If you live in the city of L.A., your city council member is probably the most powerful and important elected office you can vote for.
The makeup of the council determines what kind of laws might get passed that affect the entire city of L.A. How do you feel about issues like rent control? Building more housing? Transportation and pedestrian safety? Consider what solutions you’d like to see to these problems when thinking about which candidate to support.
What does L.A.’s city council do?
- Create local laws, known as ordinances (the mayor then approves or vetoes those ordinances)
- Order elections
- Impose and regulate city taxes
- Authorize public improvements
- Approve city contracts
- Adopt traffic regulations
- Vote on the mayor’s proposed budget
If you want to know more about how the city council works and what decisions face the next council, head to our guide to the city council.
More Voter Guides
How to evaluate judges
- L.A. Superior Court: There are more than two dozen judges up for election or reelection.
- Judge ratings: Understanding how the L.A. County Bar Association evaluates judicial candidates — and how it can help you cast your vote.
Head to LAist's Voter Game Plan for guides to the rest of your ballot including:
- L.A. County Board of Supervisors: Three of the five seats are on the ballot.
- L.A. City Council: There are seven seats up for grabs.
- L.A. District Attorney: Meet the 12 candidates running to be the county's prosecutor.
- LAUSD: Four seats are open for a seat at the table.
- Prop. 1: Here's a closer look at the proposal at the center of a debate over how to best help people struggling with mental health, drug and alcohol issues.
Fast facts on District 10
- State of the race: Heather Hutt, who was appointed to the District 10 seat, is running for a full elected term.
- Number of candidates: 5
- Where: Central L.A., including Koreatown, Mid-City and West Adams
- Key issues: Homelessness and affordable housing
- Notable: Hutt was appointed to the position in September 2022 after the previous District 10 representative, Mark Ridley-Thomas, was indicted on federal corruption charges. Critics of Hutt's appointment say a special election, while costly, should have taken place to uphold the democratic process.
- March outcome: If a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, they’ll win the election outright. Otherwise, the top two candidates will make the runoff on your November ballot.
Heather Hutt
Los Angeles City Councilwoman, Appointed
Hutt was appointed to the role in September 2022, during the prosecution of Mark Ridley-Thomas on federal bribery charges. Hutt was chief of staff to former City Councilmember Herb Wesson. She is the first woman to represent District 10, and also serves as chair of the council’s Transportation Committee.
Platform highlights:
- On housing affordability: Hutt says we “must continue to rethink what our community housing looks like to ensure that the so-called affordable housing units are actually affordable for working families, particularly someone making less than $25,000 who’s providing for their family.” She also points to the need for more affordable housing for seniors, and points to new projects that have opened in the past year at Crenshaw and Pico, and at Buckingham and MLK, along with current negotiations to build 800 more senior affordable housing units co-located with a new Costco in the district. Hutt also says the region needs to be “more proactive” in addressing the crisis by investing in preventative care like mental health and emergency services.
- On pedestrian and cyclist safety: The city’s failure to properly program and invest in transportation projects is “rooted in the lack of transparency and coordination of transportation funding across the City,” Hutt says. “No one truly knows which projects we are funding, what we are building and what needs implementation.” She says in her role as Transportation Committee chair, she’s pushed for changes to make projects more transparent and efficient, including a five-year Capital Improvement Plan for transportation, improving coordination between the Department of Transportation and Public Works, and “funding transportation projects through an equity framework.”
- On public safety: “As a mother who has had all three of my sons fall victim to senseless gun violence while in college, I know all sides of this issue very intimately,” Hutt says. She voted against authorizing a $278,000 “robot dog” for the LAPD and against adding more police helicopters, while also voting for a $384 million increase in the LAPD’s budget and $1 billion increase in officer pay over the next four years. Hutt says she’s also looking to implement an “unarmed traffic response” team: “It’s time for the City of Los Angeles to transition LAPD out of routine traffic stops and back to dealing with real criminal matters.”
- On restoring public trust: Hutt says she’s been working with the Ad Hoc Committee on Governance Reform to put forward charter amendment proposals, including an independent redistricting commission, Council expansion, revamping the Ethics Commission, and creating an ongoing commission to focus on reform of the L.A. City Charter.
Go deeper: Jump to Hutt's full answers to the LAist candidate survey
More voter resources:
- Website: HeatherHutt.com
- Endorsements: See full list here
Eddie Anderson
Pastor/Community Organizer
Anderson is a community organizer and senior pastor at McCarty Memorial Christian Church. In 2020, he served on the city’s Redistricting Commission. He has previously experienced homelessness, and is a member of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness.
Platform highlights:
- On housing affordability: Anderson says through his lived experience of homelessness, “I know how difficult it is to recover from the trauma of not knowing where you will sleep.” He says he’s committed to “whole person care and the social safety net for residents to KEEP them housed,” which includes stronger tenant protections, increased living wages and access to quality employment, along with preserving affordable units and building more temporary housing solutions.
- On pedestrian and cyclist safety: He says he would follow LA 25x25 — a vision to convert 25% of L.A.’s car space into pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly spaces — as a blueprint for safety upgrades.
- On public safety: Anderson prioritizes “care-first interventions,” including requiring mental health workers on crisis response teams and gang intervention programs.
- On restoring public trust: Anderson sees the city’s budget as a “moral document,” and would invite residents to join a participatory budgeting process to help decide how funds are spent. He also proposes a “uniform process” to make decisions on land use, saying the current district-by-district approach can lead to corruption.
Go deeper: Jump to Anderson's full answers to the LAist candidate survey
More voter resources:
- Website: Anderson2024.com
- Endorsements: No endorsements listed on website
Reggie Jones-Sawyer
California State Assemblyman
Jones-Sawyer has been serving in the State Assembly since 2012 and terms out this year. His legislative priorities have included education and immigrant rights. He chaired the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee for more than seven years but was recently replaced following criticism of his pushback on certain bills.
- On housing affordability: Jones-Sawyer says in the short term, the city needs to prioritize moving people off the streets and into permanent housing. In the long term, he says the city needs to cut red tape to streamline affordable housing production and address the root causes of homelessness, including increasing access to affordable addiction and mental health services, more renter protections and support, and expanding programs like the state’s Project Homekey, which funds housing for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. As an Assemblymember, he supported repealing Costa-Hawkins, a law that exempts some properties from rent control (the repeal was unsuccessful), and supported SB 9, which overrode local zoning regulations to allow duplexes in single-family neighborhoods.
- On pedestrian and cyclist safety: Jones-Sawyer says he would enact “forward-thinking policies that reduce traffic accidents, including greater crackdowns on drag and street racing, as well as more resources for speed cameras in high-traffic areas.”
- On public safety: Jones-Sawyer says the recent rise in crime, especially in robberies and smash-and-grabs, is “highly concerning.” He says “the best way to stop crime is to prevent it before it starts,” which includes measures like drug prevention programs, jobs, education and mental health counseling. He also highlights a state bill he authored, AB 331, which provided additional funding and coordination to address organized retail theft.
- On restoring public trust: Jones-Sawyer supports doubling the number of members of the City Council from 15 to 30, as well as an independent redistricting process.
Go deeper: Jump to Jones-Sawyer’s full answers to the LAist candidate survey
More voter resources:
- Website: ReggieForLA.com
- Endorsements: See full list here
Aura Vásquez
Los Angeles City Commissioner/Environmentalist
Aura Vásquez is an environmental activist who served as a commissioner at the city Department of Water and Power. She ran for the District 10 seat in 2020 but did not make the runoff.
- On housing affordability: Vásquez prioritizes building housing on city-owned real estate and repurposing city-owned buildings. These initiatives will “revitalize neglected spaces like old warehouses, malls, and government buildings, transforming them into vibrant residential communities,” she says. She also says community land trusts — in which a nonprofit buys and owns land on behalf of a community under conditions that allow residents to buy property there at an affordable price — are “crucial for long-term affordability.”
- On pedestrian and cyclist safety: Vásquez says she would prioritize investing in infrastructure upgrades for sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks, and is committed to expanding public transit. She says equity is a key focus for her to address disparities in infrastructure development.
- On public safety: “My community's main safety concerns are vandalism, theft, and petty crime,” she says. Her proposals include more community watch programs, adequate lighting in public spaces and increased foot and bike patrols from police.
- On restoring public trust: Vásquez supports increasing funding for the Ethics Commission to be independent, an independent redistricting commission, and expanding the number of City Council seats from 15 to 30. She also proposes a “Democracy Dollars” program, which would allocate $100 to each resident to donate to candidates.
Go deeper: Jump to Vásquez's full answers to the LAist candidate survey
More voter resources:
- Website: AuraForThePeople.com
- Endorsements: See full list here
Grace Yoo
Attorney/Neighborhood Council member
Yoo is a community advocate, attorney, and former L.A. City Commissioner for the Department of Transportation. She has been the executive director of the Korean American Coalition and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. This is Yoo’s third run for the District 10 seat.
- On housing affordability: Yoo says she would prioritize converting existing properties, like abandoned commercial buildings, to create new affordable housing units. She also says she would support developers who want to build 100% affordable housing, and work toward reducing bureaucratic delays.
- On pedestrian and cyclist safety: Yoo supports state law AB 645, which pilots speed safety cameras in six cities, including L.A., and says she would do everything she can in office to make sure the program is utilized in District 10. “I believe this would serve as a meaningful deterrent in the community,” she said.
- On public safety: Yoo says the city must dedicate resources to social workers, mental health clinicians and community outreach teams to focus on homelessness so LAPD can focus on violent crimes. She says she would expand L.A.’s CIRCLE program, which routes calls about nonviolent incidents involving unhoused people to trained mental health and outreach workers. She also wants to expand LAPD’s SMART teams, which pair officers with mental health clinicians.
- On restoring public trust: Yoo supports an independent Ethics Commission and an independent redistricting process. She also says the city controller’s office should have a set budget rather than relying on City Council approval. Yoo wants more performance audits across city departments and stronger communication with communities about what the city is doing. “The challenge seems to be that the city likes to work in silos so each council district, or department, decides how and when to inform the public, which leaves gaps and allows for misinformation to spread.”
Go deeper: Jump to Yoo's full answers to the LAist candidate survey
More voter resources:
- Website: GraceForLA.com
- Endorsements: See full list here
Follow the money
In terms of money raised directly by candidates, this race has a broad and well-matched field. Fundraising by incumbent Heather Hutt recently surpassed that of challenger Grace Yoo. Additionally, a substantial amount of money has been spent by outside groups (committees not controlled by any candidate) to support Hutt's re-election.
In their own words
We gave the candidates the opportunity to speak directly to the voters and answer the following questions in no more than 300 words apiece:
- The severe shortage of affordable housing is driving up homelessness. What would you prioritize in order to increase the supply?
- Vision Zero — the effort to end pedestrian and cyclist fatalities — has been an abject failure. What specific steps would you take to reduce the number of fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists?What’s your top public safety issue and how would you address it?
- L.A. city government has gone through a series of corruption scandals. What should be done to restore public trust?
- What else should we know about your plans for the district?
On a lighter note, we also asked the candidates to share something surprising about themselves, something voters might find revealing. The candidates are listed here in the order they will appear on the ballot. Answers were lightly
edited.
Heather Hutt
Los Angeles City Councilwoman, Appointed
Your priorities to increase the affordable housing supply:
For years, California has clearly been in a housing crisis, with a dire need for more affordable housing. We need to ensure that these units actually get built, and that the process happens more quickly — something I’ve been able to accomplish as Councilwoman for the 10th District.
We have built over 2,000 affordable units and provided permanent housing to 936 formerly unhoused individuals since 2021. Although we’ve made progress, we must continue to rethink what our community housing looks like to ensure that the so-called affordable housing units are actually affordable for working families, particularly someone making less than $25,000 who’s providing for their family. As someone who has raised my family in this community and turned my house into a home, I know how critical it is that this same opportunity is provided to future generations.
There is a tremendous need in my district and the City of Los Angeles for senior affordable housing as well, and we’ve opened up new housing at Crenshaw and Pico, and at Buckingham and MLK in the last year. We are also in the midst of negotiations to build up to 800 more senior affordable housing units co-located with a new Costco in the 10th District, and we need policies and regulations in place to require accessible architecture and to meet space needs in senior housing to ensure that residents and caregivers have all the tools they need.
Our state and our region also clearly need a much more proactive approach to addressing homelessness and housing insecurity by investing in greater affordable housing units and preventative care like mental health and emergency services. I hosted the National Conference on Affordable Housing in the 10th District at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center to bring together like-minded people from across our city and nation to discuss solutions in 2022 so we can be much more proactive. As someone who has personal experience with housing insecurity, I know that we need to combat our region’s homelessness epidemic head-on by prioritizing housing-first solutions and by investing in wrap-around mental health services and other preventative measures.
Making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists:
Vision Zero has not been a failure as much as the failure of the city to invest in and properly program transportation projects. This failure is rooted in the lack of transparency and coordination of transportation funding across the city. No one truly knows which projects we are funding, what we are building and what needs implementation. There is nowhere within the city’s documents that one can point to and comprehensively understand the upcoming transportation infrastructure.
As Chair of the Transportation Committee, I have committed us to moving forward on four major policy changes that will make the funding, construction and implementation of transportation and public works projects more efficient, expeditious, and transparent. These changes include a rolling 5-year Capital Improvement Plan dedicated to transportation projects, improving coordination in DOT internally, improving coordination between DOT and Public Works and funding transportation projects through an equity framework. Once successful and we learn best practices, this model can be applied to other major issues in the city that will help government become more customer-friendly and service-oriented.
Public safety priorities:
As a mother who has had all three of my sons fall victim to senseless gun violence while in college, I know all sides of this issue very intimately. I saw how my sons were treated like criminals by police officers after they were shot, but I also saw the good cops who worked tirelessly to achieve justice for my sons. Look, the protests in 2020 made clear to the world what people of color have known for a long time, which is that our policing and criminal justice systems are in desperate need of reform. That’s why I supported Measure J for the county and continue to scrutinize every police-related item that comes to city council. I’ve said NO to the Robot Dog … NO to more police helicopters. At the same time, I’ve said YES to a larger LAPD budget and YES to a collectively bargaining contract that will increase hiring, increase retention, and continue our pursuit of the most diverse and progressive police department in the nation.
One example of a policy I’m pursuing is implementation of an “Unarmed Traffic Response,” and we just had a presentation of the final Task Force report in my committee on Dec. 6. As Chair of the City Council’s Transportation Committee, I know all too well how law enforcement might abuse traffic stops to harass our communities of color. It’s time for the City of Los Angeles to transition LAPD out of routine traffic stops and back to dealing with real criminal matters. The city already has the funding available, and with more assistance from the county and the state, we will be able to complete transitioning to an unarmed response in many areas of the city.
Restoring public trust:
As the appointed City Councilwoman for the 10th District, I have personally endured the demoralization and discouragement that scandal has brought to the residents of the city. I have been working tirelessly with L.A. City Council President Krekorian and the other members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Governance Reform to put several charter amendments before the voters, including an independent redistricting commission, increasing the size of the city council, revamping and creating a truly independent ethics commission, and creating an ongoing commission that looks at L.A. City Charter reform.
Within my own office, I have two seasoned city hall veterans leading my staff who are known for their integrity, ethics and ability to get things done. I am also looking into ensuring that all ethics and sexual harassment training is conducted in-person and not through a video platform that makes it all too easy not to pay attention or have the ability to ask questions. These are just a few of the ideas I’m working on, and will continue to be vigilant on these issues.
Additional priorities for your district:
One thing my life and career has taught me: If you don’t fight, push and demand your rights you simply won’t get them. I’m committed to fighting for the rights of working people and their families, and I won’t back down. I am currently the Councilwoman for the City of Los Angeles’ 10th District, appointed in 2022 and then reappointed to fill Mark Ridley-Thomas’ unfilled term. I am the first woman in the history of Los Angeles to represent this Council District.
The road here was an interesting one. I was born and raised in the district, raised my three sons here, and have built my life and career here. From being a homecare worker with SEIU, to founding my own small business, to serving as statewide director from California to the U.S. Senate, I’ve put my life and soul into improving the community and the lives of the people who live here.
As a public servant for over 30+ years, I’ve focused on improving the lives of people who work for a living: With U.S. Senator Harris, we fought to help UC and CSU employees get a fair contract; on the L.A. City Council, I’ve fought for better working conditions for city employees, and I’ve partnered with labor to push for the needs of working families to thrive again and again. I’m not afraid of a fight.
As the Councilwoman, my priority will always be to serve. In the first few months, we have increased our capacity to serve and have accelerated city services and resources to residents. We are doubling down on our investments to house our unhoused neighbors, investing in city facilities, and making our constituents proud to call this district their home — because this district is our home too.
Tell us something surprising about yourself:
Growing up, my mom worked for Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Farrell and I spent a good portion of my childhood in City Hall. One of my favorite experiences included bringing our report cards to Mayor Tom Bradley and — if we had good grades — he would pass out candy to us. My life was deeply impacted by these interactions and memories, instilling public service and service to community as core values throughout my life and career.
Eddie Anderson
Pastor/Community Organizer
Your priorities to increase the affordable housing supply:
Homelessness is the moral crisis of our time in L.A. Through my own lived experience of homelessness and as a member of Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness, I know how difficult it is to recover from the trauma of not knowing where you will sleep.
As the number of unhoused residents has grown by 10% in Los Angeles in the past year, people are falling into homelessness faster than we can house them. We need a city council that can do the tough work of preventative care — passing policies that stem or halt the flow of vulnerable residents out of their homes and into the streets. My commitment as a city councilman is to invest in whole person care and the social safety net for residents to KEEP them housed. We need stronger tenant protections, increased living wages and access to quality employment. We also need to preserve affordable units, build a variety of interim housing solutionsand use the city’s influence in development to ensure housing is truly affordable. l will also increase street outreach efforts to diligently manage each and every unhoused person in Council District 10 out of homelessness and into the next chapter of their lives.
Making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists:
I agree that Vision Zero has been a failure. As a pastor, I have seen countless deaths of pedestrians near my own church while crossing the street. We can do better. We need serious infrastructure improvements, slow streets and curb extensions. The LA 25x25 is the blueprint I would follow when elected to council.
Public safety priorities:
Funding care first interventions (such as requiring mental health workers on response teams), gang intervention and prevention strategies, Gang Reduction and Youth Development or GRYD and ambassador programs would be my top public safety issue I would address when elected to council.
Restoring public trust:
First, I want to restore democracy in CD 10. Council District 10 represents the most diverse communities in the City of Los Angeles. I have built and led diverse multi-ethnic coalitions, and as a council member, I believe that every voice should be heard and respected. I view the city’s budget as a moral document, therefore I will invite residents and community stakeholders into a participatory budgeting process to ensure transparency and values of equity, fairness and reinvestment. Lastly, I will work with city departments, nonprofits, faith communities, labor and community stakeholders to ensure community priorities drive investment decisions for Council District 10.
Additional priorities for your district:
I want to expand vouchers and enforcement of policies that prevent discrimination; lead the co-creation of a housing program with experts with lived experience; work with the Community Investment for Families Department to allocate more community block grant dollars in CD10 and pilot a guaranteed basic income through a Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot (LEAP) program in the district; ensure that all programs & affordable housing developments include wraparound and essential services. I support a uniform process to how land use should be handled. Currently the city council uses a district by district approach, which can lead to corruption. The council recently proposed keeping this system but I want to challenge it.
Tell us something surprising about yourself:
I write poetry and collect vinyl with my wife and rewatch shows from the ’90s like X-Men, Captain Planet and Family Matters.
Reggie Jones-Sawyer
California State Assemblyman
Your priorities to increase the affordable housing supply:
For years, our city has been confronting an affordable housing crisis that continues to worsen. Cost of living continues to skyrocket, displacing thousands of Angelenos and forcing many into homelessness. I have a long, proven track record when it comes to housing. In the Assembly, I’ve fought to invest over $4 billion towards affordable housing construction, as well as expand renters’ protections. On the L.A. City Council, I will continue to be an unrelenting fighter for more affordable housing, heighten protections for renters and go after landlords who unjustly evict their tenants.
We must take both a short-term and long-term approach to this issue. A short-term approach that seeks to alleviate the immediate harms of homelessness by getting people off the streets and into permanent housing must be a priority. This can be best achieved by implementing a housing first model with wraparound services that would afford unhoused people the safety and security to address mental health issues, addiction recovery and employment.
In the long term, we need to cut red tape that prevents affordable housing projects from moving forward and continue to invest more in affordable housing development. We must also work to address the root causes of homelessness so that people do not become unhoused in the first place. This includes increasing access to affordable addiction and mental health services, expanding programs like Project HomeKey and providing better support and protections for renters.
Making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists:
Safety must be paramount in any discussion about enhancing mobility and transportation networks throughout Los Angeles. While the aims of Vision Zero are an admirable north star, it’s clear that the program has been a complete failure. As the former chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, I have been committed to ensuring that Californians feel safer in their communities. On the city council, I will work to enact forward-thinking policies that reduce traffic accidents, including greater crackdowns on drag and street racing, as well as more resources for speed cameras in high-traffic areas.
Public safety priorities:
As the former chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, ensuring safer communities across the state has been a top priority of mine. The recent rise in crime, particularly in "smash-and-grabs" and robberies, is highly concerning. The best way to stop crime is to prevent it before it starts — which means drug prevention programs, jobs, education and mental health counseling.
The City of Los Angeles has invested funding, resources, and programs to stem the increase in crime, but the implementation of these policies has been failing. We must also ensure that the existing laws are used and that violations are appropriately prosecuted. When it comes to "smash-and-grabs," I authored AB 331 two years ago to provide millions of dollars in additional resources and expanded coordination to stop organized retail theft.
The law has resulted in the recovery of more than $30 million in stolen goods, as well as the arrest of numerous retail crime ringleaders, and I’m excited that Gov. Newsom recently injected $200 million into the program to boost it statewide. I’m also proud to have led the effort to restore over $300 million to the court system after a decade of devastating budget cuts so that cases can be processed in a more timely manner. I look forward to continuing these efforts, and more, on the City Council to make Angelenos safer.
Restoring public trust:
Our city is at a crossroads. It’s clear that Los Angeles needs critical reforms at city hall to ensure our city council is more accountable to everyday Angelenos. This includes doubling the size of the city council so members are more responsive to their constituents, delivering truly independent redistricting reform so councilmembers can’t select their districts and ensuring that councilmembers don’t have the power to influence developments.
I believe that I am the only candidate in CD10 who has both a decades-long history standing up for working people and the experience and vision to help restore the public’s trust in city hall. Corrupt and prejudiced lawmakers for too long have been at the helm of power in L.A. city politics. It’s time to usher in a new area of public servants who are committed to legislating with the values of justice, honesty and integrity.
Additional priorities for your district:
Los Angeles is clearly in a moment of crisis. Years of worsening disparity and a city call consumed by corruption have resulted in a housing and homelessness crisis, an endless rising cost of living, a lack of good-paying jobs and a dearth of meaningful investments in our city. We’re at a critical crossroads. Our city needs bold, progressive leaders who will build coalitions to push effective, forward-thinking policies that can deliver on the challenges of today in a way that benefits everyday Angelenos.
Throughout my career in public service, particularly my tenure in the State Assembly, I have been that forward-thinking and effective leader who has delivered time and time again for my constituents and all Angelenos, whether it’s housing reform, gun safety laws, protections for small businesses, criminal justice reform or more. On the city council, I’ll be steadfastly focused on delivering for Angelenos in my district, including ensuring more good-paying jobs, confronting homelessness, expanding affordable housing, revitalizing small businesses, securing safer communities and restoring trust in city hall.
Tell us something surprising about yourself:
Prior to my career in public service, I worked at a mortuary for 10 years in the 10th Council District. I worked at night for the Angelus Funeral Home on Crenshaw Boulevard, helping families in need to assist them in the final arrangements of their loved ones.
Aura Vásquez
Los Angeles City Commissioner/Environmentalist
Your priorities to increase the affordable housing supply:
Building housing on city-owned real estate is a strategic initiative to revitalize neglected spaces like old warehouses, malls, and government buildings, transforming them into vibrant residential communities. Leveraging available land owned by both the city and LADWP presents a valuable opportunity to expand housing initiatives, offering diverse solutions to meet community needs.
Repurposing existing city-owned buildings for residences optimizes infrastructure use and contributes to increasing housing availability. To support affordable housing development, I aim to address regulatory barriers without compromising essential protections. Streamlining bureaucratic processes ensures efficiency in constructing new homes while upholding necessary standards.
Establishing community land trusts is crucial for long-term affordability by separating land costs from housing. Responsible transit-oriented development improves access to jobs, education, and services without heavy car reliance, reducing transportation costs for lower-income individuals. I am committed to addressing historical housing discrimination by rezoning for affordable housing in excluded neighborhoods, prioritizing displaced residents, and implementing community land trusts and social housing for lasting affordability. This proactive approach rectifies past injustices and creates an equitable and inclusive housing landscape.
Making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists:
In my vision for Los Angeles, pedestrian and cyclist safety is a top priority. Acknowledging the limitations of Vision Zero, I propose a comprehensive strategy. This involves prioritizing investments in enhanced infrastructure, such as sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks. I am committed to extensive public transit expansion, making it safe, efficient and accessible to reduce reliance on individual vehicles.
Recognizing micro-mobility's significance, I advocate for integration and regulation, including designated lanes and parking. Community engagement is vital, involving collaborative efforts with residents and organizations to tailor safety initiatives to each neighborhood. Utilizing data for evidence-based decision-making is a cornerstone of my policy, identifying high-risk areas and assessing safety measures' effectiveness. Equity is a key focus, addressing disparities in infrastructure development to create a safer and more accessible city for everyone.
Public safety priorities:
My community's main safety concerns are vandalism, theft, and petty crime. I propose a solution by endorsing additional community watch programs to foster community involvement and shared responsibility.
Ensuring well-lit public spaces can deter vandalism by increasing the risk of being observed and help people to be comfortable outside after dark. To enhance police visibility, I advocate for increased foot and bike patrols, enabling officers to interact more effectively with residents and businesses. I prioritize collaborative strategies for a safer community.
Restoring public trust:
To enhance transparency and accountability in our city, it is imperative to establish robust measures. Allocating ample funds for an independent City Ethics Department is crucial, ensuring its autonomy to effectively oversee government actions. Emphasizing public access, we need to facilitate remote meetings and extend operating hours, including evenings and weekends.
Accountability mechanisms are pivotal, and I advocate for an Independent Redistricting Commission and comprehensive city charter reform. Additionally, better funding an independent Ethics Commission is essential to investigate corruption and misconduct allegations, fostering a culture of integrity.
Open communication is vital, involving the community through town hall meetings, public forums, and regular updates on government activities. To strengthen representation, I support doubling the City Council districts to 30.
Addressing the influence of money in politics, I propose adopting a Democracy Dollars program, empowering residents with $100 to donate to candidates. This initiative incentivizes grassroots candidates, promoting community engagement in elections. These reforms collectively aim to create a more accountable, accessible and community-oriented city government.
Additional priorities for your district:
Our district has faced neglect and disinvestment for far too long. I imagine a vibrant District 10 where the main corridors thrive with small businesses, have more trees, parks, and improved lighting. Our neighborhoods should be adorned with murals and artistic representations of our community. The streets should be spotless, and the roads should be easily navigable. Affordable and sustainable housing should be within our reach.
If elected as your council member, I am dedicated to amplifying your voices at city hall, ensuring that you receive the services you require and that your hard-earned tax dollars are wisely spent. As a former LADWP Commissioner and an Afro-Latina immigrant, I recognize that our diversity is our greatest strength. I bring a perspective of efficient governance, unity and solidarity to District 10. It's high time we had a sincere advocate who genuinely cares about our community. I hope to earn your support and vote.
Tell us something surprising about yourself:
I have two great passions: traveling and dancing. Growing up in Colombia, my grandmother and I embarked on numerous nature adventures, fostering my deep love for the environment... Dancing has been a part of my life since my early years, starting with folkloric dances in Colombia. Later, in New York City, I pursued professional training at Broadway Dance Center.
Grace Yoo
Attorney/Neighborhood Council member
Your priorities to increase the affordable housing supply:
We must build more affordable housing, but the city’s elected officials must be much more engaged and dedicated to making this a reality. As a council member, I will support developers who want to build 100% affordable housing, especially permanent affordable housing. I will work towards changing laws and processes to lessen the bureaucratic challenges and avoid the current long delays.
As a council member, one of my priorities will be converting existing properties. Abandoned commercial buildings along with unused city infrastructure can be utilized to build 100% affordable housing. With 26% of L.A.’s office buildings estimated to be vacant due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic ramifications, the city has updated the 1990 Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO) to address the 44 million square feet of office space going unutilized.
Various benefits of converting unused office space into affordable housing include maintaining the sense of place, extending the life of buildings and retaining much of the resources that went into their initial construction. The same repurposing principle can be applied to any abandoned building. LAUSD, the largest owner of the land in the City of L.A., has various unused properties that can be repurposed. We have tremendous opportunities in Los Angeles, but we lack the leadership who can help house people today while looking decades into the future so the next generations can have quality, safe, dependable, affordable housing.
Making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists:
Unfortunately, Vision Zero has not reduced the number of fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists. Traffic-related deaths continue to rise across the state.
Recently, Gov. Newsom has taken action to address this issue by signing into law AB 645, which allows the installation of cameras on a trial basis in six cities, including Los Angeles. The cameras would be prioritized in areas around schools, high-injury intersections, and known street racing corridors, to reduce speeding and traffic fatalities. I fully support this law, and I will do everything I can as a council member to make sure this program is installed and utilized in Council District 10. I believe this would serve as a meaningful deterrent in the community, and serve as just one of the steps I will take to ensure that streets are safe for everybody.
Public safety priority:
My top priority will always be public safety — for the residents, business owners, and those who visit our city. To achieve this, we must ensure first responders have the tools and resources to do their jobs effectively; dedicate resources to social workers, mental health clinicians, and community outreach teams to focus on homelessness so LAPD can focus on fighting violent crime; and require our partners at L.A. County to provide more temporary healthcare beds for those with mental illness and/or drug addiction.
Police need to respond to violent crimes. That said, most calls are about non-violent incidents including someone having a crisis related to mental illness or addiction. L.A. needs a public safety network that includes social workers and trained mental health professionals, among others.
One program that appears to have promise is LA’s CIRCLE program which I would expand. It sends unarmed, trained individuals to respond to non-violent incidents involving the unhoused. I would also expand LAPD’s SMART teams to assist police officers in dealing with people facing a mental health crisis. I also like the idea of the city creating an “Office of Unarmed Response,” but, as a council member, I would make it a priority to ensure this isn’t another example of politicians creating a new layer of bureaucracy in order to appear as if work is being done without actually working to solve the problems.
Restoring public trust:
I want the people of Los Angeles to trust their elected officials, yet the sad reality is that trust is established over decades but broken in a moment. One person, no matter how trustworthy and transparent, cannot transform the culture of a city council mired by scandals overnight. However, I can begin to help usher in an era that begins to bridge the gap between city hall and local communities to bring about transparency and accountability.
We need an independent City Ethics Department, an independent redistricting process, and for the Controller’s office budget to be set similarly to the L.A. Public Libraries, with set funds instead of being dependent on the City Council to apportion funds.
I would also like to see the city do more performance audits. Talking with city workers and learning where there are challenges and opportunities can help leaders make effective changes. These audits (or reviews) must also include community leaders and the public at large. The city also needs to do a much better job of informing the community of work that is being done by city departments. The challenge seems to be that the city likes to work in silos so each council district, or department, decides how and when to inform the public which leaves gaps and allows for misinformation to spread.
Additional priorities for your district:
I am running for city council because it is time for the district to have a leader who will implement the smart, common-sense public policy needed to address our most pressing issues including affordable housing/ unhoused persons and public safety. I will ensure that the district has fair representation, reliable city services, and a local focus.
For over 30 years, I have been a voice and representative for my communities and an active leader in nonprofit and community organizations. I have decades of experience as a community leader fighting for real people. As an attorney and having served as an executive director of both a national and local nonprofit, I have worked daily to help people navigate confusing bureaucracies so they can get the services, support, and help they deserve. I am passionate about enacting change and reform throughout Los Angeles and within city hall.
Angelenos deserve civic leaders who will work on behalf of the families, business owners and communities that call Los Angeles home. I will prioritize the needs of my fellow Angelenos and community members. I believe elected officials should listen to their community and act on behalf of the people. I am running for city council because I believe that government should work in the best interest of the people it serves. I’m a community advocate and attorney who has dedicated my life to standing up for children and families that are too often neglected. Together, we will move L.A. forward in a positive direction.
Tell us something surprising about yourself:
I'm a pretty good cook, and I can make most Korean dishes, including my signature dish, Japchae, which is actually my mother's best dish, which she learned from her mother.
More Voter Guides
City of Los Angeles
- City Council: There are seven districts seats on this ballot: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14.
- Healthy Streets LA: Take a closer look at Measure HLA, aimed at making streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists — and holding the city accountable to do just that.
L.A. County
- Board of Supervisors: There are three districts on this ballot: 2, 4 and 5.
- District Attorney: Compare the 12 candidates running for District Attorney.
- Los Angeles Unified School District: Here's an overview of the challenges facing the district. Plus: Meet the candidates vying to represent your child's education in districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.
- The judiciary: There are more than two dozen judges up for election or reelection. Plus: Tips to make sure you're putting right person on the bench.
- County Central Committees: There are nearly 200 seats up for election for these committees, which govern L.A.'s political parties.
Overwhelmed? We have some shortcuts for you.
- Four races that have the most impact on your day-to-day life
- If you care about housing affordability
- If you care about homelessness
- If you care about public safety and criminal justice
- If you care about the climate emergency
Statewide races
- Prop. 1: Evaluating a $6.38 billion bond proposition that aims to create more housing, treatment and support for people struggling with mental health, drug and alcohol issues. Plus: A guide to understanding California's Proposition system.
Federal races
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