Who's running for City Council?

Did you know the Los Angeles City Council is the most powerful city council in the United States? Each of its 15 members represents approximately 260,000 Angelenos. By comparison, New York City’s council has 51 members, and Chicago’s has 50, so each LA City Council member has more individual power and responsibility than their counterparts in similarly large metropolises.

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Fast Facts

• An LA City Council term is four years; members can serve a maximum of three terms.
• The current annual salary for a councilmember is about $224,000, the highest for that role in the U.S.
• City Council districts are redrawn every 10 years, according to the Census.
• Councilmembers are the most powerful government officials in LA, with more direct power, but less access and influence, than the mayor.
• The City Council approves the mayor’s annual multi-billion dollar budget, which funds the city, and creates local laws known as ordinances.

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City Council and Homelessness

Among the many responsibilities of the City Council, members have a lot of control over how city dollars are spent in their districts to fund homelessness initiatives and services. They also play a big role in determining what type of housing development is allowed—and where—within their districts. They oversee the manner in which LAPD officers enforce local ordinances pertaining to unhoused people as well. 

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The Candidates

Three LA City Council districts are up for election this cycle: 2, 10, and 14. Let’s take a look at the choices.

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District 2 (East San Fernando Valley, from Toluca Lake to Van Nuys)

Current councilmember Paul Krekorian has been term-limited. Running to replace him are:

• Jillian Burgos (NP): Burgos is an optician and small business owner who has served on the NoHo Neighborhood Council since 2021. Her roles have included treasurer and chair of the Housing and Services Committee.

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• Adrin Nazarian (NP): A State Labor Board member, Nazarian served for more than a decade in the state Assembly representing the central-southern part of the San Fernando Valley.

District 10 (Central L.A., including Koreatown, Mid-City and West Adams)

Heather Hutt, who was appointed to the District 10 seat in 2022, is running for a full elected term.

• Heather Hutt (NP): A current LA City Council member, Hutt was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was charged with bribery. She worked previously as a U.S. Senate state director and 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.

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• Grace Yoo (NP): Yoo is an attorney and former LA 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. It is her third run for the District 10 seat.

District 14 (Northeast LA, spanning Downtown LA to Highland Park)

Kevin De León, who was elected to City Council in 2020, is running for re-election.

• Kevin De León (NP): A current LA City Council member, De León served in the California State Senate from 2010 to 2018, and the Assembly from 2006 to 2010. He was previously a labor organizer with the California Teachers Association. De León faced calls to resign in 2022, when a recording was released of a conversation between him, two other councilmembers (who have since resigned), and a labor leader, using racist terms to discuss how to use redistricting to amass more power.

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• Ysabel Jurado (NP): Jurado is a tenants rights attorney and affordable housing activist. She describes herself as a single mom and daughter of undocumented Filipino immigrants.

‍Source: LAist