HOLMBY NEWS
September 20, 2024
From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.
1. LAPD Report – Prevent Follow-Home Robberies
2. Holmby Westwood Green Team Update
3. Hiding Your House Photos Online
4. City Council Approves More Funds for West LAPD
5. Emergency Preparedness Event
6. Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB)
7. Coastal Cleanup Day – This Saturday
8. Activities & Things to Do
9. Local Discounts & HWPOA Benefits
1. LAPD REPORT – PREVENT FOLLOW-HOME ROBBERIES
Our LAPD Senior Lead Officer James Allen reported that last week, there was a follow-home robbery in Bel Air.
The victim had dinner at a well-known restaurant in the Beverly Hills/Hollywood area. He was wearing flashy jewelry that apparently caught the eye of some thieves. They followed him home to Thurston Circle in Bel Air, where they confronted him, demanding his valuables. When the victim stalled, they shot him. He is currently in the hospital.
Please stay very aware of your surroundings when you are out, especially in the Beverly Hills/Hollywood area. Be particularly aware of anyone that might be following you.
Do not wear flashy, obviously expensive, jewelry that could tempt a thief, and do not post photos of yourself with such jewelry on social media.
If you feel someone is following you, do not drive home. Instead call 911 en route and drive to the LAPD station at 1663 Butler Ave. (one block south of Santa Monica Blvd, a few blocks west of the 405 Fwy). It is also a good idea to alter your routes home and pay attention to vehicles that repeatedly make the same turns as you.
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. HOLMBY WESTWOOD GREEN TEAM UPDATE
The Green Team recommends recent articles and an upcoming webinar to learn more about trees, parkways and LA neighborhoods:
- Miller, Charles, “A Plastic Lawn is Way Worse than a Real One,” LA Times, August 5, 2024. Contrary to what many have come to believer, artificial turf is bad for our ecosystem as well as our health. LA City no longer considers artificial turf a form of drought tolerant landscaping.
- Pergament, Danielle, “A tour of LA’s Neighborhoods, Let the Trees be Your Guide” August 6, 2024, New York Times – LA has one of the most densely populated, diverse urban forests in the world, Familiar neighborhoods showcase different tree species.
- Renkl, Margaret, “Why Aren’t we Saving Urban Forests?” April 22,2024, New York Times. Saving mature trees is just as important as planting new trees to replace those already lost.
- Haggerty, Noah, “ California is home to millions of Urban Trees, What Happens When they Die?” August 10, 2024, LA Times. LA conservationists are turning dead trees into lumber.
- Roach, Margaret, “Yes, Tree Collecting Is a Thing,” August 28, 2024, New York Times. A new book explores this obsession and how it connects us with our own mortality.
Also, you may want to listen in to a Zoom webinar “Goodbye Grass! Save Water with a Native Landscape” sponsored by The Thomas Payne Foundation and the LA Metropolitan Water District on October 2 from 6-8 pm. Learn about rebates for replacing grass with sustainable landscaping.
For more information, find the Green Team at https://www.holmbywestwoodgreenteam.org
Working Together to Preserve Holmby Westwood’s Beautiful Tree Canopy
3. HIDING YOUR HOUSE PHOTOS ONLINE
With burglaries, break-ins and home invasion robberies on the rise in Southern California, experts say there is yet another tool at homeowners’ disposal to protect property.
See below links for tutorials on how to remove photos of your home on Redfin and Zillow as well as blur out your home on Google Street View as a security measure.
Zillow – How do I hide or remove photos of my home?
Redfin – Removing Photos on a Sold Home
Google Maps – Blur Street View Imagery
Thank you to Bel Air HOA and Westwood Hills POA for providing this information.
4. CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MORE FUNDS FOR WEST LAPD
From the Westside Current:
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a motion introduced by Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky to allocate $200,000 toward additional police overtime in Council District 5. The funds, drawn from the CD5 Neighborhood Service Enhancements fund, will be distributed to the LAPD’s Wilshire, West LA, and Pacific divisions to increase patrols and bolster public safety efforts.
“This funding is critical for bolstering public safety across the board, especially in light of the challenges posed by LAPD’s staffing shortages,” said Yaroslavsky. “Whether it’s increasing patrols, ensuring safe streets, or supporting no-camping enforcement efforts near schools and parks, these resources will help us address a wide range of public safety priorities throughout the district.”
Click here to read the complete article.
5. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EVENT
LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath is hosting “Get Ready, Stay Ready!” Emergency Preparedness Event on October 5th at the Skirball Center. This is a fantastic opportunity for you and your family to learn vital information about emergency preparedness and ensure you’re ready for any situation.
Event Details:
- Date: Saturday, October 5th from 9am – 1pm
- Location: Skirball Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
What to Expect:
- Free Onsite Parking for all attendees.
- Complimentary Breakfast to start your day.
- Resources and Information from key agencies including LA County Emergency Management, LA City Emergency Management Department, and the California State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s office.
- Over 20 Agencies and Groups tabling with valuable insights and materials.
- Car Seat Safety Checks with the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
- Informative Presentations on topics such as home hardening, emergency planning, wildfires, and earthquakes.
Please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-ready-stay-ready-sd3-emergency-preparedness-event-tickets-996652573677 to ensure there are adequate accommodations for everyone.
6. COMMUNITY POLICE ADVISORY BOARD (CPAB)
Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB)
September Meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 4:00 PM
via Zoom
The next Zoom CPAB meeting is taking place on September 24, 2024 at 4 pm. Our guest speaker will be Karl Susman, who is an insurance professional and he will be discussing insurance topics and how it relates to police work. If you have any questions please let me know. Thank you.
ZOOM LINK:
https://lapd.zoom.us/j/2087969708?omn=84555875601
Sincerely,
Police Officer III Chris Pech
Serial No. 37881
Los Angeles Police Department – West LA Division
CPAB Coordinator
1663 Butler Ave.
(310) 444-0732 (Desk)
Officer Pech Email: 37881@lapd.online
7. COASTAL CLEANUP DAY – THIS SATURDAY
From State Senator Ben Allen:
Please join us at the 35th anniversary of the world’s largest volunteer event, Coastal Cleanup Day, with Heal the Bay. This will be a unique opportunity to participate in an international effort and give back to your community by reducing trash on our beaches! You can join my team at the Santa Monica Pier, or find another location that is more convenient for you when you register.
Coastal Cleanup Day
Saturday, September 21, 2024
9 a.m. – Noon
Santa Monica Pier (Northside)
Tower 1550 – 1600 Appian Way, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Through efforts like this and timely investments from the State to protect our coast and climate, we can provide a cleaner California for generations to come. If possible, please bring a bucket, gloves, and a reusable water bottle as the site may reach maximum capacity and supplies could run low. We hope to see you there!
8. ACTIVITIES & THINGS TO DO
Botany Workshop – Plantober!
Saturday, October 5 from 11am – 12pm
at the UCLA Botanical Garden – La Kretz Garden Pavilion
Looking to take your backyard, balcony, or dorm room garden to the next level? Autumn is the perfect time to propagate and plant in Southern California. Learn from Allison Keeney, the Garden’s Assistant Director, who manages the acquisition and care of all our living collections (over 2000 plant species!).
This event is free and open to the public. Please join us – a green thumb is not required! 🙂
The Bruin Flea Market
Friday, September 27 from 3:00pm – 8:30pm
on Broxton Plaza in Westwood Village
The Bruin Flea Market is back—now better than ever and happening on the 3rd Friday of every month! Get ready for an unbeatable community experience on Broxton Avenue in Westwood Village this fall. Dive into a treasure trove of LA’s best vendors offering vintage gems, Y2K fashion, streetwear, art, pottery, jewelry, and more. You’ll find it here if you’re looking for your next statement piece or one-of-a-kind home decor.
For more information:
thebruinflea.com
9. LOCAL DISCOUNTS & HWPOA BENEFITS
Below you will find links to discounts and benefits that local businesses have offered to HWPOA members. We hope to add more as often as we can. Please let us know if you would like to submit additional discounts for other Westwood retailers.
Current benefits include:
- ACS Security – $150 account credit towards Patrol or Alarm Monitoring*. Please call 310-446-0527 ext 3 or email info@acssecurity.com and mention Holmby Hills July 4th.
*New customers only, agreement required. - SSA Security – For new clients, SSA will waive the $110 sign-up fee and the 1st month will be 50% of the going fee. New clients who pay for a full year in advance will receive an additional free month. Valid until the end of 2024.
- Danny Boy’s Famous Original – Complimentary cheese pizza when you place your first large order over $50. Valid online through 10/31/24. Click below for details.
- Campus Shoe Repair – 10% off any shoe or bag repair
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.