Council Backing Hospital Expansion

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills won tentative approval from Los Angeles City Council last night to move forward with its proposed expansion project without completing a full environmental study. Recent hospital expansions in Panorama City and Van Nuys did not require EIRs. City Councilman Richard Alarcon, siding with a coalition led by the Service Employees International Union which has been battling Holy Cross despite workers’ there voting against organizing, could not get the 10 votes he needed to stall the project. Three council members whose districts surround Alarcon’s voted to support the Holy Cross expansion. The council will take a final vote on Friday.