City Council Meeting Summary, June 23, 2025

Published on June 30, 2025

City Council Plans to Update Homelessness Emergency Proclamation, Receives Update on Homelessness Efforts, Adopts Fire Hazard Severity Zones

Receives Update on Homelessness Efforts, Considers Future of Emergency Proclamation

The City Council received an update about the City’s efforts on homelessness. Housing and Human Services Director Tevis Barnes presented the latest numbers. Throughout the City’s continuum of care, 122 unhoused neighbors have shelter or housing either through the City’s Project Homekey (PHK), Wellness Village, or Motel Master Leasing Program. The permanent supportive housing at PHK is at 100% capacity with 37 residents, while the interim supportive housing next door is 91% occupied with 32 residents. Seventeen guests reside at the Wellness Village, and there have been 82 participants since the program began. Fifty of those participants have moved to Project Homekey or other housing resources. Currently 39 people are utilizing the Motel Master Leasing Program, which has helped 1,159 participants since January 2023.

Barnes highlighted the Mobile Crisis Team’s effort to provide rapid response to people in need. Since the team’s launch in April 2024, it has responded to 1,928 Crisis Hotline calls, providing 204 mental health assessments, and helped 70 unhoused people get placed into housing and shelter. The Mobile Crisis Team will expand in size and hours of operation in the coming months, while also including a healthcare component. Outreach efforts continue weekly as teams connect with unhoused neighbors of the community, asking if they are willing to accept housing and shelter options that are available.

In January 2023, the City declared a Local Emergency on Homelessness. The Emergency Proclamation has allowed Culver City to operate beyond its normal operational policies and procedures to better address the homelessness crisis, align the City with other regional jurisdictions, and open the door to potential new funding opportunities to address the crisis. This has helped the City create the numerous homeless services programs available today.

On Monday, June 23rd, the City Council directed staff to keep the emergency in place and revise the language of the proclamation, adding specificity to goals and metrics, and adding additional references to the need for more affordable housing. The camping in public places ordinance will also return for discussion. That ordinance prohibits setting up tents or other makeshift shelters, known as Camp Facilities, in certain public places, such as parks, streets, sidewalks, schools and government property. It also prevents storage of certain items, such as personal property, cots, beds, and hammocks, in those public places.

Approves Ordinance Adopting Updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones

The City Council introduced and approved an ordinance adopting Very High, High, and Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZs). In March, the Office of the State Fire Marshal sent recommendations of FHSZs for consideration. The Culver City Fire Department recommended maintaining the previous Very High FHSZ boundaries as doing so enables more stringent brush clearance and construction standards in those areas-measures that enhance public safety. Specifically, homes in the Very High FHSZ will continue to be required to maintain 100 feet of defensible space around structures, and new construction or renovations must comply with Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building codes.

The new ordinance will place additional portions of the Blair Hills neighborhood and the Lower Culver Crest Neighborhood in Fire Hazard Severity Zones ranging the Moderate to the Very High designation, increasing both from the state-recommended levels. You can review the FHSZ map on the City’s website.

Receives Equal Employment Opportunity Plan Report

The City Council listened to a presentation from the Human Resources Department about the City’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan. The plan aims to highlight employment trends to ensure fair and equitable employment practices for all employees and applicants. It prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, national origin, religion, political affiliation, or sexual orientation/identification. Some of the EEOP findings highlighted showed the number of applicants more than doubled from Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 to FY 2023-2024 tallying 4675 applicants. The latest data shows that the City’s workforce, self-identifies as: Hispanic (37%), White (28%), Black (26% ), Asian (8%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (1%).

The presentation also highlighted a significant shift in the average pay gap between genders. In FY 2022-2023, the average pay gap was $282 per year in favor of the average male salary. The following fiscal year, that pay gap was $844 in favor of the average female salary. The Human Resources Department continues to gather information to better recruit and train in positions to continue to diversify the City’s workforce in all departments.

Innovation and Performance Recognized

The Finance Advisory Committee recognized several City projects in the Fourth Annual Innovation and Performance Awards. Awards were presented to staff who worked on projects in the latest fiscal year that make life better in Culver City.

Best Overall: Culver City Online Permits Portal & Electronic Document Review

Planning & Development: Lisa Pangelinan, Angelica Castaneda, James Gorbin, Tim, Koutsouros, Yvonne Gutierrez, Emily Stadnicki, Gabriela Silva, Ruth Martin del Campo
Dept Head: Mark Muenzer

Best Innovation: PRCS Fee Review and Study

PRCS: Adam Ferguson
Dept Head: Ted Stevens

Impact Award: Homeless Outreach Request Portal

Information Technology: Maggie Newman
Dept Head: J.R. Wright
Housing and Human Services: Christina Stoffers, Shane Hillestad, Brenda Diaz
Dept Head: Tevis Barnes

Sustainability Award: Farragut Path Replacement

Public Works: Joe Susca
Dept Head: Yanni Demitri
City Manager’s Office: Sam Lee
Dept Head: John Nachbar
PRCS: Mathew Withers
Dept Head: Ted Stevens

Spotlight Award: Automated Bus Lane Enforcement

Transportation: Jeremy Marks, Dia Turner, Tamar Fuhrer
Dept Head: Diana Chang
Police: Thomas Ashley, Lt. Chris Caraballo, Capt. Luis Martinez, Lt. Eden Robertson
Dept Head: Chief Jason Sims

Efficiency Award: First In – First Out

Fire Dept: Brian Pitts
Dept Head: Chief Kenneth Powell

Additional Council Decisions

Additional items approved by the City Council include:

Approved cash disbursements from May 31 to June 13, 2025.
Approved minutes of the Special City Council Meeting held on June 2, 2025 and the Regular City Council Meeting held on June 9, 2025.
Waived formal competitive bid procedures and approved an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with St. Joseph’s Center (SJC) to perform case management, needs assessment, job development services and supportive services for the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program through June 30, 2028, in an additional amount not-to-exceed $163,808.00 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, $168,726.00 for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, and $173,788.00 for Fiscal Year 2027-2028.
Approved an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Upward Bound House (UBH) to perform homeless outreach, case management and permanent housing placement to Culver City homeless families, extending the agreement for an additional three-year term in an additional amount not to exceed $184,361 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, $189,892 for Fiscal Year 2026- 2027 and $195,589 for Fiscal Year 2027-2028.
Adopted a resolution in support of California Senate Bill 630 and Assembly Bill 1138 (2025 Legislative Session) to expand and modernize California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program.
Adopted a resolution to include Buckingham Parkway between Green Valley Circle and Hannum Avenue on the list of projects to be funded by the 2017 Road Repair and Rehabilitation Act’s Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) for Fiscal Year 2025- 2026.
Approved a five-year general services agreement with Odyssey Power to perform on-call backup generator repairs at City-owned facilities in an amount not-to-exceed $50,000 annually, for a total amount not-to-exceed $250,000 over the five-year term.
Received and filed Measure CC and Measure C Sales Tax Status Reports (FY 2024-2025, Second Quarter) and Real Property Transfer Tax Status Report (FY 2024-2025, Third Quarter), as approved by the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) on May 14, 2025.
Approved a purchase order with Ray Gaskin Service, authorized extension of Curbtender, for the purchase of a Curbtender Tomcat Collection Vehicle in the amount of $207,317.79. It also authorized the Purchasing Officer to approve change orders to the purchase order in an additional amount of $20,000 for a total amount not-to-exceed $227,317.79. The Curbtender Tomcat Collection Vehicle will significantly enhance the City’s capacity to meet the SB 1383 mandate by allowing the City to increase organics collection, as well as increased collection on pedestrian routes.
Adopted a resolution approving the City’s Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) update pursuant to State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Statewide Waste Discharge Requirements.
Approved a one-year general services agreement with FoodCycle for edible food recovery and community composting services, in an amount not-to-exceed $130,000. It also authorized the City Manager to approve two additional one-year terms for an amount not-to-exceed $80,000 annually.
Approved the recommended Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Insurance Policy Renewal Program with a premium of approximately $3,982,989, as presented by the City’s insurance broker Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
Approved an amendment to the general services agreement with Southland Industries to increase the not-to-exceed amount by $185,014 (from $1,150,367 to $1,335,381) to perform additional work on the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Replacement Project located at the City Yard.
Approved the continuation of certain components of the Motel Master Leasing and Nutrition Program through June 30, 2026. City Council also approved an amendment to the existing occupancy agreement with Culver City Hospitality, dba (Rodeway Inn) for an additional amount not-to-exceed $893,748 through June 30, 2026. It approved of an amendment to the existing occupancy agreement with Deeros LLC, (dba Paradise Inn and Suites) in an amount not-to-exceed $1,026,562 through June 30, 2026, and approved an amendment to the existing general services agreement with Everytable for an amount not-to-exceed $400,000 through June 30, 2026.
Approved an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Urban Alchemy in an amount not-to-exceed $4,217,139 for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, for the continuation as the lead operator and service provider for Wellness Village (Safe Sleep) and expanded provision of supportive service and care as a part of the Motel Master Leasing and Nutrition Program.
Approved a five-year professional services agreement with Shield Telehealth Medical Services to provide in-house medical service provisions for arrestees (prebooking medical clearances) and manage the Police Department’s Naloxone HCI (Narcan) Program in an amount not-to-exceed $504,000.
Authorized the release of a request for proposals (RFP) for highmast lighting retrofit solutions at various Culver City parks. This project will focus on upgrading lighting at the sports courts throughout the park system including lighting for baseball/softball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and Culver City’s Plunge.
Approved an agreement with SafeFleet in an amount not-to-exceed $149,659 for acquisition and installation of on-vehicle video surveillance equipment and associated stationary hardware for Culver CityBus.
Approved a second amendment to an existing general services agreement with Avalon Tent & Party Rental Corporation for tents and staging for Fiesta La Ballona, in an additional amount not-to-exceed $57,386 in year two and a 4% increase not-to-exceed $59,681 in year three.
Approved a three-year professional services agreement with Safety Research Consultants, Inc. for safety training consultant services, in an amount not-to-exceed $110,000 annually and authorized the City Manager to approve two additional one-year terms for an additional amount not-to-exceed $110,000 annually.
Approved five-year agreements with Clarke Contracting Corporation, Powers Bros. Machine Inc., and United Storm Water Inc. for on-call maintenance and operations services for Culver City Stormwater Systems for $300,000 per agreement and approved a related budget amendment appropriating $900,000 from Clean Water/Clean Beach (Fund 434) Fund Balance.
Adopted a resolution adopting the Complete Streets Design Standards and finding the Standards are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). You can learn more about the Complete Streets Design Standards on the City’s website.
Authorized the submission of up to two competitive grant applications to the Low or No Emission Grant Program and/or the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program requesting $14,450,000 in funding awards for the Culver City Bus Replacement Project, with a total 15% local match commitment in the amount of $2,550,000 and approved a letter in support of the applications, to be signed by the Mayor.
Accepted a grant in an amount up to $164,000 from the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California to create a portable battery fleet project to purchase or lease portable battery systems to replace fossil-fuel powered generators used by multiple City departments and to rent to community vendors and special event organizers. It also approved creation of a new CIP project to implement the Project and authorized the City Manager to execute the related grant participation agreement and any subsequent amendments thereto. City Council also approved a related budget amendment to appropriate the grant funds for the creation of a new capital improvement project to purchase or lease portable battery systems.
Authorize acceptance of grant funds from the Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 12 in the amount of $349,920 for new bikeways as part of the Safer Fox Hills Project. It also authorized acceptance of grant funds from HSIP Cycle 12 in the amount of $349,110 for pedestrian crossing enhancements as part of the Safer Fox Hills Project. City Council then approved a budget amendment to allocate the grant funds and appropriate local matching funds totaling $77,610 from the Mobility Improvement Fund to Capital Improvement Project PZ923 (Safer Fox Hills).
Approved a purchase order with Econolite Control Products for eight traffic signal video detection systems in an amount not-to-exceed $211,904.45.
Approved the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition’s request for an additional $10,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant for the Culver City Pride Ride and Rally slated for June 28, 2025, appropriating the funding from the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance.
Adopted a resolution confirming the assessment and ordering the levy for the Sewer User’s Service Charge for Fiscal Year 2025/2026. The total sewer user’s service charge revenue is projected to be $9,774,000.
Adopted a resolution approving and adopting updates to the Comprehensive Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Staff anticipates that the changes to the Public Works Mobility and Traffic Engineering user fees and charges will result in an additional $62,000 in annual General Fund revenue. All other recommended changes are administrative in nature and will not result in additional revenue.
Adopted a resolution approving the annual assessment levy for Benefit Assessment District West Washington No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2025/2026. The total assessment levy is $28,769.07.
Adopted a resolution approving the annual assessment levy for Benefit Assessment District West Washington No. 2 for Fiscal Year 2025/2026. The total assessment levy is $28,142.31.
Adopted a resolution approving the annual assessment levy for Benefit Assessment District West Washington No. 3 for Fiscal Year 2025/2026. The levy to be assessed is $12,263.66.

Additional Information

Additional information about each of the topics heard at the City Council meeting can be found in the staff reports and backup attachments for the items, which are posted along with the agenda to the City’s website. The video of the City Council meeting is available on the City’s website for viewing.

The City Council will hold an emergency meeting on June 30th at 6 PM related to federal immigration enforcement. The next regular meeting of the City Council will be on Monday, July 14th. Childcare is available for the meeting on July 14th for families wanting to attend in person.