8 Candidates Qualified for CD14 City Council RaceTheir Answers to Our Questions Part II – Downtown LA + CD14 Questions

Political News

Downtown LA Questions:

Question #1 - Downtown LA is the area most affected by the unhoused population in part because of the Skid Row neighborhood. Coping and navigating homeless encampments along with people with drug and mental health challenges is the #1 concern/complaint we hear about living in downtown. How would you address the needs of the homeless while addressing the needs of residents?

Kevin de Leon

Kevin de León - “Skid Row is a continuation of failed policies that took place decades ago. In order to confront this crisis, we need a coordinated effort from the City, County and State. Our district under my leadership has built the most housing and while that has worked in other parts of CD14, Skid Row needs deeper coordination to be successful.”

Eduardo “Lalo” Vargas

Eduardo “Lalo” Vargas - “Without stable living conditions, problems such as harmful drug addiction and mental health crises cannot meaningfully be solved. Housing is a right and we must take swift action to permanently house the homeless and prevent others from becoming unhoused. This entails initiating emergency measures for shelter and rehabilitation while strengthening preventative policies such as rent control and eviction freezes.”

Wendy Carrillo

Wendy Carrillo - “When it comes to our unhoused community, the City of LA needs to create more shelter beds, mental health resources and focus on both short term and long term housing solutions for our most impacted. As an assembly member I secured over $50 million to revitalize LA General Hospital to turn it into affordable housing and a resource center for folks being impacted by homelessness and mental health issues.”

Nadine Diaz

Nadine Diaz - “In terms of addressing the needs of the homeless population, it is important to triage the homeless population to determine an effective plan for housing and providing wrap around services for a population of people who represent the elderly, the Veterans, the drug addicts, the mentally challenged, the medically challenged, the undocumented, the families, the children, the women, the men, and students of all ages.”

Teresa Y. Hillery

Teresa Y. Hillery - “I plan to work closely with neighborhood councils, county and city departments, faith-based organizations, and other NGOs to serve people experiencing homelessness, aiming to expand affordable housing and implement effective homelessness wraparound programs.  I will secure more resources (ie, CIRCLE, etc.) and advocate for the implementation of the Skid Row Action Plan, which will have a positive impact on DTLA.” 

Ysabel Jurado

Ysabel Jurado - Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis in Los Angeles, most acutely felt in DTLA. Our approach involves a housing-first model, allocating resources to build affordable and supportive housing units while simultaneously investing in mental health services and collaborative efforts with service providers to ensure real support for individuals experiencing homelessness. We also intend on investing in Community Resource Hubs (CRH).

CD14 Questions:

Question #1 - CD14 is a diverse district with each neighborhood having specific needs, issues, and concerns. How would you ensure equity and be an advocate for all who live in the district?

Eduardo “Lalo” - “The level of care and investment a neighborhood receives should not be dependent on the income level of its residents. LA is one of the wealthiest cities on the planet, we have the resources to provide high quality services to all Angelenos. Everyone benefits from a city that prioritizes the needs of the poor, and of working families, who every day make this city run.”

Wendy - “I have spent the past 7 years in the assembly fighting for equity and advocating on behalf of underrepresented communities. I have brought millions of dollars in resources to tackle the inequities our people are experiencing everyday. The combination of my proven leadership, homegrown roots, and compassion make me the strongest leader for CD14.”

Nadine - “I am a third-generation constituent of CD 14 who comes from a multi-cultural family and background. I am an American of Japanese, Mexican, Basque, and Yaqui Indian descent who believes in cultural sensitivity, cultural competency, and cultural proficiency for all people. Giving homage and recognition to the diversity of everyone in CD 14 is important to me in addressing and identifying their needs, issues, and concerns.”

Teresa - “Our neighborhood council system is an untapped resource of concerned stakeholders who should be respected and supported.  I plan to work closely with NC leadership to help identify the most pressing issues, needs, and concerns in their respective communities.  I also plan to implement a communication system that will encourage and foster dialogue with all who live in the district.”

Ysabel - To ensure every voice is heard and every concern addressed, I'm committed to a grassroots approach. I'll establish regular town hall meetings, community forums, and visit neighborhood council meetings diligently. These platforms will serve as spaces for open dialogue, where residents can directly engage with decision-making processes. It's essential to empower communities to shape the policies that affect them.

Kevin - “Council District 14 is composed of diverse neighborhoods with unique and specific needs. My staff responds to each community which is why I have 5 offices – one in each individual neighborhood with another coming to DTLA soon. The breadth of my work since taking office has demonstrated results for each community. For highlights, please visit our city website: www.councildistrict14.lacity.gov”

Question #2 - How would you build trust and transparency with the people living in CD14?

Wendy - “I would build trust and transparency by prioritizing events, meetings, and community outreach opportunities as a city councilwoman to ensure there is and will continue to be constant dialogue, compassion, and courage shown for our community in leadership roles. The more access the people of CD14 have to their leaders, the more the policies will reflect the needs and wants of the community.”

Nadine - “Building trust and transparency with people living in CD 14 will require building rapport with every constituent in the district. I ran in 2015 against Jose Huizar because of the lack of transparency in CD 14. In 2024, I am running again because not much has changed with the current leadership who moved into the district to run for Mayor.”

Teresa - “First, step into the shoes of others to understand them, who they are and their struggles; then address those issues to the best of my abilities.  Create an environment of honest and transparent communication that extends beyond City Hall and into our community.  Make our financial affairs easy for constituents to “follow the money”.

Ysabel - “I'll institute regular town halls, open forums, online platforms to engage constituents, and commit to regular updates on legislative actions, budget allocations, and inviting community feedback in order to foster trust and ensure ongoing dialogue and transparency. It is a top priority of mine that every single resident has a seat at the table and has their voice heard, honored, and uplifted.”

Kevin - “I am building trust with our community members by engaging with them directly. I listen to their needs and my staff and I respond accordingly. The resources I have brought to each community are proof that I listen and deliver real results, not just empty rhetoric which is ultimately what people care about - results!” 

Eduardo “Lalo” - “Our communities across CD-14 deserve a government by the people that work for them. A Socialist city council member can fight for reforms to get us closer, but only an organized working class can bring about the political change necessary to guarantee these rights and more. We’re running to build a vehicle for working people to fight and make their voices heard.”

Question #3 What does “representing the people” mean to you?

Nadine - “Representing the people” means to uphold and adhere to respect, integrity, transparency, and service. As an elected official acting on behalf of the citizens who have entrusted me with the authority to make decisions and laws, I will lead with a democratic system that will reflect and represent the interests, concerns, and values of the constituents who I serve.”

Teresa - “Listening to stakeholders and then taking an approach that expands opportunities for all people to live a fulfilling life.  Policy choices would rectify a situation in which individuals or groups do not have access to valued opportunities.  My pursuit would be for policies that have the highest net positive impact.  This is what “representing the people” means to me.” 

Ysabel - “To me, representing the people means being a conduit for their voices in decision-making processes. It's about actively listening, understanding diverse perspectives, and advocating for policies that benefit the entire community, especially those historically marginalized or underrepresented. I'm here to amplify the collective voice of CD14 and be a tireless advocate for its residents' well-being and progress.”

Kevin - “Representing the people means advocating for my constituents, and fighting for the issues that affect them most. Being a champion on renters rights, improving public safety and getting the unhoused off the streets. I try to represent all my constituents effectively at city hall, especially those who don’t have a voice in the political arena.”

Eduardo “Lalo” - “It means fighting exclusively for the poor and working classes. My whole life, I have seen how capitalism uses and abuses working families like my own. I believe in fighting for a socialist society where the economy is planned to meet the needs of working people and where political power rests in their hands alone.”

Wendy - “Representing the people to me means treating every community member with compassion and understanding. I am a daughter of this district and know our people deserve better and am ready to continue to deliver results for our communities with courage. I lead by my values of equity, justice and opportunity, meaning that representing the people is about a tide that lifts all boats.”

Compiled by Debra Shrout