📬 Councilmember Dan O'Brien — Culver City — January 15, 2026

Hello neighbors,

Some weeks the newsletter writes itself—a groundbreaking here, a bus schedule update there. This isn't one of those weeks. This one requires me to share something personal, because I've learned that the moments when I'm most honest with you are the moments when we connect the most.

Last Wednesday I stood in front of a room full of fellow entertainment workers at an event marking one year since the LA fires. I hadn't planned to get emotional. But when I stepped up to the mic, I told them something I'd been carrying quietly: I recently sold my home, and it's directly related to my lack of income as an editor. The words came out, and so did the tears.

I share this not for sympathy, but because honesty is how we stay connected. This community has always shown up for me, and I believe we owe each other the truth—even when it's uncomfortable.

So here's what's happening in our city, alongside some hope worth holding onto. Let’s get into it.

🎬 Standing With Entertainment Workers

🔹 The entertainment industry panel at the Ashes to Films event marked one year since the Palisades and Eaton fires. LA-based production workers—editors like me, grips, costume designers, drivers—are still struggling. On-location shoot days dropped 13% last year to an all-time low. The fires were the final straw for many, but this crisis has been building through the pandemic and the 2023 strikes. Culver City passed a film industry support package in late 2025, and Sacramento augmented the state tax credit by $420 million. These are real victories. But for workers still waiting on the next job, the recovery can't come fast enough.

→ 🎯 My take: When I got emotional in that room, I saw my own story reflected back in faces around me. We're a city built on this industry—and we have to keep fighting for the people who make it work.

👉 Read the Hollywood Reporter coverage

🌱 Economic Development

🔹 Culver Commons broke ground last week. On Tuesday, January 7, I joined Laurie and Porter from Smog City Brewing to throw some ceremonial dirt and officially kick off construction of this new neighborhood hub at Washington and Centinela. Smog City and Churrería El Moro have already signed leases, and the roughly 13,000-square-foot development is expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027. The project includes a restored neon "Culver" sign, an event stage, and a vintage Helms Bakery delivery van as a nod to our history.

→ 💡 What this means: Local businesses anchoring local spaces—that's how we build a neighborhood that works for the people who actually live here. I'm excited to watch this corner come to life.

👉 View the Facebook post (Facebook)

🚍 Transportation

🔹 Culver CityBus rolls out systemwide service improvements today. Starting Monday, January 12, updates across all routes are designed to improve reliability, connectivity, and on-time performance. If you ride the bus—or have been thinking about it—now's a good time to check the new schedules. Use the NextCCBus app or visit the website, and make sure to select travel dates on or after January 12 when planning trips.

👉 View updated schedules at Culver CityBus

🏛️ Community Leadership

🔹 Monday's City Council meeting highlights. The agenda included a public hearing on 10200 Jefferson Boulevard—an appeal of the Planning Commission's decision to approve a conditional use permit for a vehicle services facility at the site. While the appellants’ concerns about new impacts to their day to day life at Raintree were felt by all of my colleagues and I, we also felt the applicant - Cadillac Motors of Beverly Hills - committed to improvements to the facility in a former industrial-zoned building will mitigate any significant impacts. The appeal was denied by a 5-0 vote and a new business will move into a space that has been vacant for many years.

We also discussed priority-driven budgeting and demographics for civic assembly, part of a broader effort to improve how we set priorities and allocate resources. The council agreed to the demographic makeup of the assembly, and it was passed 5-0. While I disagree with allocating $250,000 in an already strained budget environment towards a 35-person assembly (a small slice of our 40,000 population), this policy decision was already approved in an earlier council meeting by a 3-2 vote. Moving forward, I will work with my colleagues to make sure the process is equitable and the feedback we receive from the assembly is derived from open and unbiased information.

Finally, I pulled consent item C-9 for further discussion. This item involved amending the Rent Stabilization & Tenant Protection Ordinances with what was deemed “simple cleanup language”. Mom & pop landlords disagreed with portions of the amendments, arguing they were negatively impactful. I asked to delay the approval until a more iterative discussion could be had with these small business owners. A majority of my colleagues disagreed, and the amendments passed 3-2, with Councilmember Vera joining my dissenting opinion. However, there will be ongoing discussion over these concerns in the Housing & Homelessness Subcommittee.

→ 🎯 My take: These discussions shape how our city invests in infrastructure, services, and neighborhoods. Show up, speak up, or watch from home—your voice matters.

👉 View meeting details and agenda

⚖️ Honoring Dr. King's Legacy

🔹 Culver City's MLK Day celebration is this Saturday, January 17. Join us at Veterans Memorial Auditorium (4117 Overland Avenue) for a day of reflection, service, and connection. The event features live entertainment, special guests, exhibits, a resource fair, and refreshments. MLK Day is designated by Congress as a National Day of Service—an opportunity to honor Dr. King's life through action, not just words. Additional schedule details will be announced as we get closer.

→ 💡 Why this matters: Dr. King's vision wasn't passive. It demanded something from all of us—that we build a beloved community through service, empathy, and showing up for each other even when it's hard.

👉 Learn about Culver City's MLK celebration

📅 This Week & Looking Ahead

🔹 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.

👉 How to watch meetings

👉 View Meetings & Agendas

🙏 Closing Thought

This week reminded me that vulnerability isn't weakness—it's what connects us. When I stood up at that panel and let myself be honest about what I'm going through, I didn't feel smaller. I felt held by a community of people who understood. That's what Culver City has always meant to me: a place where we show up for each other, especially when the path forward isn't clear.

If you're struggling—with work, with housing, with whatever life is throwing at you—know that you're not alone. And if you have an idea, a concern, or just want to say hello, hit reply. I'm still here, still listening, still doing the work.

Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Culver City. Thank you for being part of our community.

Dan O'Brien
Councilmember, Culver City
dan.obrien@culvercity.org