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 [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312)

#  Will LA’s Neighborhood Councils Ever Fulfill Their Charter Promise?

January 28 2019

Written by EmpowerLA Podcast.

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**HOSTED BY BRETT SHEARS--** Our guest for this episode of the [**EmpowerLA Podcast** ](http://empowerla.org/podcast-with-ken-draper-citywatch/%C2%A0%20)is **Ken Draper**, a founding Board Member from the Mid City West Community Council and Editor-Publisher for LA’s most notorious watchdog, **CityWatch**.

Ken has been one of the most active and prominent voices in the neighborhood council community since its inception.

In our conversation, Ken talks about the origins of the Neighborhood Council system, how Neighborhood Councils have evolved since their early days, and what he thinks they can (and deserve) to be. We hope you enjoy! Listen to the [EmpowerLA Podcast](http://empowerla.org/podcast-with-ken-draper-citywatch/).

\--Brett Shears-EmpowerLA Podcast host.

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##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/8c/074h-8ccaaf79.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33349:l-a-county-faces-a-government-shake-up&catid=312)

### [L.A. County Faces a Government Shake-Up](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33349:l-a-county-faces-a-government-shake-up&catid=312)

WESTSIDE - Currently larger than 40 states in terms of population with roughly 10 million residents, Los Angeles County…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/4d/073e-4dc54bff.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33336:may-day-international-workers-day-a-major-us-holiday-ignored-by-the-media&catid=398)

### [May Day/International Workers Day, a Major US Holiday Ignored By The Media](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33336:may-day-international-workers-day-a-major-us-holiday-ignored-by-the-media&catid=398)

PLANNING WATCH - Monday, September 7, 2026, was Labor Day, a holiday only celebrated in the United States and Canada as…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/17/074g-17fdff1c.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33346:before-we-ask-god-to-judge-us-the-jewish-people-must-judge-ourselves&catid=375)

### [Before We Ask God to Judge Us, the Jewish People Must Judge Ourselves](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33346:before-we-ask-god-to-judge-us-the-jewish-people-must-judge-ourselves&catid=375)

Yom Kippur demands more than personal repentance. At a defining moment for Jews everywhere, it asks whether we have tru…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/12/073d-1253ced3.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33338:quid-pro-no&catid=378)

### [QUID PRO NO](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33338:quid-pro-no&catid=378)

MY VIEW - Quid pro quo: Latin for “this for that.” English for “bribe.” In Assemblymember Schiavo-speak: quid pro no—“N…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/09/073i-0998df2d.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33330:cd3-doesnt-need-another-promise-it-needs-a-councilmember-who-can-deliver&catid=401)

### [CD3 Doesn’t Need Another Promise It Needs a Councilmember Who Can Deliver](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33330:cd3-doesnt-need-another-promise-it-needs-a-councilmember-who-can-deliver&catid=401)

THE BOTTOM LINE - Los Angeles voters have heard the promises before: safer streets, cleaner neighborhoods, more housing…

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##  [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2026/074l.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33355:who-got-the-money-let-ai-audit-l-a-s-homelessness-machine&catid=312)### [Who Got the Money? Let AI Audit L.A.’s Homelessness Machine](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33355:who-got-the-money-let-ai-audit-l-a-s-homelessness-machine&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2026/074j.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33347:la-stop-the-war-on-cars-they-arent-going-away&catid=312)### [LA, Stop the War on Cars. They Aren’t Going Away](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33347:la-stop-the-war-on-cars-they-arent-going-away&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2026/074h.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33349:l-a-county-faces-a-government-shake-up&catid=312)### [L.A. County Faces a Government Shake-Up](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33349:l-a-county-faces-a-government-shake-up&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2026/073l.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33335:red-light-fatalities-mount-while-city-hall-still-contemplates-its-navel&catid=312)### [Red-Light Fatalities Mount While City Hall Still Contemplates Its Navel](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33335:red-light-fatalities-mount-while-city-hall-still-contemplates-its-navel&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2026/071a5.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33295:7-ways-to-turn-la28-hype-into-lasting-youth-sports-growth&catid=312)### [7 Ways to Turn LA28 Hype Into Lasting Youth Sports Growth](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33295:7-ways-to-turn-la28-hype-into-lasting-youth-sports-growth&catid=312)
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