SUBJECT: Please Oppose Traci Park’s Anti-Housing Motion on SB 79
TO: Councilmember.Blumenfield@lacity.org, Jeff.Jacobberger@lacity.org, Lisa.hansen@lacity.org, councilmember.nazarian@lacity.org, doug.mensman@lacity.org, Alexis.Wesson@lacity.org, Councilmember.Lee@lacity.org, Erich.king@lacity.org, Hannah.lee@lacity.org, contactcd4@lacity.org, heidi.schultheis@lacity.org, Andrea.conant@lacity.org
CC: councilmember.park@lacity.org, star.parsamyan@lacity.org, jacob.burman@lacity.org
Dear Chair Blumenfield and Members of the PLUM Committee,
I’m writing to urge you to vote against Councilmember Traci Park’s motion on Senate Bill 79 when it comes before your committee on Tuesday.
Councilmember Park has been spreading misinformation about SB 79, including claims that have already been debunked by housing experts and fact-checked publicly. Her recent talking points misrepresent SB 79 as a threat to public safety, infrastructure, and neighborhood character, even though the legislation simply allows more housing near transit and requires affordable units in every qualifying project.
In her motion, Park portrays SB 79 as a drastic overhaul of neighborhood zoning that ignores community input and threatens to overwhelm city infrastructure, traffic systems, and public safety services. But in reality, SB 79 was carefully written to protect sensitive areas, including very high fire hazard zones, coastal zones, and designated historic sites, while allowing more housing near major transit stops where it’s most sustainable.
Los Angeles should not let misinformation guide land-use policy. The PLUM Committee’s decisions must be grounded in facts. Our city is required to plan for hundreds of thousands of new homes over the next four years, and we’re only about 20 percent of the way there. SB 79 is one of the few tools available to make that goal attainable while prioritizing affordability and sustainability. Asking departments to prepare yet another “impact” report will only delay the creation of urgently needed homes and divert resources from implementing our housing commitments.
Please reject Councilmember Park’s motion and reaffirm the City’s support for state housing laws that expand opportunity, reduce car dependence, and align with our climate and equity goals.
Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to expanding housing opportunity for all Angelenos.
