RESIDENTS OF VAN NUYS TO SET LOCAL PRIORITIES.

Byline: Daily News

A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday night for Van Nuys residents to discuss priorities for the Targeted Neighborhood Initiative, a three-year, $3 million city plan for community improvement.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Van Nuys Elementary School, 6464 Sylmar Ave., to gather comments on how to spend $1 million a year earmarked for Van Nuys, the latest of 12 areas of Los Angeles to be designated for a TNI.

After the meeting, an advisory committee - Van Nuys residents, business operators and others - will be formed to prioritize ideas suggested at the session.

The Van Nuys TNI area is bounded by Vanowen Street on the north, Calvert Street on the south, Kester Avenue on the west and Hazeltine Avenue on the east.

``The TNI is an unprecedented opportunity for the people of Van Nuys to come together and compile a list of projects for upgrading their community,'' said City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who will co-sponsor the meeting with Mayor Richard Riordan.

Riordan was scheduled to take a walking tour of Van Nuys today to publicize the new effort.

The TNI program was created jointly by the mayor, the City Council and various city departments. For information, Van Nuys residents can call the Mayor's Office at [phone] or Miscikowski's office at [phone].