Jeffrey David Morris
719 North Heliotrope Drive, 
Apt Unit #: (301)
Los Angeles, CA 90029
jeffreydavidmorris@myway.com
http://www.jeffreydavidmorris.com
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Eric Garcetti, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

RE: Your reply letter unto me, dated: 11/29/06

Herein, is my overdue, breakdown sharing of neighborhood information, in hopes of your exploration. 
Dear Mr. Garcetti, Councilman and President:
Hello, how are you? I in deed hope all things are well with you. First up, I have tried (in recent past), through valid, kind and respectful communication with your staff member, (Arsen Melikyan) to bring various local neighborhood matter’s to his attention that face (our) neighborhood, and that need desperate city attention and addressing. Unfortunately, this neighborhood has received no results from him or on behalf of him, via you presenting (District 13), which in fact (our) neighborhood falls into and is a part of. 
I have been trying to work with, per say, (our) neighborhood’s senior lead officer of “LAPD”, (Matt Zigler), whom has shown professional, positive interest, misc in (our) neighborhood’s idea for needed improvement (‘s). 
In the letter, I will reveal unto you, in my (2) year’s of tenancy in this neighborhood, what I have observed as needing desperate city attention and addressing. 
I am not sure you may remember, but I did back in 2004, speak on behalf of “New Image Emergency Shelter” and supporting them in wanting to extend their open operating hours throughout the year, which Brenda and Linda Wilson appreciated me in doing, back while I was a guest, residing in and at their (homeless) shelter. 
I am now, representing and (trying to do what I can, due to my personal limit’s and choice) work  through the step’s in observing and addressing (our) neighborhood’s issue’s and matter’s, that through various parties in local government, etc, can bring to pass, agreement’s or negotiation’s of neighborhood improvement’s, that will (I believe) improve the quality and vitality, etc, of (our) neighborhood, for the resident’s, student’s and customer’s of local businesses who live here, for the business/commercial owner’s, and for the attendee’s of the local neighborhood “Los Angeles City College”. 
Eric, I do not know the extend of, through speaking with you and your staff, via going over a list of thing’s you think are possible & valid and those that are not, that could come to pass, as described (above). I wish we could, so to speak, maybe even humorously, go through a list; I just am curious what can be done & what isn’t really able to come to pass, strictly on the beneficial factor of the neighborhood and it’s resident’s (primarily), then business owner’s, then student’s. 
Yes, on a spiritual level, I am coming from the point of view of thinking of other’s and not myself. But it’s those of the city, that have the ability and power, and discussion (‘s), review (‘s) and eventually the implementation of such positive, beneficial neighborhood improvement’s = (result’s) that I care about – (bottom-line, big picture). 
Here Eric, let me ‘get to it’ with listing the various neighborhood improvement issue’s and matter’s, that I know (our) neighborhood’s senior lead officer of “LAPD”, (Matt Zigler) is already aware of, but he can only do so much, as he has his “LAPD” task’s and duties to attend to, I know.
Ok, sigh . . .
•	First, I found out recently that (our) neighborhood was approved for, (with our neighborhood’s senior lead officer of “LAPD”, (Matt Zigler’s) help, a security street camera to be installed, for obvious reason (‘s) of course. To sum up the background story, the word came about (I heard) that the particular business owner, atop of their building for the security street camera, whom I and Matt Zigler thought would be perfect and most beneficial for (Rampart) station to be able to monitor, I heard, the property owner in question will think about it. Think about it? Listen. If (our) neighborhood has to wait for this property owner to think about it, maybe, they do not fully realize the scope, etc of what is on the line here and what this security street camera fully represents; plus, as a side note, I personally think this property owner is playing (?) for stupid. Thus, I think what should be considered is that the (number’s) be looked at. 90% resident’s who live in this neighborhood and whom feel unsafe due to (various aspect’s which I’ll cover alittle later on); I have shared with Matt Zigler that my professional thought is that the security street camera should be best considered & suited for (permanent) mounting atop of the dance, misc, etc hall facility, “El Paraiso”, located at the intersection 4300 block of Melrose Avenue and 700 block of North Heliotrope Drive, in order that the security street camera will get and receive a clear look of this intersection and straight down North Heliotrope Drive. Matt Zigler can fill you in on any details in this matter. I just know from living in this neighborhood since 12/2004, coming from homeless status to now successful (Section 8, Shelter Plus Care) apt status, and observing crime, misc, that – that security street camera will play a an important aid and assistant unto Matt Zigler and (Rampart) to even more so, “Protect and Serve”, etc, misc.
•	Second, there is the issue of way too much darkness in this immediate area of the 700 block of North Heliotrope Drive, and all the way down the street to Monroe Street, mainly due to “LACC’s” procrastination and stalling of maintaining and consistent, on-going and follow-through ability of their construction project, that has for quite some time, meant the removal of street pole, night time lighting, thus, increasing risk of safety, lack of security, and increase of crime, misc. Now I have spoken to (2) individual’s of the project: Bob, (323) 689-6250, and Kris, (714) 493-5037, as well as Benoit, (323) 953-4000, ext. #: 3087, all they seem to speak of is something to the nature of financial problem’s, thus, telling me whatever I wanna hear, to just walk away and leave them alone; hey I call it like I see. Their (banging up) the neighborhood. At any rate, I have taken it upon myself (from 07/2005 to recent) to have “DWP”/Outdoor lighting, Scott James, (213) 367-9900 to write up and have install a outdoor light on a city pole in the parking lot, next to (our) property building, located at: 719 North Heliotrope Drive; then recently had (Scott James) write up and have installed (4) additional outdoor light’s on other nearby city pole’s, to where my cost unto me will be, every (2) month’s $150.00; hey, it’s got to be done, and a price to pay for increased safety and security, for which one can not put a price on, when it comes to the safety and security of the children and families who live in (our) neighborhood, I can’t say enough on this. I did speak to (Harold), a local furniture store salesmen who works at the corner furniture store, Melrose Avenue and North Heliotrope Drive, and he shares strong interest, with possible agreement of Matt Zigler, of having Scott James writing up and having installed (2) of the (100 DS) light’s, atop and on the side of the furniture store building, facing North Heliotrope Drive, pointing downward onto street level of North Heliotrope Drive, which I think would give this immediate corner just the right amount of night time lighting that it need’s to increase safety and security unto (our) neighborhood’s resident’s, along with the installation and mounting of that security street camera (previously spoken about), at least while LACC has chosen to (keep) (our) neighborhood in darkness. Once they get their street light’s/pole’s back up and working, the recent mentioned above, new lighting, would just even more add to the safety and security level unto (our) neighborhood’s resident’s, business owner’s and their customer’s and unto the student’s passing through this area of North Heliotrope Drive at night time.
•	Third, I have discussed this matter with Matt Zigler, but I feel I’m coming up against red tape in my efforts. The matter is of (3) item’s, so please bear with me. The review of past record’s when it was last done, or, just current/present review of North Heliotrope Drive street re-surfacing, which need’s it very badly, trust me, ‘on the real’. And the matter’s of installation of speed bump’s and (25) MPH (black & white) speed sign’s, because of driver’s whom operate their vehicle’s at excessive speed’s, driving down North Heliotrope Drive, in either direction; for the issue that there is children and senior citizen’s who live in this neighborhood, and student’s who, because of the (LACC construction project), have to walk, on the street, because the sidewalk has been blocked off by construction fencing; 
Ugh . . . I just can’t tell ya enough, sigh . .  . Eric, we really need you to visit our neighborhood with Matt Zigler, and a couple of the city’s top people (LADBS, LA Bur. Of St. Services, LA Dept. of Trans., you name it), please Eric, I know your busy, trust me, but all I can do is ask, pray & hope – for the people, not merely myself, that you and (?) might bring to pass that which (our) neighborhood seeks and needs. We need your help Eric, I’ve tried with Arsen, much love to him, but I’m sorry, my faith in and with bringing to pass neighborhood improvements result’s resides with you. 
•	Before I forget, I just wanted to mention that the commercial property, that contains the businesses of “Scoops”, City College Café”, etc., I know from my research & homework is owned by: Dweck S. Stevan, (949) 760-2525, and whom on many occasion’s I’ve telephoned about the lack of night time lighting in our immediate area; he explained that he had installed exterior building light fixture’s outside & between each business shop above entrance canopy. I took it upon myself to push the envelope by going to “DWP’s” website, printing out energy saving program’s, etc for commercial businesses, and put them each in a white envelope & slipped them (at night) under each business shop’s front door, hoping that they might consider the installation of a daytime/nighttime timer, for which those exterior building light fixture’s could utilize, physically & manually putting a light bulb into the fixture, and thus, via “DWP” account be saving energy while providing neighborhood nighttime lighting – safety and security. 
•	Another issue I wanted to address was the property owner at: 712 North Edgemont St, Assessor Parcel #: (5538016002), has a tree growing over the allowed zoned property line, (5) foot concrete wall, that separates their property from the parking lot, on the side of our building: 719 North Heliotrope Drive, and for whom I voluntarily cleanup, misc the leaves, twig’s, misc that 712 North Edgemont St’s tree shed’s, and it does block the nighttime lighting coverage of (1) of the “DWP” installed outdoor light’s that I am paying for. I tried to file a report and request a zoning inspection & review, whom I was told that (LADBS) inspector: (Jourgen Petrossian) would be assigned to this, for possible citation unto the owner of 712 North Edgemont St, sorry, but I have not heard from him, and am forced to step up & legally utilize the option of ‘forking out’ $500.00 of my (SSI) unto a favorite private landscape I know of, to come and cut and remove only that which is growing over the (5) foot concrete wall (bottom to top, right to left). Not to mention, there are thick (arm’s, if you will) of the tree that over some time that have grown (?, up againist?) utility cross line’s; it’s just a tree that has grown out of whack, seriously. I just wanted to know what the legal position is of a matter like this, since I can not rely on (LADBS) to step up.
•	And lastly, (I think, sorry Eric), is a sigh . . . long time matter involving our slumlord property owner, Shahram John Saba, (Assessor Parcel #: (5538016026). Geez . . . I don’t know where to begin. I tried with senior (LAHD) inspector: (John Tompkin), twice, what a waste of time, couldn’t even see if “REAP” program was a possibility. I got tons of past faxes I did in mid 2006 to local, county and state agencies, etc., reporting this property owner, nothing. He gets green light, or etc. to just continue business, our building is in such need of repair (i.e.: the roof/water damage, exterior building foundation cracking, ill-installed (gas piping). Heck, I’ve taken the cost’s upon myself to repair and bring back to beauty (per say) the front yard landscape via the services of “TruGreen”; (I know, it’s a slow process, because sodding has been a zero option). I found out that each apt in our building is priced around $45, 000, and I thought if Shahram John Saba was removed from ownership, bought out by City of LA, and the equity of the building & property was entrusted to a City of LA trustee, thus, opening up the possibility for the option of each tenant to rent to own their apt, thus, giving them a home ownership goal in which to work toward. Geez Eric, I’d really have to show you the data. I mean, I’m good in business, but I’m not that good. I guess hardship’s of my past is what made me stronger as a person, thus, helped me turn my life around, thus, thing’s I’m doing now in my life. Eric, please, I know, legally, honestly, positively, with looking into the City of LA, and how the city could help (in this sense, new business), it just makes all the sense in the world. 
Alright, well, there it is there, long I know, but it’s hard for me to sum up that which is extensive, and it’s frustrating knowing the red tape, (so to speak) thereof, but I try to find inner strength to go on, and confront, professionally, these matter, etc. to the best of my ability. 
                                                                          And I thank you in advance.
Sincerely, Jeffrey David Morris