Pending Motions

See below for updated status of pending motions (not yet ratified or passed by the requisite majority of WRAC Member councils).

For motions formally adopted by WRAC, visit Adopted Positions.

Affordable Housing Legislation/Support for SB 15 (Portantino) and SCA 2 (Allen & Wiener)
Passage deadline: May 2021

Passed by

  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council

Motion

The Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC) recognizes the need for positive solutions to the state’s affordable housing crisis, specifically as it relates to workforce and low-to-moderate income housing.  Solutions should involve legislation that 1) focuses on increasing the production and supply of truly affordable housing; 2) does not compromise public safety or the environment; and 3) respects principles of democracy, local land use control and self-determination of local governments to expand housing opportunities unique to their jurisdictions.

WRAC supports Senate Bill 15 (Portantino) and Senate Constitutional Amendment 2 (Allen and Wiener) as examples of positive legislation that forward the goal of achieving more affordable housing consistent with these principles.

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Prioritize School Reopenings
Passage deadline: March 2021

Passed by

  • Del Rey Neighborhood Council
  • Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa (modified version)
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council (modified version)
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • Westside Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

Whereas schools provide “essential academic and social-emotional learning” environments, and a broader array of resources including “physical, mental health, and therapeutic services”1;

Whereas “school closures impede learning and compound inequities, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged children”2; and particularly disadvantaged are students who are at a young age, have special needs, or are from underprivileged households;

Whereas many states and countries have successfully prioritized the opening of schools over businesses, instead of the other way around;

Whereas Federal, State and local governments can offer stipends, grants, and loans to businesses and employees who may be forced to close, however the same government bodies cannot offer redress to students for lost opportunities and benefits derived from education;

Whereas “safe and consistently open schools are essential for many parents and guardians … to reenter the workforce”1, and forcing working parents into full time childcare is neither fair nor sustainable;

Whereas the health of all students, staff and teachers must be protected, the federal government and State of California must provide school districts with the resources needed for the safe reopening of schools and  to contain outbreaks (should they occur) including the prioritization of school staff and teachers in vaccine distribution;

Therefore, the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils supports prioritizing the reopening of elementary schools and special-needs classes ahead of other services that are currently allowed to be open.

1Levinson M, Cevik M, Lipsitch M. Reopening primary schools during the pandemic. New England Journal of Medicine. 2020 Sep 3;383:981-985.

2Armitage R, Nellums LB. Considering inequalities in the school closure response to COVID-19. The Lancet Global Health. 2020 May 1;8(5):e644.

3Ludvigsson JF. Children are unlikely to be the main drivers of the COVID‐19 pandemic – a systematic review. Acta Paediatrica. 2020 May 19.

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