those of you who reached out throughout this process to share your thoughts and priorities. This is your budget as much as it is mine, and it is important that it reflects the needs of residents across Los Angeles.

All the best,
Katy

7.  RESIDENT ADS

RAIN GUTTER REPAIR
Can anyone recommend a person or company who can fix a portion of my rain gutter?

Please respond to: nrozengu@g.ucla.edu

Thank you!

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TICKETS FOR SALE – A STRANGE LOOP
Tickets available for Tuesday, June 25th performance of A Strange Loop at the Ahmanson Theatre. The seats are in the eighth row, almost dead center. The price is $134.00/ticket, face value.  For show info., click here.

Email swy333@gmail.com if interested.

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HWPOA Communication & Ad Policy:
Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com.

HWPOA members are welcome to post free ads (such as ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc.) in the Holmby News.  When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News editor to review.  Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.

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Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 49180
Los Angeles, CA  90049
Phone: (310) 470-1785 (call/text)
Email: hwpoa@aol.com OR info@holmbywestwoodpoa.org
Website: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org
Pay Membership Dues: https://hwpoa.square.site/

You Are Invited . . .

• To attend our monthly Board Meetings*
  
• To let us know your concerns about our community and your ideas about how we might work to improve it
• To become involved in our Association.

*Board Meetings are usually held the second Tuesday of each month.  Please confirm prior to attending.