Ed Reyes

* For the captain of Philippine Airlines Flight 434, see that article----------------

Ed P. Reyes has served on the Los Angeles City Council since April 2001. A native of Northeast Los Angeles, Councilmember Reyes represents many of the neighborhoods he grew up in including Lincoln Heights and Cypress Park.

Reyes was re-elected in 2005 to serve a second Council term, capturing 78 percent of the votes. He continues his commitment to bringing government closer to CouncilDistrict One neighborhoods, which he affectionately refers to as the "OriginalSuburbs."

Within days of taking office, Reyes organized town hall meetingsdistrict-wide for residents to voice concerns about safety, affordable housing,education and recreational opportunities. This effort has become a hallmark ofhis administration and has resulted in projects that have improved public safety, housing, employment, environment and public transportation.

In response to safety concerns, Reyes, vice-chair of the Public SafetyCommittee, has secured funds for added Los Angeles Police Department units and technology, graffiti and neighborhood clean-ups, gang preventionprograms and safe route school maps. In September 2008, Reyes opened the new Rampart Division police station, one of the nation's busiest police stations, and the City's "greenest" police station because of its LEED Gold-rated designation

Earlier, and shortly after William Bratton became the City's top cop, Councilmember Reyes brought the Los Angeles Police Department Police Chief to MacArthur Park to witness firsthand the drug deals, gang activity and shootings there. That tour resulted in a nationally-recognized LAPD effort - consisting of surveillance cameras and boosted patrols -- that transformed one of the City's most blighted parks into a popular spot for family picnics, festivals and concerts. Crime at MacArthur Park has dropped 20 percent since Reyes launched the crime-fighting project, a joint effort with the community, local businesses and LAPD.

MacArthur Park continues to make history. The park was the starting point of the May 1, 2006 immigrants' rights march, and also where Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hahn led peace walks in 2005 and 2007. On July 19, 2006, Reyes hosted the Los Angeles CityCouncil meeting at MacArthur Park. Reyes also welcomed free summer concerts, featuring Grammy-nominated talents in 2007 and 2008 at the park's renovated bandshell, Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts.

Earlier in his tenure, Councilmember Reyes also launched a nationally-renowned lead abatement program to protect children from the dangers of lead-based paint found in pre-1979 housing. He spearheaded the $160 million Northeast Interceptor Sewer tunnel to prevent sewage overflow and protect the health of families and children.

As Chair of the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management committee, Councilmember Reyes has expanded the City's affordable housing stock. He has pushed for Adaptive Reuse, or the conversion of abandoned buildings into housing, and Residential and Accessory Services, which permits residential development in commercial zones. And he has spearheaded efforts to strengthen the city's rent control ordinance. As chair of the Metro Gold Line Authority the Councilmember also helped ensure that the $750 million Gold Line project be completed on time and on budget.

Councilmember Reyes has opened four new libraries in Cypress Park, Chinatown, Highland Park and Pico Union and has added more than 80 acres of new park space to his district. As chair of the Los Angeles River Ad Hoc Committee, he has brought a renewed focus to the once-ignored L. A. River and secured more than $3 million to create a neighborhood-driven plan that will include enhancing water quality, environmental protection, increasing open space and improving flood control.

Councilmember Reyes attended UCLA where he earned a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree from UCLA's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Councilmember Ed P. Reyes lives in the northeast Los Angeles community of Mount Washington with his wife Martha, and their four children Natalie, Eddie Jr., Adan and Angel.

External links

* [http://www.lacity.org/council/cd1/index.htm Ed Reyes City Council page]

References