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How to get involved in local politics?
I hope this isn't a stupid question. After the city council just voted to keep housing restricted, things are feeling pretty depressing and hopeless when it… How do you get involved in local politics?
I hope this isn't a stupid question. After the city council just voted to keep housing restricted, things are feeling pretty depressing and hopeless when it comes to our current city government. I know people say "get involved by talking at local meetings!" But...it's not like they don't know it's an issue, right?
Maybe it's my renter bias but I'm genuinely confused how some huge protest hasn't happened yet, maybe because there hasn't been one single catalyst for it like George Floyd, I don't know. But if that's not happening, then the pro-housing crowd just needs more votes. So how do people actually get involved/elected? Especially if they're renting and therefore might need to move around more to different districts? I'm not in a political or law field, but when I look at the backgrounds of representatives, there seem to be some on the ballot that come from pretty random places and yet get endorsed to run.
honestly just start following a few local housing accounts on twitter or instagram. the LA YIMBY people post all the time about which meetings actually matter and they're pretty welcoming to newcomers. also the city clerk's office has a commission appointment list online, you can apply to sit on something like the rent adjustment commission even if you don't have a fancy background
Renters actually have an advantage here that homeowners don't. You can show up to any neighborhood council in the city and participate, while some homeowner associations are legally restricted to property owners only. The Hollywood Neighborhood Council, for example, lets anyone who lives, works, or owns property in the area vote and serve on committees.
If you want to affect housing policy specifically, skip the city council meetings for now and go straight to the Planning Commission hearings at city hall. They meet twice a month and that's where the actual zoning decisions get hashed out before they ever reach council. The agendas are posted online about a week ahead and you can sign up to speak for three minutes on any item.
The YIMBY groups are good but they're not the only game. Abundant Housing LA does a lot of the legwork on tracking which council members are up for reelection and where they're vulnerable. They're always looking for volunteers to knock on doors in districts where pro-housing candidates are running against incumbents who voted to restrict housing. That's the kind of door-to-door work that actually moves elections, not just showing up at meetings.
Nope, not a stupid question. The thing about local politics in LA is that the actual path to influence usually starts way before meetings or running for office. Look into your neighborhood council. Hollywood, Westside, South LA, they all have them and they're the closest thing to a direct pipeline to city hall without needing a law degree. The meetings are less formal and people actually listen because those councils hold some sway over land use decisions.
If you're a renter who might move, that's actually fine for most volunteer roles. The neighborhood councils are district-based but you can participate in any of them. The trick is finding the one that matches where you work or spend your time, not just where you sleep. I've seen people get appointed to city commissions after a year of showing up to the right neighborhood council meetings and making friends with the right people.
The protest thing you mentioned, you're right that it hasn't happened. But what did happen is that groups like Abundant Housing LA and YIMBY Action have been slowly building a network of renters who show up to every single planning commission meeting. That's the grindy work. If you want to see change, pick a specific issue like ADUs or density bonuses and find the meeting calendar for that committee. Show up four times in a row and you'll start recognizing the same faces.
How can I find mobile hot dog vendors for a private event?
honestly the SGV has a ton of licensed cart operators who mostly do private stuff now. look up "hot dog cart catering San Gabriel Valley" on Yelp and you'll get a handful that are fully permitted, which matters if your venue needs a health permit on file. expect around $400 to $700 for a few hours plus a per person minimum, usually 50 or so. the ones based in Alhambra and Rosemead tend to be cheaper than Pasadena because they're not paying that rent.
fwiw the county health dept keeps a public list of permitted mobile food operators, its searchable by city on the LA County Public Health site. filter for "pushcart" or "MFF" and you'll get vendors cleared for SGV zip codes, which saves you the headache of a venue asking for paperwork later. also worth checking with the Old Town Monrovia or Alhambra farmers market folks, the carts there are usually booked solid but they know who's free and they'll pass along names. just dont wait till the last week, good ones book out 2 to 3 weeks in teh summer.
You could try hitting up the folks who set up outside Home Depot or the DMV in El Monte on weekends, a lot of those carts are owner operated and they'll do private gigs if you ask. Just walk up and grab a card, they usually have one taped to the cart.