What Happened
The Los Angeles City Council held its regular meeting on Friday, January 16, 2026, with 12 members present. The council unanimously approved two appointments: Daniel Taber to the Police Commission for a term ending in 2030, and Levi Leven to the Charter Reform Commission. Both appointments passed without discussion.
Council Member Eunisses Hernandez introduced a motion to explore converting the city's street lighting infrastructure to solar and battery power while repurposing existing underground conduits for high-speed internet, electric vehicle charging, and smart transportation technology. The motion, seconded by Council Member Adrin Nazarian, passed with 9 votes in favor and 3 against. Hernandez explained that solar conversions in Westlake and Historic Filipinotown have reduced vandalism and copper wire theft, while the Bureau of Street Lighting has already installed over 800 EV charging stations and 700 miles of fiber conduit.
The Debate
The meeting featured emotional testimony from Jose Hernandez of Somos Los Sueños, representing over 800 families from downtown LA's fashion district. Hernandez described the devastating impact of ICE raids on small businesses in Santee Alley, reporting that sales have dropped 60-70% since enforcement began last summer. "Yesterday in sales, I made $8. What can one do with $8?" he told the council, explaining that even good weekend sales of $300-350 are insufficient to cover rent and family expenses.
Council Member Ysabel Jurado, who organized the presentation, emphasized that the raids target "well-known gathering places for working people of color" and create fear that ripples through entire families. She noted that children now constantly watch windows, afraid someone will come for their parents.
Council Member Monica Rodriguez criticized the council for bringing testimonials without taking concrete action, pointing out that the city lacks an economic development arm to help struggling businesses after previous council decisions led by the mayor eliminated such support.
What It Means
The ICE enforcement is having severe economic consequences beyond its stated immigration goals, effectively shutting down commercial districts that serve immigrant communities. Small business owners in areas like Santee Alley face an impossible choice between staying open and risking raids or closing and losing their livelihoods entirely.
The street lighting modernization proposal could generate new revenue for the city during upcoming budget challenges while addressing the costly problem of copper wire theft. If implemented, the initiative would leverage existing infrastructure to expand digital services and EV charging capacity across Los Angeles, potentially creating a new revenue stream through public-private partnerships. The motion now moves to committee for further study and development of implementation strategies.