LOS ANGELES - The Westside Cities Council of Governments (COG) comprised of Beverly Hills, Culver City, Santa Monica and West Hollywood addressed issues of transportation and homelessness last Thursday during one of its seven scheduled meetings this year.

Claiming to represent over 710,000 individuals and 50,000 businesses, the Westside Cities Council of Governments was started in 2003 as a legislation watchdog and looks for need-based funding on a regional, state and federal level. With the strength of five united cities, the Council of Governments hopes for stronger representation in the competitive area of grants, loans and lawmakers’ attentions. Traffic and homelessness have stood out in the collective council’s mind.

“The COG has been most engaged on transportation and homeless issues as well as economic health/state budget decisions and implications,” said Kate Vernez, assistant to the Santa Monica city manager for government relations. “These issues can be anticipated to be on upcoming agendas for short and long term actions.”

“Beverly Hills is fully engaged in the issues the COG is focusing on,” Beverly Hills Community Relations Director Maria Rychlicki added.

One of the Council of Governments’s traffic solutions is a project entitled Westside Cities Mobility Study, which addresses the mounting problems associated with roadway congestion. Implemented in October 2004, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Santa Monica and West Hollywood hope to forward an action plan including immediate and future solutions for transportation problems to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the city of Los Angeles, state and federal officials.

Thursday’s agenda addressed Westside traffic and transportation, with discussion centering on the overlapping bus services provided by each individual city. Routes may need to be reevaluated and some services combined in order to reduce congestion caused by buses. However, transfers could become an issue.

A public hearing on proposed MTA service changes is scheduled for August 11.

On the issue of homelessness, the city of Santa Monica is taking the lead by appointing a leader to address the growing problem and organize resources. Beverly Hills, Culver City and West Hollywood said they would support Santa Monica, and may consider funding assistance.

Staff members from all cities serve on projects involving the Westside Food Bank, which provides food to 20 Westside agencies, New Direction, located on the VA campus in Brentwood and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Beverly Hills also contributes funding for PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) and All Saint's Church.

The Council of Governments also addressed housing, land use, economic, environmental, safety and homeland security issues.

The next scheduled Westside Cities COG meeting is September 29.