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To promote more citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs, a citywide system of neighborhood councils, and a Department of Neighborhood Empowerment is created. Neighborhood councils shall include representatives of the many diverse interests in communities and shall have an advisory role on issues of concern to the neighborhood.
The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this Article and elsewhere in the Charter to implement and oversee the ordinances and regulations creating the system of neighborhood councils enacted pursuant to Section 905. Duties and responsibilities shall include:
(a) prepare a plan for the creation of a system of neighborhood councils to ensure that every part of the City is within the boundary of a neighborhood council, and has an opportunity to form a neighborhood council (Plan);
(b) assist neighborhoods in preparing petitions for recognition or certification, identifying boundaries that do not divide communities, and organizing themselves, in accordance with the Plan;
(c) arrange Congress of Neighborhood meetings if requested to do so by recognized neighborhood councils;
(d) assist neighborhood councils with the election or selection of their officers;
(e) arrange training for neighborhood councils’ officers and staff;
(f) assist neighborhood councils to share resources, including offices, equipment, and other forms of support for them to communicate with constituents, other neighborhood councils and with government officials; and
(g) perform other duties as provided by ordinance.
(a) There shall be a board of seven commissioners to be known as the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners (board). Commissioners shall be appointed by the Mayor, and shall be from diverse geographic areas, as further specified by ordinance. Appointment and removal of commissioners shall otherwise be in accordance with Section 502.
(b) The board shall be responsible for policy setting and policy oversight, including the approval of contracts and leases and the promulgation of rules and regulations, but shall not be responsible for day-to-day management.
(a) There shall be a general manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment who shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Council, and may be removed as provided in Section 508.
(b) The general manager shall have those powers and duties set forth in Section 510.
(c) The general manager shall appoint, discharge and prescribe the duties of staff, consistent with the civil service provisions of the Charter.
The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment shall develop a Plan for a citywide system of neighborhood councils, in conformance with the following:
(a) The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment shall seek public input in the formulation of the Plan.
(b) The Plan shall contain a statement of goals, policies and objectives of the Neighborhood Council system, and shall contain specific regulations, in draft ordinance format (Regulations) which, if adopted by ordinance, would be sufficient to implement the Plan.
(c) The Regulations shall establish the method by which boundaries of neighborhood councils will be determined. The system for determining boundaries shall maintain neighborhood boundaries to the maximum extent feasible, and may consider community planning district boundaries where appropriate.
(d) The Regulations must ensure that all areas of the City are given an equal opportunity to form neighborhood councils.
(e) The Regulations shall establish the procedure and criteria for recognition or certification of neighborhood councils.
(f) The Regulations shall not restrict the method by which the members of a neighborhood council are chosen, if the process otherwise satisfies the requirements of this Article.
(g) The Regulations shall require that neighborhood councils adopt fair and open procedures for the conduct of their business.
(h) The Mayor and Council shall provide for the creation of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and appointment of the general manager within 120 days of the effective date of this Article.
The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment shall complete development of the Plan and present the Plan and all necessary Regulations for a system of neighborhood councils to the Council and Mayor within one year of the establishment of the department and commission. The Council shall consider the Regulations, and within six months after presentation of the Plan to Council may adopt ordinances to implement the Regulations as proposed, or as modified by the Council consistent with the requirements of the Plan set forth in Section 904. If implementing ordinances are not adopted within this time period, the Regulations shall become effective, and to the extent not inconsistent with law shall be binding upon all City departments and offices.
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