Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils are official, elected advisory bodies within the city government that represent local communities to City Hall. They consist of local volunteers who advocate for their areas on key issues like land use, homelessness, and public safety, while also managing an annual budget for local projects.
Recently the West Hills Neighborhood Council took on a local project to clean up the grounds at Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center.
Brad Vanderhoof, Board Secretary, Beautification Chair, Communications and Outreach Co-chair of the West Hills Neighborhood Council, said, “The mission of this committee is, in cooperation with stakeholders, to advocate, promote, facilitate and engage in activities to improve and maintain the appearance of West Hills’ streets, sidewalks, parks and other features by encouraging greater participation and responsibility of West Hills stakeholders.”
The group does monthly cleanups on high visibility streets in West Hills concentrating on areas that have become “difficult or impossible for pedestrians to navigate due to debris or overgrowth.”
Vanderhoof said, “We bagged 60 thirty-gallon trash bags of leaves and cut and stacked about 100 palm fronds from a ravine for the Rec. and Parks Dept. to pick up. Meanwhile the West Valley Garden Club was tending the roses. Our goal is to care about the community and sometimes it is contagious. Often neighbors see us working and come out to lend a helping hand.”