Rolling back the restrictions on small mom-and-pop property landlords. These property owners provide critical housing stock needed for Los Angeles. I have opposed policies that have disincentivized the creation and retention of affordable rental units.

Coalition building and community buy-in is critical to reduce the number of fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists. I have spent my entire 20-year career in public service bringing together Democrats, Republicans, Independents, labor, business owners and community activists to improve the quality of life in Council District 12.

One such example of coalition building is Metro’s North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project, where I worked collaboratively over three years with agencies and stakeholders to build consensus around a revised project that will serve more riders across more diverse communities of the Valley, includes zero emission electric buses, provides improved bus stop design and shelter amenities, and is cost effective.

We can’t achieve any of our goals without Los Angeles being a safe city. I voted against all arbitrary "defund the police" LAPD cuts and am committed to increasing the morale among our rank-and-file officers. I am proud to have the support of our city’s rank-and-file police officers and firefighters.

Transparency with the public is the most effective way to root out corruption. I have always been open and honest with my community regarding my actions and positions. I believe it’s time that the city implements a redistricting process similar to the state and county’s independent redistricting commissions. An independent redistricting process will restore trust with the public.

I will continue to build on my record of finding solutions to get people housed and keep our neighborhoods safe. When I first took office, Council District 12 had zero beds to help get people off the street. Today, we have over 200 beds, with well over 100 additional beds to come online by the end of my term. In light of the legal landscape the city is operating under, we need to have housing available in order to address the crisis on our streets. However, the homeless services I support include services to address the root causes of homelessness, such as mental health and addiction.

I will also continue CARE+ enhanced hygiene and street engagement services in Council District 12, a process that has been refined to prioritize the well-being and dignity of our unhoused neighbors.

A recent City Controller report shows that under my leadership, Council District 12 has the most enforcement of [Ordinance] 41.18 anti-camping zones near sensitive areas like interim and permanent housing, schools, daycare centers, and parks. While these efforts are outreach-led, I firmly believe that enforcement of these rules are necessary and show my commitment to keeping promises made to my community. Under my leadership, CD12 boasts the most robust enforcement in the entire city, working closely with LAPD to ensure our residents feel secure.The City needs a thriving local business community in order to provide core services. My parents’ small business provided everything for me and my brother growing up. I am proud of the support I have from both citywide business organizations and local CD12 business owners.

I was an extra on an episode of the original Full House TV show .

The housing affordability crisis is urgent and must be met with all the tools we have. I will:

1) Appoint a housing deputy for the 12th District to address the most pressing needs and interface with all agencies of government. This staff person will work with the Homeless and Housing Deputy in the Mayor’s Office, Housing and Community Investment Department Advocate, the county and state to coordinate and expedite getting resources. They will also interface with LAPD and social service agencies to ensure those who are in the most dire need get the care they need while protecting our stores and streets.

2) Partner with local churches and houses of worship to utilize the “Yes in God’s Backyard” law that rezoned land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing.

3) We must utilize vacant parcels of land, identified by [former] Controller Ron Galperin, to build cabin communities and permanent supportive housing. We should explore utilizing these parcels for workforce housing for those employed by the City, especially near government institutions.

Finally, the Sepulveda VA Hospital should be considered for Veteran housing. The VA hospital in West LA announced a plan this year to provide housing to 120 homeless veterans through a partnership with the Biden Administration. This could be a great way for CD12 to receive federal funding and address one of the most vulnerable unhoused communities.

Our city needs to do everything it can to both encourage more multi-modal options of transportation and reduce pedestrian fatalities in Los Angeles, where numbers remain troublingly high. We need a full scale reimagining of Vision Zero to ensure we are doing our job of protecting Angelenos while increasing other forms of transportation.

To that end, we need to increase the number and safety of bike lanes, create drastically more protected pedestrian paths, and build systems of public transportation that talk to each other through partnerships with other cities and businesses. Sadly, that is not happening in CD12 even as the City works to address these paramount issues in other areas.

As part of its core mission, the L.A. Dept. of Transportation launched thousands of projects along its identified High-Injury Network, areas of the city that account for 70% of deaths and severe injuries for people walking. Of the thousands of projects launched by the city to increase safety at intersections, coordinate bus stop safety, and create more livable streets, just 26 have been completed in CD12, among the lowest of any Council district. Vision Zero has to be retooled as does our commitment to protecting pedestrians, cyclists and others throughout our community.

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. Unfortunately, in too many communities of CD12, that is not the case. In my neighborhood, for example, LAPD’s Devonshire Division is reporting that incidents of robbery, rape, homicide, and burglary are all on the rise this year. There are a myriad of reasons why that may be the case, but it’s clear that we need to invest more in public safety, including in putting resources back into the department that can actually help sustain its long term vision of safer communities.

That includes having honest conversations with command staff on where we can best allocate sworn resources and civilian resources within the department. We also need to strengthen the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Bureau so it exists in every division and community, instead of the 10 communities in which it currently exists. The CSP approach has to be more all hands on deck and not just a reactive approach to headlines.

I will also work with law enforcement and businesses to make sure our communities are protected from those experiencing mental health crises. Trained intervention workers from my office will be out each day — not behind a desk — with LAPD and social service agencies on speed dial to proactively help those in need while protecting our businesses and community.

As a former Vice President and President of the LA City Ethics Commission, I worked on a single premise: How do we restore confidence in a system stained with corruption? That's one of the reasons I'm running for City Council, announcing my candidacy just weeks after the Ethics Commission accused Councilmember John Lee of “an array of governmental ethics violations,” actions that led to criminal charges and jail time for Lee’s former boss, the former councilmember serving this district, and included "...attempting to mislead the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office.”

Ethics Commission audits trigger investigations into things like laundering, embezzlement, and misreporting, but the department lacks the ability to fully monitor its expansive portfolio given their staffing limitations and outdated policies. We shouldn’t have to wait for an FBI probe to restore faith in our democracy. We need bold action and real solutions. That starts with an empowered Ethics [Commission].

I also support an independent redistricting commission to bring more transparency to our constitutionally mandated duty. This is a long overdue policy that will allow for community input and power to be more decentralized, which will lead to a more fair, open, and equitable process.

One more tool is increasing the size of the City Council to ensure we are meeting the needs of all constituents: 15 Councilmembers for 4 million Angelenos is simply too small to adequately meet the needs of all constituents.

When I’m not running for office, I like to train for endurance sports with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society that funds research and treatment to one day find a cure for a pervasive and brutal disease. Since 2008, I’ve run three half marathons, two marathons, and three triathlons. I’ve had a number of people in my life affected by leukemia, non-Hodgkin's and other forms of blood cancers.

By training for these types of events during the treatment of friends and family who are undergoing treatment for cancer or in memory of those lost with other people who are also navigating the illness or death of their loved ones, we’ve been able to turn a malady and a sense of powerlessness into a way to make progress and build communities of support.