The North Westwood Neighborhood Council voted to support the construction of an affordable housing development on Strathmore Drive in its October meeting.

The council, which represents UCLA and Westwood Village, meets on the first Wednesday of every month at UCLA’s Weyburn Terrace. People can attend the council’s meetings in person or virtually using the link posted on the corresponding agenda. The next meeting is set to be held Nov. 4.

Comments made by public officials:

• Crystal Rodriguez, a representative from Mayor Karen Bass’ office, said she hopes to engage more with Districts 5 and 11 – which represent Westwood and areas surrounding Brentwood and Pacific Palisades, respectively – according to the minutes. She added that the mayor’s top three priorities are housing and homelessness, public safety and preparation for large events such as the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to the minutes.
• Janet Turner, the deputy district director of outreach for Rep. Ted Lieu, said Lieu supports a national tax credit for film and television production and will host Conversations with Veterans, an annual forum with military veterans, on Nov. 8, according to the minutes.
• Farid Hadj, a field representative for Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, said Zbur authored Assembly Bill 1609, which would force companies to disclose if they are using AI chatbots for customer service, according to the minutes.
• Carmen Zambrano, assistant director of local government and community relations for UCLA Government Relations, said Bruin Family Weekend 2026 will take place Oct. 30-31, and UCLA will hold a free science fair Nov. 8, according to the minutes. She added that UCLA will offer four voting centers for the midterm elections, including De Neve Plaza, Hammer Museum and two in Ackerman Union, according to the minutes. Zambrano also said she does not have additional information about UC Investments’ acquisition of several commercial properties in Westwood, and she could not confirm if UCLA will sell its South Bay campus, according to the minutes.

Comments made by the public:

• Steve Sann, a member of the Friends of Westwood Library, said the library will host a concert Oct. 31.
• Russell Sontay, co-chair of Bruin Parenting Scholars, said his organization met with the offices of state Sen. Ben Allen and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur to discuss the closure of UCLA’s childcare centers. He added that Bruin Parenting Scholars is pushing the university to be more transparent about its finances.
• A member of the public made a threat against a council member’s family member over Zoom.

Announcements:

• At-large Board Member Aidan Light said he filed a request under the California Public Records Act with UCLA to obtain information about potential security perimeters for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to the meeting’s minutes.
• Vice President Andrew Lewis said the NWWNC had a positive experience tabling at the Westwood Block Party, according to the minutes.
• Undergraduate Student Board Member Jacob Lawson said the council plans to table at four other events this fall, according to the minutes.

Agenda:

• The council approved a motion to recommend that the Los Angeles Metro name the D Line’s second-to-last station Westwood/UCLA.
• Matthews Cribioli, a transportation planning associate, presented on the Westwood Boulevard Safety and Mobility Project, which will install bus-only and protected bike lanes on Westwood Boulevard from Le Conte Avenue to Exposition Boulevard. He said the city is still hearing feedback and will begin construction in 2027.
• Michael Russell, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, said they have hosted more events on Broxton Plaza recently, including Westwood Block Party and Oktoberfest. He added that the reopening of the Directors Village and Bruin Theater has brought more foot traffic to Westwood.
• The council voted to support the development of a housing complex at 11045 W Strathmore Dr., which would include several low-income and moderate-income housing units.
• The council approved a motion to designate Copymat Westwood as its new printer.
• The council approved its October consent calendar.