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Mayor Dan O'Brien Newsletter — February 15, 2026
📬 Councilmember Dan O'Brien — Culver City — February 17, 2026
Hello Culver City neighbors and friends,
I want to start this week’s newsletter with an important number: 0 That's how many homicides Culver City recorded in 2025. It's also the number of dollars of debt our city carries.
And an important percentage: 9.7% That's how much overall crime dropped last year.
Those aren't talking points. They're facts that belong to every resident, business owner, and family in this community. This week, those numbers were tested — both on the national stage and in our own backyard.
I hope you had a pleasant Presidents' Day, Culver City. It's a day to honor the leaders who built this country, and a day I always think about what my dad modeled for me growing up. That leadership isn't a title; it's a willingness to do the work nobody else wants to do.
Valentine's Day week delivered exactly that: an eight-hour budget session on Saturday, a Chamber mixer celebrating a Black-owned business, a national spotlight none of us asked for, and a Friday night tragedy that shook us. There's a lot to cover.
🚨 Public Safety
🔹 On Friday evening, a shooting in the north parking lot of Westfield Culver City left one man dead and another wounded. Culver City police responded to reports of gunfire near Macy's just before 7:30 PM. Detectives believe an altercation between four individuals escalated, and two people were shot. The victim, a man in his 20s, was transported to the hospital and later pronounced dead. A second man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Two suspects fled the scene before officers arrived, and a search involving multiple agencies was launched, including air support and K-9 units. Two firearms were recovered at the scene.
→ 🎯 My take: This is heartbreaking — and it happened in one of the places our families go every day. I know this shakes people's sense of safety, and I take that seriously. Our police department responded swiftly and professionally, and the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information, please contact Culver City PD at 310-253-6302 or send an anonymous tip to tips@culvercity.org. Even one incident like this is one too many. I will be following this investigation closely and pushing for every resource our department needs.
🔹 Earlier in the week, Culver City made national headlines for an entirely different reason — and frankly, a bizarre one. During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi referenced Culver City in a heated exchange with our congresswoman, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, implying that our city has a serious crime problem. Mayor Puza responded quickly, pointing to the data: crime declined 9.7% in 2024, and dropped another 6.1% through Q3 of 2025. Culver City recorded zero homicides in 2025.
→ 💡 What this means: I appreciate the Mayor and our community for setting the record straight. The data speaks for itself, and I'm proud of the work our police department and city staff have done to keep our neighborhoods safe. That said, Friday's shooting is a sobering reminder that public safety requires constant vigilance and investment — which is exactly the priority we reaffirmed at Saturday's budget session.
💰 Budget & Financial Sustainability
🔹 On Valentine's Day, I joined my colleagues on the City Council, department leaders, and community members for an eight-hour Priority-Based Budgeting session. Not exactly a candlelit dinner — but honestly, few things say "I love this city" more than spending a Saturday digging into the numbers that will shape our next fiscal year.
→ 📊 By the numbers: City staffing has grown from 10.9 employees per 1,000 residents in 2000 to 12.4 today. Economists put the chance of a 2027 recession at 20% (15% is typical), which makes healthy reserves critical. And here's another one: Culver City carries no debt. That's fairly rare for a city our size, and it gives us real flexibility.
→ 🎯 My take: As a council, we reaffirmed that our top priorities should be infrastructure — streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks — and public safety, all while strengthening long-term financial sustainability. I fully support those goals. My dad taught me early that you take care of what you have before you add more, and that principle guides how I approach every budget conversation. I look forward to working with my colleagues and our community to turn these priorities into action.
🏛️ Council Recap — February 9
🔹 The Council heard public appeals on two significant development projects. The first involved the mixed-use project at 5757 Uplander Way in Fox Hills — 1,077 residential units and commercial space — which was appealed by the Supporters Alliance of Environmental Responsibility. The second was a proposed 147-room hotel at 11469 Jefferson Boulevard, where neighbors sought time limits on development permits. These are the kinds of decisions that define what our neighborhoods look like for decades. Both hearings drew robust public participation, which is exactly how this process should work.
🔹 The Council voted 3-2 to place the Vote 16 measure on the November 2026 ballot. This would lower the voting age to 16 for municipal elections — the same measure that failed by just 16 votes in 2022. I want to be transparent: I voted no, consistent with my previous position. There are several reasons for my position you can hear from the recording of our meeting. I respect the passion of the young people advocating for this, and I respect the democratic process. Voters will have the final say in November.
🔹 The Council also received the mid-year budget monitoring report. General Fund revenues are projected at roughly $187 million for FY 2025-26, with staff recommending a $600,000 increase in expenditures. Additionally, the Council approved a reorganization of the City Manager's Office to better align executive leadership under City Manager Odis Jones.
🔹 My role on the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2028 Olympics Subcommittee. Councilmember McMorrin expressed concerns about my role on this subcommittee and on the city council at large, because of my new position as Culver City Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. She believes there is an inherent conflict of interest. I couldn’t disagree more. These shared roles are not unique, with dozens of examples across the country, and even in our own city where former mayor and city councilmember Steve Rose served in both capacities from 2000 to 2008. This item has been sent to staff to be reheard at the February 23 meeting. If you have an opinion on this I would appreciate hearing your voice.
✊ Black History Month
🔹 Last Friday, I was proud to help uplift one of our many Black-owned businesses during Black History Month. The Culver City Chamber of Commerce hosted a Coffee & Donuts Mixer at Dinah's Comfort Kitchen to celebrate both 100 years of Black History Month and Dinah's one-year anniversary in their new location. The energy in that room was exactly what makes Culver City special — culture, entrepreneurship, and community connection all in one place. If you haven't tried Dinah's yet, consider this your sign. The food is outstanding and the outdoor patio space is perfect for gatherings.
→ 🎯 My take: As the new President & CEO of the Chamber, supporting businesses like Dinah's is personal to me. Black-owned businesses are a vital part of Culver City's economic and cultural identity, and I'll keep working to make sure they have the visibility and support they deserve, this month and every month.
👉 View the Chamber post (Facebook)
🚦 Transportation
🔹 Mark your calendar: the Sepulveda Connects community workshop is tonight, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at El Marino Park. This session focuses on the Sunkist Park neighborhood and how we can address cut-through traffic while improving mobility along the Sepulveda corridor. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I am concerned about proposals that could eliminate street parking or reduce traffic lanes along this stretch. More than a hundred small businesses depend on that access. If there's a way to improve pedestrian safety and transit without devastating local businesses, I'm all for it. But you need to be in the room to make sure your perspective is heard.
👉 Learn about Sepulveda Connects
📅 Looking Ahead
🔹 Lunar New Year Night Market — Friday, February 20, 5–8 PM at Culver City High School (4401 Elenda St.). The third annual Night Market celebrates AANHPI culture with food, music, student performances, taiko drumming, Filipino martial arts, and local businesses. Last year drew more than 1,000 guests. Free admission, free parking on the corner of Elenda and Farragut.
🔹 Culver City Lunar New Year Celebration — Sunday, February 22. This is Culver City's first-ever city-hosted Lunar New Year event, a new tradition I'm excited to see take root. The Year of the Horse symbolizes strength, energy, and forward movement, and that feels right for where we are as a community.
🔹 Next City Council meeting — Monday, February 23 at 7 PM. Agendas will be posted the Wednesday or Thursday before. I encourage you to review and attend — in person or virtually.
🔹 City offices are closed today (Monday, February 16) for Presidents' Day. No Council meeting this evening. Regular business resumes Tuesday.
🔹 Every Tuesday, 2-7 PM — Downtown Farmers Market. Main Street. Grab produce, support local growers, and say hello to neighbors.
👉 Visit the Farmers Market page
🔹 How to watch and participate in meetings. Agendas post Wednesdays before Monday meetings. You can attend in person or virtually.
🙏 Closing Thought
This was a Valentine's Day week that carried some real weight — love and loss, national attention and local tragedy, eight hours of budget work, and a Sunday morning hike through wildflowers. It's a lot to hold.
But if there's one thing I keep coming back to, it's this: Culver City's strength has always been its people. The neighbors who show up to budget sessions on a Saturday. The business owners who open their doors to the community. The officers who respond when the worst happens. The residents who defend this city's reputation with humor, data, and pride.
I hope you found a moment this weekend to love someone, rest, or step outside. And if you have something on your mind — a question, a concern, a good idea — hit reply. I read every message, and your voice shapes how I show up at the dais.
