In this powerful episode, Evan Meyer sits down with Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete and Los Angeles Councilmember Traci Park to explore how two neighboring cities are breaking down silos to address homelessness, emergency response, and community safety. From invisible borders on the beach to upcoming global events like the Olympics, this conversation unpacks what effective local collaboration really looks like.

📍 Topics Include:
Joint operations on homelessness
Regional planning for tourism & transportation
Communication breakdowns across agencies
Why political differences shouldn’t stop progress
Building tools for cross-jurisdictional problem-solving

💡 This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in local government, regional planning, and public innovation.

Time | Section Title | Summary
00:00 | Opening: Meet Lana & Traci | Intro to both guests and the purpose of their collaboration
01:00 | Shared Challenges: Homelessness at the Beach | Transit-driven inflows and cross-jurisdiction coordination
03:00 | Joint Policing & Outreach Efforts | Examples of Santa Monica & LA joint operations
04:00 | Future Goals: Olympics, World Cup, and Tourism | Preparing for global events through regional partnerships
05:00 | Origins of Collaboration | How Lana & Traci connected personally and professionally
06:30 | Breaking the “Invisible Line” on Beaches | Using outreach teams like West Coast Cares across borders
07:30 | Post-Fire Response & Mutual Aid | How disaster response accelerated regional unity
08:30 | Why Two Voices Are Louder Than One in Sacramento | The power of joint advocacy at the state level
10:00 | Big Ask: What Should Higher Governments Fix? | Calls for a shared dashboard, streamlined communication
13:30 | County-Level Homelessness Shakeup | LASA changes and the push for local control
15:30 | Vision for a Regional Dashboard Tool | Transparent, real-time issue tracking for agencies and public
18:00 | Navigating Political Differences | Governing across ideological lines and building

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About Evan Meyer

Tech entrepreneur and civic leader - he founded mygovtools.org, a platform to drive government efficiency, constituent representation, and civic engagement; BeautifyEarth.com, a platform accelerating urban beautification through art; and its sister nonprofit, transforming schools in underserved areas. He also co-founded RideAmigos.com, a platform that optimizes commuter travel globally. Previously, he served as District Director for the California State Senate and led many civic initiatives in Santa Monica. Through seminars and his podcast Meyerside Chats, Evan inspires civic engagement, innovation, and cultural growth.
He loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, is an avid muralist and musician, and finds the world fascinating in every regard.