Issues

A People-First Vision for Mobility

West Hollywood is approximately 1.9 square miles that is dense, vibrant, and deeply connected to the region. That gives us a choice: design our streets around traffic, or design them around people. I believe we should design them around people.

Multi-modal transportation isn’t just a planning concept. It’s a statement about our values. It means residents can walk safely, bike confidently, ride transit reliably, and drive when needed without fear, frustration, or unnecessary cost. It’s about safety, affordability, and fairness. Hence, why I strongly support the Fountain Avenue project.

Transportation is one of the largest household expenses after housing. When car ownership becomes mandatory for daily life, we raise the cost of living. Parking requirements increase rent. Insurance costs strain working families. A system that assumes everyone drives effectively taxes those who can least afford it. Lastly, we have exceeded our road capacities both locally and regionally.

Mobility is also an equity issue. Not everyone can drive — seniors, youth, people with disabilities, and residents who cannot afford or choose not to own a vehicle (like me). When safe alternatives don’t exist, independence disappears. And traffic violence disproportionately harms pedestrians and vulnerable communities. Street design is public safety policy.

A people-first approach means completing protected bike networks, improving high-injury intersections, strengthening transit connections, and managing curb space thoughtfully. It means reducing vehicle miles traveled to meet climate goals while supporting small businesses through walkable, human-scale corridors.

This is not a war on cars. Many residents will continue to rely on vehicles. The goal is balance. A well-designed street works for the senior crossing slowly, the parent with a stroller, the commuter cyclist, the rideshare driver, and the small business owner.

Because we are small, change is achievable. Mobility is how we expand opportunity — to jobs, healthcare, education, and community life.

Safer.
More affordable.
More connected.
More human.

That is the West Hollywood I believe in.

A People-First Vision for Housing in West Hollywood

West Hollywood is 1.9 square miles; small in size, but bold in identity. We are a renter-majority city built on inclusion, creativity, and community. Housing policy here isn’t abstract. It’s personal.

A people-first vision for housing starts with a simple belief: everyone deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to live. This has been my approach as a West Hollywood Planning Commissioner and my continued vision if elected to serve on the City Council. 

West Hollywood has long been a haven for LGBTQAI+ residents, artists, seniors, immigrants, and working people who built this city’s character. But rising rents and housing shortages threaten that legacy. If we don’t act thoughtfully, we risk becoming a city only the wealthy can afford.

Housing is about dignity. It’s about stability for families, independence for seniors, and opportunity for young people just starting out. It’s also about fairness. When supply doesn’t meet demand, costs rise and longtime residents pay the price.

We need a balanced approach that protects renters while planning responsibly for the future. That means:

• Preserving existing rent-stabilized housing.
• Encouraging thoughtfully designed new housing in appropriate areas.
• Reducing unnecessary barriers that increase construction costs.
• Aligning housing growth with transportation and infrastructure.
• Ensuring new development contributes to affordability and community benefits.

Housing policy must also reflect our environmental commitments. Building near transit, supporting walkable neighborhoods (we have a walkability rate of 91: Yay!), and reducing parking mandates can lower costs and support sustainability.

This is about intentional growth that keeps West Hollywood diverse, vibrant, and livable.

When we plan for housing with people at the center, we protect what makes this city special: its openness, its creativity, and its sense of belonging.

Safer.
More affordable.
More inclusive.
More sustainable.

That’s a people-first housing future for West Hollywood.