LA Mayor Garcetti discusses Chargers move, Lucas museum, homelessness

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A second NFL team, a new museum, and a new law regulating the homeless are just a few of the topics on this week's edition of "Ask the Mayor" on Eyewitness Newsmakers.

Mayor Eric Garcetti explained Municipal Code 85.02, which went into effect Jan. 7. It prohibits people living in cars or campers in a residential neighborhood or near parks and schools.

Saying the city "doesn't want to criminalize homelessness," Garcetti said Los Angeles police will now write citations as the word on policy change gets out. In a month, the first citation will be $100. Cars and campers may park overnight in commercial and industrial areas. The mayor says he's hoping many homeless people will get into supportive services and off the streets for good.

On the Chargers moving their football team here from San Diego, the mayor called L.A. "a great sports city" that can support two NFL teams. The Chargers will play in the 30,000-seat StubHub Center until the new $2-billion stadium opens in Inglewood in 2019 that they'll share with the Rams.

The mayor talked about the city's three-year pursuit of George Lucas' Museum of Narrative Arts. Garcetti celebrated Lucas choosing Los Angeles over San Francisco.

The $1-billion museum will have an endowed budget, be privately funded and house everything from Norman Rockwell paintings to Star Wars costumes. The mayor said locating the museum in Exposition Park puts it near other museums and public transportation.

The mayor responded to viewer questions on taxpayer funding to defending undocumented workers from deportation, the DWP "Bill of Rights" for ratepayers and real estate developer political donations.

Eyewitness Newsmakers airs 11 a.m. Sunday on ABC7.