Meeting Notes

Sign-in sheet passed around for “OLA Meeting 11/22/11 Contact Roster”

Names, phone, email

Matt from Mayor’s Office: Apology for making the meeting wait, but “it’ll be worth it”

LATimes, Council, inbox… everything is making this more difficult

Peoples mic – it seems difficult to present ‘multi-tiered’ proposal in that format!

Joke - Essentially we need to give you guys 3-bullet, mono-syllabic proposal

LAPD in attendance

Matt from mayor

Perez

Nieves

OLA in attendance

Scott Shuster

Peter [larman] interfaith minister

Marty Berg?

Mario Brito

Lafferty NLG

Bradley Maxwell

Chase Golding

See Hang

Stacey Jakin?

Clay Claiborne

Ryan Rice

Alex menendez

Matt – if I look tired, beat-up, its because I am

GA – its public, and when we started these discussion, I felt it was very important that we WOULD NOT TALK TO THE MEDIA b/c it would cause problems for both sides

Dark side – mayor has ability to wield influence, but certain council members, bureaucratic people don’t like to read newspapers about the issues they have certain power on

Mayor’s patience is EXTREMELY SHORT, allowed Matt to engage in discussions

I promise you that WHATEVER deal we come up with, matt will have to SELL THE MAYOR on it, and he will do his BEST to sell it

Commitment to do his best to sell it

Problems we have: proposal attempts to address them, using what we have here in LA that other cities across the country are lacking

Its different in LA, there’s a great relationship of trust w/ LAPD, CH

At some point, we need to rely on that relationship of trust to get something done

TODAY IS THAT TIME

In order to move forward, we’re going to have to ON BOTH SIDES be outside of our comfort zone and trust one another

There is a point where we CAN’T GUARANTEE

Ex: issue of community garden/farm – we haven’t ID’d a specific site/address b/c in order for us to engage in that, we MUST ENGAGE THE COUNCIL OFFICE, it’s just the way it works in LA

Farm turned out to be MAJOR ISSUE – accused of dealing away council members property

Unanimity in council that something must be done

We’ve been talking in specific details. In order to get agreement, we need to TAKE STEP BACK on specificity

Hate taking a step backwards, but it has to happen b.c of politics of city

Farm/garden – we’d have to go through entire process to confirm location and we DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT as it relates to 10k sq ft location

Enormous push-back from mayor on 10k space

He thinks we can still get there, but we’ll talk

Enormous push-back from ‘city-facilities’

We control 2/3 of process, but the 1/3 munipalities committee is pushing back

Other items of most recent COUNTER – matt thinks we can get to them, ultimately comes down to a TIME LINE

Examples of recommended approach to some items

Lease property – 10 year lease, $1/yr of 10k sq ft or 1,100 ft

We can get there, but NOT WITH THAT SPECIFICITY

We have to dial it back, and trust process will provide

INSTEAD: the city shall facilitate a lease of city-owned space suitable for the use of non-profit 501c[3] ONCE FORMED

Idea and commitment is there, but the nuts/bolts that gives city heartburn is the trouble

Handing out non-profit lease agreement to meeting

LA and non-profit space has been issue for years

There is no “policy”, only governing document is the lease itself for each unique situation

We simply cannot say “THIS will be the space”

But we can say there will be A SPACE suitable for the operations of the organization

Gives matt the ability to get council, CFA, CLA, mayor on board

That would be our commitment

Same for FARM SPACE

SRO homeless shelter space

Long process… 2.5 year waiting list for SROs currently

The mayor’s office will work w/ OLA to address special needs of homeless families currently residing at OLA encampment

You’d have OUR COMMITMENT to that

Up until now, we’ve been operating in good faith, we share concerns for the folks at OLA

Matt – OTHER ITEMS

Some mayor accepted, some rejected

10 yr lease – did not like the language, but we can deal with that in the lease in the future

Rehab of park – OLA shall be allowed to participate in redesign and reformation of park

Staff person in office will present to OLA and seek input from whomever is interested – park grounds affinity group?

“liberty park” renaming – mayor is FINE with renaming city hall park

Mayor WILL SUPPORT renaming, subject to approval to city council

Statement of mayor urging sheriff to institute MORATORIUM ON FORECLOSURES

NO

Plenty other ways for mayor to issue statement on foreclosures

“bacca not cause of problem of foreclosures, mayor feels uncomfortable calling out another elected official on events he did not necessarily in charge of”

OLA can help in writing that statement

Responsible banking ordinance

Mayor will support publically, sign it IF IT REACHES HIS DESK

Mayor cannot run roughshod over political process and go above/around city council

TWO DATES

Mayor in INSISTENT this deal happens NEXT WEEK

MONDAY – evacuation date may be logistically impossible, matt understands that

Commit to letting OLA write in the date of clearing the camp, matt will advocate as forcefully as he can to mayor for OLA

The LATER THE DATE, the less likely mayor is to agree

If we said 1/3/12, matt will fight for us, but “I will lose”

Handing out draft for discussion purposes only

Lafferty

What is on the table right now is impossible, which we all know

If we had unlimited time, we could get there

If you watched GA, let’s look at reality, sadly, despite our best efforts

Not a change in hell that GA would accept where things stand now

There is, with sufficient time, a chance sizeable/most of GA would agree

There is NO DEAL that will satisfy everyone at OLA, unless it included permanent occupation at City Hall lawn

We may well find ourselves in a situation that some will choose to stay, others grow veggies, others go to building

If that offer was STILL ON TABLE, and there was sufficient time to work through the process, then the GA and OLA would come up w/ solution

Since we are duty-bound to take this back to the GA, it will end the discussion b/c if you thought there were angry folks last night, you haven’t seen anything yet

“what we told you last night is no longer on the table” TERRIBLE for solution w/ OLA

I will sit down with NLG and get ready for what’s coming.

I will not further insult the process of going back to GA after saying in good faith that the city was committed to this

I lied, not knowing it. I will apologize to GA

I am disgusted and disappointed that we are now in this position

I will get together with NLG and work to prep the people that are going to get arrested

Matt – I do take offense to that

As much as we try to perfectly resolve stuff, sometimes things change

Although it was out of no malice, the LA TIMES ARTICLE CHANGED THINGS

Lafferty – what world are you living in that you thought we could do this WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY??!!!!

You folks may operate that way in city hall, but OLA DOES NOT

There are consequences for media exposure on both sides of the table

OLA

It sounds like vagueness of language [I know how political process is slow and muddied], concern that vague language can be pulled back, interpreted negatively for OLA

Heard that MAYOR wants to be green mayor

Talking about sustainable lawn, we could show the country that city hall lawn is now sustainable & green

Use this opportunity for great PR for OLA and the city

Farm/building – alternative roof-top garden compromise?

Matt response

Trying to lay out not conditions for a deal, but OUTLINING A PARTNERSHIP

May not be in mutual best interests to put concretely in words what we’ll get

Wants agreement w/ OLA and city to continue partnership on issues

Judge us on our record, we haven’t screwed you guys and we won’t in the future

Mayor and city council wants this to work

Problem on both sides when everyone isn’t involved in decision-making

OLA – obviously issues we need to address in this proposal

Understands necessity for vagueness, but if we don’t have at least a side-letter of agreement where we lay out exactly what we’re referring to and timeframe, we’ll have difficulties selling this to our people

Press will be there today! We all know this

Can we agree to look at this as a ROAD MAP, since you’re lacking specificity

We will caucus and come back later this afternoon/evening and we will ADD DEMANDS

5 demands from the people

If we work on side-letter of agreement in terms of specifics of locations

If you’re open to 5 more demands [they won’t be radical… they will be reasonable]

“good neighbor policy” brought up

Anyone working in office space will sign and adhere to this

Anyone associated with OLA we would expect to adhere to this

OLA – farm

I received phone call from city council member as well, understood his anger at being pushed out of process

Reyes factor volatile

Matt – we have friends in good places, Alcaron

Mario  - a lot of council members are willing to back us on a lot of issues

Lafferty – just so depressed because we are now moving backwards through the fault of no one, and now we’re facing a deadline

A 501c3 religious group is willing to back us and take care of the 10k space until OLA is a 501c3

I was in middle of GA, I can assure you it JUST CANT BE SOLD QUICKLY

If we had 6 months,  I would sit here the whole time to work this out

OLA

Given the situation right now, with backing off of the info provided yesterday, I believe you will receive 200-300 hard blocks on any proposal

Matt – at some point we’re going to have to take a leap of trust

For this to MOVE FORWARD

Good neighbor policy – why would anyone who is not willing to agree to this be able to BLOCK a proposal to move OLA forward?

Lafferty – I share your frustrations

If a minority of ppl can keep a majority of ppl from doing something, how is that democracy?

There’s just a lot of people that won’t sign good neighbor policy

Matt – why would you allow the process to be blocked by anti-good neighbors?

There are folks here that believe OLA is sacred ground and will not move, just like there are folks that are moving towards a space and focusing on the banks

OLA – we all invite you any time to take part in our process

We all know our target is banks and corps, and we’ve tried to focus on that

The outcome of these talks could CHANGE THAT FOCUS

If this goes the wrong way, we could see a change in focus of frustration to LAPD, city, mayor, etc

Matt – when ppl have difference of opinion on how the city has handled this, 1 supporter finds 2 people that will reject trying to find agreement w/ city

Lafferty – we’re operating under an IMPOSSIBLE TIME SCHEDULE

OLA – we’re taking this back to the GA, and they will submit to us their ideas because we are a participatory, horizontal democracy

Just 5 is not feasible yet… there will be a massive list of various demands that we have to consensus, pare down, etc

Ppl will want to make demands that no one in LA has the power to change, just like there will be specific stuff that LA could help fix

We’ve been saying ALL ALONG the process we are, and you have NOT BEEN LISTENING

This is BAD FAITH NEGOTIATING

I have to go back to these people with my shred of credibility and say WE’VE LIED AGAIN

This is an untenable position for us

There are 250 people that would prefer you come beat the fuck out of them

Lafferty – we don’t have the time… we’d like to have reached something to be proud of and show LA has done this awesome thing! But its just not possible in this time frame

OLA – we need guarantees. I know your limitations, but we need a side-letter of agreement, written solidly, that guarantees the 10k space and the farm

Homeless situation is not in here… we must find a way to put it in here

We need TIME obviously

Let’s restate though… the date of our eviction is UP TO OCCUPY LOS ANGELES?

Its time to get serious and decide a realistic date

4pm meeting – we’ve agreed to a top 5 we can get consensus on to bring back

We think this will be representative of the concepts and ideas

Answer to questions: solid commitment about some things

Side-letter of agreement specifying the lease, does not have to be PUBLISHED

What exactly are we going to do with the homeless families… side-letter or overt, whatever works best for you

LAWN – we need more than input, we need participation

Zero waste, arborists, etc

DATE – is the 28^th real? We need at least an extension before we can give you a date through our process

Jointly work through a position paper on foreclosures

Right now, you’ve essentially put a gun to our head and said either sign the agreement or face consequences

I need to make sure that the points raised about property and such are in writing

OLA – 28^th? Clearing ALL OF LAWN or SOUTH LAWN?

Answer: ALL OF LAWN

OLA – watching press as well, through eyes of lapd, mayor

What is happening in these rooms and the lawn is extraordinary

This difficult, special exchange we’re having is NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL, its extraordinary

We’re all getting calls from all over the country wanting us to talk about what’s going on

If the courage of this mayor, chief, council, city, and occupation – if THAT WERE THE STORY we could tell, that seems honest and respectful

The process would be part of the public understanding of what is happening

I’m an actress, and as a story-person, I’ve never been anywhere or heard of anything as special as this

we know that OLA right now is unsustainable, but we must work hard to make the leaving of this place AS STUNNING as the occupation

the tent-city imagery is so strong, we must give voice to right/wrong and moral outrage that OLA formed around

let’s find a way, a journalist, somebody to tell this honest story

matt – this is why we cannot give up

OLA – EXTENSION OF DEADLINE issue

We obviously hope to get back to you before the 12^th hour

Matt – I have a 4pm w/ boss, we’re bringing in just about everybody in senior positions

Final 3 points

Homeless fams

2.5 yr SRO list

Shelters ARE OPEN, our housing folks are working on it

North lawn

Foreclosure statement – jointly, absolutely

b/c its public property, any kind of side-letter agreement will have to have nuance

cannot cause folks to oppose it w/o fully understanding it

wording motions, brokering deals, all has to do with nuance

lafferty – 3 parties would have to sign off on property lease?

Matt – mayor has influence over 2, city council president has influence over third

Assuming we had a commitment in writing for 501c3, to make it NOT A SIDE AGREEMENT, but a real one, what is the time frame for getting third party on board?

Matt – I would recommend… I think that we would need to establish and go through the process whereby instead of giving away space, that space instead becomes evident that it is what is required

I do not know the length of time… probably more than a week, probably could get done within a month

Things take months and months previously, but that’s because no one is pushing it as hard as OLA would

OLA – observations

More concretion is necessary for specific understandings

Public statements about this MUST BE SIGNIFICANT PART of what’s going to happen

Rhetoric can and should be part of this to make things happen

OLA’ers must be able to seize results of this with affirmation

OLA – trying to relieve some pressure from offices of LA w/ regards to media… press conference?

Matt – if there is an announcement of a deal, every day that passes further muddies the waters of our discussions

LAtimes does not care, they want the story, and it will spiral downward

That is why I have a strong interest in getting a deal, announcing it, date of evacuation of camp as QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

OLA – we have a lot of work to do w/in GA, we cannot simply hold a press conference

We have to pave the way of this through the GA to help with the eventual evacuation

Good neighbor policy – its been tough because its about enforcement… I’m not here to push people out of camp

OLA – we would have liked to have had this good neighbor policy before they began occupying… it’s live and learn for us though.

Totally unprecedented in human history

We’ve inventing this stuff as we go along, we now see the need to get as much together as possible

Going to take smart maneuvering, good explanations, etc

OLA- the story tomorrow will be WORSE

They KNOW what happened w/ the SOUTH CENTRAL FARM, they know that the deal and the agreement WENT BACK ON CITY’S WORD

There will be good, SOLID disagreements over this

OLA – matt, you’ve made our task MUCH MORE DIFFICULT

If you don’t get us specific property options, this will be bad news

Matt – TIME: I need to know where and how to push

If extending time is possible, he’ll have much more latitude to push policy

Re: 5 demands, he is open to any and all discussion

OLA – I’d like to meet tonight, right after 4pm demands and before the GA

Lafferty – 6pm revisiting mtg, work on both ends this evening, and then meet again 1pm tomorrow

Trying to express that the TIME we spend trying to build consensus is more important than these meetings

CAUCUS MEETING W/O CITY

Idea of benchmarks?

If they gave us a month, the 1^st week we’ll do X, then we’ll do Y, etc

honestly, that will not work right now… timing dates are issue

DATE – what do we thing we can ask for right now?

January 3^rd?

they’ve FORKED US, ROOKED US – clear negotiating tactic… matt is expert negotiator

Matt is FUCKING WITH US, and we should insist on going to GA and coming back with a date

We cannot allow the city to dictate the terms

the WORST THING we could do right now is give them a date at ALL on behalf of OLA

CONSENSUS – we will not give them a date until and if the GENERAL ASSEMBLY DISCUSSION

SIX PM MEETING w/ Same city officials

Intros of new people

Joe

Rob

OLA – our briefing

Hoping to postpone meeting b/c we wanted to have a chance to bring info to GA

Looking for 5 min meeting right now to figure out where to go, ready to meet tomorrow

Right now we have nothing to give you

Perez – you guys were going to tell us a DATE

OLA – we def need an extension

Not possible to have a decision by Friday

Talking around the clock with people, meetings happening right now

GA will probably go to midnight tonight

We are suggesting people come up with responses, counters, etc

That’s happening now, in GA, in other discussions

Meeting tomorrow at 12 or 1pm?

We know you’re desperate to get somewhere, and I know I am as well

It’s a difficult thing to explain – we want to make the transition that happens be the smoothest possible

Includes the city, the move, and the occupiers

Road map? Understandings?

If we can get locations and an understanding, we will make progress

There ARE PEOPLE that will decide to stay

We will try and limit the number of people who will stay

We want to make sure the rights of the occupiers that choose to stay are not violated

So we don’t have anything right now to give you. We had a long meeting, we’re working on consensus

People are upset that these conversations are even taking place

So therefore we have been meticulous in communicating only what the GA and the consensus process produces

Wanted to add: not only is there no foot-dragging going on, theres also NOTHING ELSE going on right now BUT THIS DISCUSSION

We have a lot of repair work to do, and I think we’ve done some of that and still have work to do

Ideally, we would love a completely peaceful solution

I would like everyone to agree, and that won’t happen… but we want to get as close to that as possible

Matt

That puts me in a tough spot in order to try and explain to my boss what that actually means

Ola – it means that we’re moving forward, but not at that pace that you’d like

You asked us to take a leap of faith and trust you… now im asking you to trust me long enough for us to do this

We were actually thinking that we not have another meeting till Monday because of the holiday

Lafferty - We have been frustrated that you gave us something in writing that in good faith we thought we could take to the “bank”

If these two forces cant come together, then I’m sorry and we’ve tried

A lot of people have been very pissed that these events have been unfolding so quickly

Matt – I don’t know how to respond

What this tells me if that anything and everything we do from now on is on the GA process, then it is not designed in ANY WAY to make a MULTI-LAYERED, COMPROMISING, INTRICATE DEAL

Theres no way we can do that and theres no way we can move forward

OLA – we never said that… we want to make sure that we get as many people as possible to get on board with a solution

Matt – I told you from the beginning that if I could not do something, then I would tell you

Dates on paper earlier – if I go back to him without something definitive to tell him, then I think that’s it.

Lafferty – I don’t doubt that you’ve worked as hard as possible, but we are in the same tight spot as you and need time

OLA

Date floated around here, what about dec 18^th as a possibility? Would that be feasible?

Matt – we would have to resolve the space issue

If we came back with something that was similar to discussion talking points with dec 18^th at the bottom, I would make that case but probably lose

OLA – my understanding that you said it was in garcetti’s court?

Matt – alarcon’s committee

OLA – are you sure? My understanding the mayor told garcetti NO WAY on 10k sq ft… one of you is lying?

Granted, both your boss and garcetti are politicians, but it’s a question of trust

Matt – I need to take this phone call, I apologize. [5 mins]

Times will have another story, might be posted up tonight

Ola – where are we at?

Matt – for now, do what you have to do tonight and see where we stand

I definitely want to talk tomorrow

Understand please that the CLOCK IS TICKING LOUDLY, and louder with every tick

Lafferty – about the time

Its going to feel really wrong if there are some announcements made about some deadline or date in the paper that we haven’t heard first

Matt – my understanding that LA times will be deadline of 28^th of November

OLA – let’s talk publically to dispel some of this

Matt – let’s take some minutes to read the story and discuss it

Lafferty – if you, any of you know, that in fact there is already a hard and fast date when the police move in, I would assume you would tell us that

Matt – for me, the 11/28 has literally been the only date the mayor has authorized me to put forward for an evacuation date

Perez – whenever I get the orders to go, then I’ll go

Lafferty – all I’m saying is that when we meet at 12:30

Tomorrow, if you know the 28^th or 3^rd is the certain date, will you tell us that?

Matt – YES, and absent an agreement, I would use that as info to go forward on.

LAPD – so tomorrow at 12:30

OLA – all of the info that’s going out in the press is coming from our open meetings

Some people just go off and say things that have nothing to do with the meeting subject matter. Unfortunately that’s what gets reported

Matt – as it relates to us still sitting at the table, I am loathe to start reporting to the press our daily discussions.