Hello Downey,

To all the fathers and father figures in our community, Happy Father’s Day weekend!

Thank you, fathers, for your commitment to your children and families, and those you choose to mentor. A father’s impact is multi-generational. Here are some sobering statistics on the Father Absence Crisis we are facing in America: one out of every three children is growing up without a father; that means approximately 25 million American children are in fatherless homes.

Children growing up without a father are more likely to develop behavioral and emotional problems. In fact, 90% of young men in prison across our country today, grew up without a father and for young women, they are seven times more likely to experience teenage pregnancy because of an absent father in the home. A father’s absence places youth at four times the risk for poverty, youth are more likely to experience abuse and neglect, abuse drugs and alcohol and two times more likely to drop out of high school.

As we celebrate our fathers, or those important Father figures in our lives, let us pause and take a moment to recommit to being a father-figure and/or a mentor to at-risk youth in our community.

Speaking of mentors, a man, a father of seven and grandfather of nine, who has established a Legacy of Servant Leadership in Downey, someone who is always directing efforts to be of service, to direct the attention to others, our former Mayor Rick Rodriguez. He was the recipient of this Month’s Mayor’s Legacy Award. While he is no longer in elected office, Mayor Rodriquez (ret) continues to serve this community through his involvement in various boards, Downey Chamber of Commerce, President of Los Amigos Downey Kiwanis Club, Whole Child, Father-Con, President of Clergy Council under the umbrella of Living Tree Foundation, and others. His heart of service and making a real difference in the lives of others as a father-figure and a mentor is un-paralleled.

Update on Fire Station #4

Our Fire Station on Florence is back in service as of Wednesday, May 24th.

Community/Economic Development

Significant projects are under way, and we will be able to announce those very soon. The council held a budget workshop last week and we approved a few key positions for our city, including Director of Economic Development. I am thrilled about this as we continue to focus on areas that need revitalization and development.

On the area of Code Enforcement, I am happy to report, the council also agreed to approve additional positions to meet the city’s staffing shortage in that department. We will continue to focus on neighborhood preservation which means, we will have additional code enforcement patrols on the weekends throughout our neighborhoods. Our Downey continues to be an aspirational city where residents take pride in their homes, home values and neighborhoods. Special attention will be placed on unkept yards/lawns, cars on lawns, tents or structures erected on front lawns (this by the way is against city code). Additional focus will be on illegal dumping and excessive trash and debris around neighborhoods and commercial properties. It is up to all of us to continue doing our part to maintain a clean city.

Public Safety, Transient Activity & Speed Enforcement

We are aware and monitoring increased transient activity throughout our city. Thank you, residents, for notifying us of issues related to homeless encampments and/or criminal activity. Clean ups will continue in coordination with LA County Dept., of Mental Health, LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), PATH and DPD. I am also happy to report, the council approved adding a Homeless Coordinator position for the city. We look forward to coordinating all efforts through that position. Stay tuned on further developments.

Unfortunately, our DPD cannot be everywhere all at once, however, our PD Chief is committed to deploying extra patrols and mobilizing additional resources to locations in need. I have also heard from many of you regarding racing and speeding along segments in our city. Many residents have contacted me regarding stop signs in and around neighborhoods not being obeyed by drivers. On some occasions, families with children were almost hit by drivers who neglected to stop at a stop sign.

Patrols will be on going in various segments of our city, throughout our neighborhoods to ensure traffic laws are being adhered to. With summer out and additional young drivers on the road, DPD will continue to conduct speed enforcement activities throughout our city and look for illegal street racing and individuals utilizing empty parking lots/areas to do donuts. Drivers involved in street racing will have their vehicles impounded and will face steep fines.

The 10th National Night Out is scheduled for Tuesday, August 1st from 5:30-7:30 pm in our Civic Center, outside City Hall. This is a great opportunity to bring the family, neighbors and interact with our Downey PD, our K-9s and on the different rescue mechanisms Fire and PD to keep our residents safe.

Also, as summer begins, I invite you to get involved in a Neighborhood Watch group in your neighborhood. This is a great way to connect with neighbors and watch for suspicious activities. If you see something, please, say something. Currently, we have over 230+ groups throughout our city. To find out more information or to apply, please contact Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Stephanie Arroyo at (562) 904-2374 or sarroyo@downeyca.org

As we continue to see a rise in crime in every city, increased thefts with no consequences for criminals, we must realize the people who change policies on crime are those people elected to office. As our communities’ struggle, let us pause and remember, policies soft on crime and soft on criminals put our communities in danger. Let’s remember that next time we vote!

Community Engagement

Speaking of fathers this weekend, I would like to invite you this Friday, June 16 from 4-8pm to a Father’s Reading in Space free event at our Columbia Memorial Space Center. This special event is brought to you by Father-Con, our Downey Library, LACMA (LA County Museum of Art) and there will be many fun activities for the family. See you Friday at the Space Center!

Downey’s anti-litter campaign #BINIT, Residents may call CalMet/Athens services at (562) 259-1239 to arrange a bulky item pick up. Additional important numbers to save on your phones:

•Graffiti Hotline: (562) 923-4484

•Abandoned Shopping Carts: (800) 252-4613

•Illegal Dumping: (562) 904-7194

One last thing I want to mention in this June column, and that is I am proud to celebrate and love on every member in our community regardless of background, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. I stand firmly opposed to hatred, bigotry, and discrimination of any kind.

Having said that, as a woman of faith, I must say I am profoundly disappointed and appalled in the Los Angeles Dodgers and anyone who thinks it is ok to desecrate the Cross and honor a group of individuals who mock the Catholic and Christian faith. Standing together all faiths, means standing against hate, bigotry, discrimination, and sacrilege. Would the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence be celebrated and honored if they had expressed antisemitism ideals, or against our Muslim brothers and sisters?

This is not about being against an LGBTQ+ group and/or community, it is about standing firm protecting each other and our religious convictions from the same bigotry and hatred that this group spews in the name of comedy. This Mayor is not amused. Shame on the LA Dodgers for not having the conviction to stand firm and defend the 65% or over 5 million people with religious affiliation in Los Angeles.

I welcome appointments for in-person visits. You can also follow my Facebook page for regular updates at Claudia M. Frometa Mayor, City of Downey, along with our City’s Facebook page, City of Downey Government Agency, for regular updates. Please also download the Downey App on your mobile device. Through this app, you can immediately report illegally dumped items, street repairs, trash, graffiti removal, neighborhood light repairs, etc.

#DowneyStrong #ThisIsDowney #CityofDowney #OperationRestoreOrder #MayorFrometa

Claudia M. Frometa
Mayor