Things always start to pick up in late January and there’s a full schedule of events coming up this week. We’re also happy to announce our 7th Birthday Party! for Streetsblog Los Angeles later next month!

• Tuesday – ULI Los Angeles, presents FutureBuild 2015, an interactive event with the top thinkers and innovators in business and government. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has been invited to give the lunch keynote. In partnership with VerdeXchange, FutureBuild Power Shift  explores how changes in energy technology – and the scarcity of resources – are remaking places, from building systems, to codes and regulations, to parking.
• Tuesday – The Santa Monica Big Blue Bus is hosting an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit at noon. Maybe we should try that sometime. “Damien, is your grammar teacher embarrassed of you?” Anyway, get the details on the BBB’s AMA, here.
• Tuesday – As part of the new Wilshire Grand project in Downtown Los Angeles, there will be street improvements made around the 7th Street Corridor. A public meeting will be held by City Planning from 5 to 7 p.m. in the SCAG building downtown. See the flyer for the meeting, here.
• Tuesday – at 6:30 p.m., in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Community Room (3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd), the Planning, Land Use, and Beautification Committee of the Empowerment Congress West Area Neighborhood Development Council will be holding a special meeting to discuss the proposed plans for the Baldwin-Hills Crenshaw Plaza Master Plan Project.
• Tuesday – Thursday – An estimated 6,000 people will take to the streets over three nights to participate in Los Angeles’ annual Homeless Count to help the City determine where the need for resources is the greatest. Volunteers are still needed. See the L.A. Times’ discussion here or sign up to help out, here.
• Wednesday – At 6:30 p.m., the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council (2130 E. 1st Street) will vote on whether to recommend the Metro Board approve interim Exclusive Negotiation Agreements for the affordable housing projects slated for 1st and Soto and Cesar Chavez and Soto. See agenda, here.
• Thursday – It’s Metro Board of Directors time! Read the full agenda for their 9:00 a.m. meeting, here.
• Saturday – Celebrate the 7th anniversary of Councilmember José Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative. The free, all-ages Night on Broadway celebration will feature programming in six of Broadway’s historic (and often closed-to-the-public) theaters – Million Dollar, Los Angeles, Palace, Tower, Orpheum, and the Theatre at Ace Hotel (a.k.a United Artists Theater). Get more details, here.
• Next Thursday – Streetsblog Los Angeles, LACBC, and L.A. Walks host a candidates forum for Council District Four in the race to replace Tom LaBonge. We’ll have a big update on the excitement building for the event tomorrow, but if you’re sold already, head over to Event Brite and reserve your ticket.
• Saturday, 2/21 – Mark your calendars now for Streetsblog L.A.’s 7th Birthday Party! Amy and Jon Weiss are hosting us with cake, light snacks, and the best company you could possibly ask for. You can RSVP on Facebook, but to get a good head count we need you to get a ticket on EventBrite.