Los Angeles Civic Assembly Delegates Submit Letter to City Council

The delegates from the three civic assemblies on Charter Reform submitted an open letter to City Council last week in advance of their final vote on which recommendations in the final report will appear on voters’ ballots. They urged Councilmembers to make civic assemblies a permanent part of Los Angeles governance, giving everyday residents an opportunity to weigh in on key issues that affect the city. The letter was also published on City Watch LA and Democracy Local. It reads:

To the Members of the Los Angeles City Council,

We, the delegates of Los Angeles' historic civic assemblies and residents of this city, urge you to permanently embed civic assemblies into your governance process.

We were selected by lottery, strangers from across LA, and spent considerable time deliberating on what our city's charter should promise. We came from different walks of life, each of us from different neighborhoods and different politics. Yet over several hours of structured dialogue, we found common ground. We arrived at clear convictions about accountability, justice, basic rights, and genuine participation.

The Charter Reform Commission listened to us. They adopted our language. And we hope our recommendations will shape LA's governance for decades.

This experience taught us something fundamental: when residents are given time, information, and space to think together, we arrive at important decisions we can agree on. We don't fall into partisan gridlock. We listen across differences. We care deeply about getting things right. And we trust each other more than you might expect.

We also learned what's possible when institutions actually listen. Governance becomes more tangible and less extractive. We feel heard and we know we are seen. Decisions reflect the people they affect.

We are asking you to:

• Make civic assemblies standard practice in major city decisions—on housing, public safety, education, budget allocation. Before you vote, convene residents by lottery. Give them expert input. Give them time to deliberate. Then act on what they recommend.

  
  

• Develop more mechanisms for genuine civic engagement beyond surveys and comment periods. Residents deserve structured deliberation, not just "politics as usual."

The model works. We've proved it. Now it's time for City Council to trust that residents understand what our city needs.

—The Delegates of Los Angeles Civic Assemblies and Residents of this City