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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - Avak Keotahian—the gruff, white-haired assistant chief legislative analyst—finally left City Hall after 46 years of deception, manipulation, and gatekeeping. This is the man who, with a smile and a blazer, quietly worked to keep the public out of their own government.
Avak Keotahian stars in the Finance Chart movie.
Insiders know that Avak would have adored what Steve Bannon, whose "War Room" podcast is powerful with Trump's base, said about the flurry of Trumpy measures. It's a "tsunami this time ... flood the zone." Bannon said the fusillade will mean "the media is so overwhelmed with so much activity on so many fronts that it cannot process.” Word.
Hard to imagine our liberal city council doing Trumpy things… but, honestly… it’s a long tradition.
Avak, once told me, in perfect English, that the public shouldn’t be in city meetings at all. And he meant it. In 2023 he heaved down nearly $375,000 in salary and benefits so you can understand why.
Keotahian was the architect of tactics that crippled public participation. Holding three committee meetings simultaneously at 1 p.m.? His idea. Moving building and safety lien items into a bureaucratic abyss, ensuring homeowners never got a chance to defend themselves? His specialty. Blocking virtual public comment while claiming “comment was taken in committee”? A signature move.
Avak's bulletin board abuse featured by Tony Barboza on Saturday, who joined the team of reporters covering Los Angeles city government for the LA Times, after years of... presumably not doing that. I remember him covering the SCAQMD...
By giving Avak Keotahian a platform to normalize the sheer insanity of City Hall while failing to mention the fact that Marqueece Harris-Dawson nixed call in public testimony, Mr. Barboza has met or exceeded expectations!
Even Avak’s exit from City service was a trick. Council members attempted a sendoff but Keotahian slipped away quietly—just as he did for decades, shutting out the voices of everyday Angelenos.
Herb Steps Up:
This map provides a comprehensive view of the City Hall complex and its surrounding areas, helping you navigate the various buildings and landmarks within the Civic Center district.
Herb Wesson is stepping up his game, with a major set of steps named for him where he smoked regularly ...
...with Mitchell Englander, the inhouse lobbyist, father of Staffer B, and councilmember, felon and patriot, who also smoked illegally on city property.
Brilliant Minds:
Does an MIT degree prepare one for the street hustlers of City Hall—or just make one an easier mark?
Councilmember Nithya Raman proves that “climate-conscious” means greenlighting an 892-room Hilton in a High Severity Fire Hazard Zone—possibly to support Harvard-Westlake’s future schedule of mega-events.
Build baby build...
With Arthur Boghossian and team in your camp and land-use magician Edgar Khalatian pulling strings, who needs logic?
Meanwhile, Adrin Nazarian might rethink that $700 donation to Karo Torossian, a man who never met a McMansion-in-a-firetrap he didn’t love.
And speaking of disasters—3701 Glenridge Drive, a hillside mega-home with a subterranean garage and driveway bridge, rubber-stamped right after LA’s worst wildfire. The city insists fire risks are “mitigated”—bureaucratic for "Trust us, we glanced at the reports."
Let’s test it: Send a fire truck up Glenridge, wedge it between a cement mixer, an Amazon van, and a Prius in reverse—see if it reaches a pretend inferno. Spoiler: it won’t.
But who cares? There’s Mansion Moolah™ to be made. Smart planning? Nah. Just keeping hillside investors happy while the rest of us hope we don’t burn.
Maybe instead of packing tourists into a fire zone, we house refugees at the Sportsmen’s Lodge? Oh, developers hate that? Get him out of here!
Bottom line: If LA keeps cashing developer checks while McMansionizing firetraps, what’s the message? That fire season is just a numbers game—as long as the donations flow?
I’ll leave you with that. And maybe Adrin will leave with a little curiosity about that $700 CD7 gift to Karo’s “McMansion-in-a-Firetrap” fund.
Because the optics? About as bad as a hillside inferno—with no way in, and no way out.
Donation to CD7, but the help on 3701 Glenridge is needed in CD2, whoops, CD4...
Tee’ing up development…
If you want to see the stark contrast between City and County operations, look no further than their golf courses—County handed theirs to Fortress-owned private equity, while the City is still being wooed by lobbyists. Consolidation? I politely suggested a single Ethics Commission for both—was nearly thrown out of the chambers.
Now, let’s talk revenue innovation. Inspired by the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners' approval of six commemorative plaques on benches, why stop there? Introducing the Los Angeles Commemorative Bench Initiative™!
- Nithya Raman: For her visionary approach to luxury homes in fire zones!
- Paul Krekorian: Plenty of time to sit on the upgraded Herb Wesson Steps and reflect on international money streams—while carefully rewriting history.
- Areen Ibranossian & Karo Torossian: Sharing a bench—why pay twice for the same service?
- Adrin Nazarian: Investigating CD7 donations to Karo for CD2 stuff (lol, you mean CD4) —
- Wendy Greuel & Brad Sherman: Legends of the Sneakdom.
- ASM Global Bench: Because nothing says public service like venue monetization!
Speaking of ASM, they just secured a 15-month extension at the City’s Equestrian Center. Meanwhile, the County’s 15-year sole-source equestrian deal eliminates competition, consolidates vendors, and gives fee-setting power to Parks and Rec. who cannot be trusted because they work for American Golf! So, will equestrians get a fair deal—or just a higher bill?
Private equity usually ride off into the sunset—
Civic Déjà Vu: Steve Soboroff Rides Again
Ah, the comfort of civic déjà vu. Disaster strikes, leadership falters, and who do we call? Not the Ghostbusters—just the same old real estate insiders cycling through new titles. And now, straight from the Commission Hall of Fame: Steve Soboroff! A man so civically engaged, he could chair a meeting in his sleep—and many have alleged he has.
Soboroff’s track record? Staples Center, Playa Vista, and the horrible Whole Foods in Malibu. He hears “public-private partnership” and skips to the “private” part. Now, in the middle of fire recovery, the question isn’t how we rebuild—it’s who profits.
We’ve seen this before. Affluent areas get expedited rebuilds with “resilience” (read: luxury upgrades), while working-class communities get delays, denials, or a strip mall where homes used to be. And City Hall? Ensuring Soboroff & Friends™ break ground before half the fire victims get a callback.
Meanwhile, the usual suspects—Krekorian, Raman, Greuel, Nazarian, Sherman—will no doubt get Commemorative Benches™ (sponsored by ASM Global, of course) to reflect on why we keep rebuilding McMansions in fire zones instead of planning responsibly.
And speaking of ignoring the public, Marqueece Harris-Dawson has had enough democracy—no more virtual comments. Why just ignore the public in real-time when you can fully mute them?
Where’s the press? Probably chasing PRA requests that never get answered. The only thing moving faster than Soboroff’s developments is the speed at which public input gets sidelined.
So, Mayor Bass, if this is about “recovery,” let’s make sure it’s not just recovering profits for the usual suspects. Otherwise, we’ll be right back here, watching the same insiders cash in on the next crisis.
Maybe we should start fining council members every time they ignore the public. The Contributionship did it in the 1700s—and they actually cared about fire prevention.
Hochman’s Grandstanding:
Nathan Hochman the new DA claimed he’ll crack down on fraud after Southern California’s wildfires. Where have the DA’s been? For years, residents have filed complaints, only to be met with silence, indifference, or outright neglect.
Hochman vows to prosecute unlicensed contractors—really? I personally reported a fraudulent flooring company that scammed a senior, destroyed her property, and advertised itself as licensed and bonded. The DA’s office and the county’s Consumer and Business and Senior Affairs, did absolutely nothing. Their response? “Go to small claims.” Meanwhile, these crooks keep preying on vulnerable residents. A county agent admitted they were bad actors but shrugged.
And the DA’s Public Integrity Division? Years of reports on the Paul Krekorian, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Herb Wesson, and Mitchell Englander shenanigans—were ignored. Hochman, a former Ethics Commissioner, knows the dirt. Still, silence.
Does it make sense to go from interim council president to …Olympics concierge and tour guide?
Even PC 498 violations against a senior citizen were ignored. County Waterworks, the Supervisors, LASD, and County Counsel all know or should have known. Their solution? A social worker check-in, followed by nothing. The County’s Probate Court has enabled a rapacious set of Florida attorneys who are bleeding a $10 million trust dry, litigating endlessly instead of simply paying their bills. A case they brought was tossed from LA Superior Court, yet these corrupt lawyers continue extorting and even physically assaulting an 86-year-old Malibu resident. The county calls it a “civil matter.”
Now, after LA’s biggest disaster, Hochman suddenly wants to go after fraud on TV? Cool. But this county’s fraud departments only act when there’s a camera rolling. They tout big arrests while the real criminals—those gaming the system for millions—remain at large. No amount of grandstanding can cover up that disgrace.
Regulations & Deregulation: The Usual Shenanigans
💸 Mystery Math Alert: That new $31.05 fee is set to generate $11.84 million—allegedly funding 63 new positions at nearly $188K per employee. Administrative bloat or undisclosed costs? Your guess is as good as ours.
🍃 Traci Park’s No-Blow Motion: Logical for health and environmental reasons (who wants toxic debris in the air?), but enforcing it? That’s a whole other battle.
🌪️ January 2025 Windstorm & Fire Emergency: Classic county move—declare an emergency, push through rental protections and short-term rental resolutions, then offer zero documentation in the agenda. Transparency? Never heard of her.
Real Estate Giveaways: Winners & Losers
🚫 CD 2’s Alley Rejection (12816 W. Sherman Way, 24-1423): The city won’t designate it as a public alley, and the petitioner pays only a $7,075.91 fee—no obligation for maintenance or compensation. Translation? The city could still be on the hook for upkeep.
✔️ CD 14’s Street Vacation (Roy St. & Aldama St., 23-1398): The petitioner paid $14,980 and assumes all costs, meaning the city cuts maintenance and liability—a rare financial win.
🤨 The Catch? In CD 14, the petitioner pays up and takes responsibility. In CD 2, they skate by with a minimal fee, leaving the city potentially footing the bill. Thanks, Adrin Nazarian, for this generous favor! Maybe try the CD 14 model next time?
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The LAHSA Shuffle
✔️ Stephanie Graves confirmed to the LAHSA Commission through June 30, 2027. She replaces Jessica Lall, meaning the board now sits at 4 women, 0 men, 1 vacancy.
Masks, Money & Motions
😷 N95 Masks—Bargain Basement Edition: (McOsker - Park - Padilla) approving a below-market sale of N95 masks to NoHo Home Alliance & Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez’s office.
💰 CD 3 Cash Flow: (Blumenfield - Yaroslavsky) proposes shifting $150K from the AB1290 Fund to CD 3 Community Services. Which community services? Who benefits? Is that TBD.
Wasserman Domination + TRUMPOlympics™
The Dodgers' empire expands with the signing of Japanese ace Roki Sasaki for a $6.5M bonus, adding to a loaded rotation featuring Ohtani, Yamamoto, Glasnow, and Snell. They also locked in top lefty reliever Tanner Scott for $72M/4 years, reinforcing an already elite bullpen.
With this MVP-stacked roster, the Dodgers are flirting with Yankees '98-'00 dynasty status. Despite speculation of a pre-arranged deal, MLB found no foul play—Sasaki simply saw LA as the perfect fit.
Sasaki’s Power Move: Teams on Homework, Dodgers on Top
Sasaki’s recruitment process was a masterclass in leverage—holding strategy meetings at Wasserman HQ, assigning teams "homework" on his velocity dip, and extracting elite pitching insights while keeping the baseball world guessing.
MLB probed his Japanese team (Chiba Lotte Marines) for possible posting system kickbacks but found no violations. Sasaki entertained offers from the Mets, Yankees, and Cubs but surprisingly ignored the Mariners & Red Sox. His final three? Dodgers, Padres, and—shockingly—Blue Jays.
The Padres used Yu Darvish’s influence, while the Blue Jays went all-in, trading for bonus pool money to lure him. But the Dodgers had the ultimate flex—Los Angeles, a structured development plan, and Shohei Ohtani leading the pitch.
The Bel-Air Sushi Summit
To seal the deal, the Dodgers pulled out all stops at part-owner Peter Guber’s Bel-Air mansion—hosting Sasaki with a personal sushi chef, MVPs Freeman & Betts, and a star-studded recruitment squad. Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, and Will Smith pitched the culture and championship vision, capping it with a custom video from teammates.
The final touch? Ohtani’s text before the official announcement:
“We got him.”
Biden Pardons 2,500 Drug Offenders
The action, aimed at inmates who received harsher sentences based on old disparities in drug laws, will be the broadest commutation of individual sentences ever issued by a U.S. president.
FAQ: What about Dr. Mark Ridley-Thomas?
Though the president did pardon a variety of applicants, including two Democratic politicians, Ernest William Cromartie, a former city councilman in South Carolina, and Gerald G. Lundergan, a state legislator from Kentucky, MRT did not receive a pardon.
Maybe Trump will do it.
(Eric Preven is a Studio City-based TV writer-producer, award-winning journalist, and longtime community activist who won two landmark open government cases in California.)
