This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Feb. 9, 2026.
East Los Angeles residents will soon have a chance to share their ideas on local government at a series of community forums, nearly a year after a report concluded that becoming a city wasn’t financially feasible.
The first of six East L.A. Community Forums will be held on Feb. 21 at Salazar Park in East L.A. Residents can attend in person or virtually to weigh in on whether a Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) or similar advisory body could benefit the unincorporated community.
How East L.A. is governed and what could change
Because East L.A. is not an incorporated city, it falls under direct oversight of L.A. County. That means decisions about services and developments are handled by county officials – in this case by Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the area and more than 2 million constituents.
If established, a MAC would be led by citizens and directly advise the county Board of Supervisors on issues unique to East LA.
MACs don’t have the power to make laws, authorize budgets or direct county operations but can, however, provide a structure for public input and give stakeholders a direct line of communication to county leadership. Some residents argue that the current governance structure does not adequately serve the community of nearly 120,000 and that an alternative form of representation could help address local needs.
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Although the 2025 report detailed the fiscal challenges for incorporation, several East L.A. residents and stakeholders agreed that the push for the study was less about cityhood and more about financial transparency for East L.A.
Who is leading the outreach?
The forums are being led by the Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator and Fellowship (LEEAF) program through California State University, Los Angeles, at the direction of the county CEO’s office. According to a spokesperson, the outreach is expected to conclude in the spring with a report submitted to the Board of Supervisors by the end of July 2026.
LEEAF has conducted several analyses on the economics of unincorporated East L.A., its most recent being an assessment of how ICE raids impacted businesses in the area.
The forums are free and will focus on small, group conversations to allow all attendees to speak and share insight. Meetings will run for approximately 90 minutes and have a place for children ages 5-12 to play.
How to attend
Interested in making your voice heard at one of the forums? See a complete list of the meetings below. While RSVPs are suggested, they are not required.
- Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. at Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Boulevard. Register here
- Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. at East LA Library, 4837 East 3rd Street. Register here
- Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. at City Terrace Park, 1126 North Hazard Avenue. Register here
- March 4 at 5:30 p.m. at East LA Service Center, 133 North Sunol Drive. Register here
- March 5 at 5:30 (Virtual meeting on Zoom) Register here
- March 7 at 2 p.m. at Saybrook Park, 6250 Northside Drive. Register here
