About NANDC

Officially our name is the Empowerment Congress North Area Neighborhood Development Council, but we are often called by our initials, NANDC, for short.

HOW DID IT BEGIN?

The Los Angeles Eighth City Council District, under the leadership of Mark Ridley-Thomas (currently, state representative for the 48th Assembly District), led the way in the creation of neighborhood councils. The Eighth District Empowerment Congress - a community-based education and mobilization program – has been acknowledged as the model for the Los Angeles citywide neighborhood council system.

VOTERS CHANGED THE CITY CHARTER
In 1999, Los Angeles voters decided they wanted a change in the way decisions are made at City Hall (www.sf-valley.org/charter/900_charter.htm and http://www.lacity.org/eth/PDF/ncouncil_genIssues080302.pdf).

They voted to create neighborhood councils, a citywide system where people could organize across council districts in an attempt to influence their elected officials. A change in the City Charter created the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, the city department responsible for overseeing the development of the councils (http://www.lacityneighborhoods.com/home.htm and http://www.lacityneighborhoods.com/Documents/CharterOrdinance.pdf).

The councils, once certified, have the rights and responsibilities of other city government agencies (http://www.lacity.org/eth/PDF/ncouncil_infosheet.pdf and http://www.lacity.org/eth/ncouncil.htm).

In our official bylaws the mission of the Empowerment Congress North Area Neighborhood Development Council is stated as:

The purpose of this Council is to work with elected officials to improve the quality of life in communities within the Neighborhood Council boundaries. The Governing Body and stakeholders identify community concerns, and work with City officials to identify resources to address issues and develop solutions.

The mission of the Neighborhood Council is to:
(a) Engage residents in efforts to create safer and healthier environments,
(b) Educate constituents to make more informed decisions regarding the condition of their neighborhoods and,
(c) Empower stakeholders to effect positive change in their communities.

NANDC
P.O Box 7536
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Email