Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez is working hard every day to make Los Angeles a fairer, more affordable, and welcoming place for everyone. Her legislative victories are already changing how the City protects renters, supports working-class families, and increasingly leads with a care-first approach.
Planning and Land Use
Interim Control Ordinance
We advanced legislation to pause the development of new warehouse and distribution facilities larger than 15,000 square feet in the Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan (CASP) area. Permitting is halted until permanent land-use rules are adopted, requiring additional public review before such projects can move forward. This action provides temporary protections for Chinatown, Lincoln Heights, and nearby neighborhoods while long-term updates to the CASP are considered.
Closing Gaps in Brownfield Protections
Too often, contaminated land is located near homes, schools, and parks in working-class neighborhoods and communities of color. We advanced legislation to close this dangerous gap by creating a clearance process with state and federal agencies, updating City databases, such as ZIMAS, to flag brownfield sites early, and assessing how the City manages its own contaminated properties. This strengthens environmental safeguards and ensures community voices are included in cleanup and redevelopment.
Stronger Oversight of Oil Well Redevelopment
More than 1.7 million Angelenos live near the city’s 5,000 active, idle, or abandoned oil wells, putting them at risk of methane leaks, benzene exposure, and spills. We advanced legislation to strengthen oversight by soliciting a report with recommendations to close enforcement gaps, set land use and remediation standards, require methane monitoring, update ZIMAS with safety advisories, hold developers accountable, and integrate community input into redevelopment.
ADU Standardization
We advanced legislation requiring all hillside neighborhoods—including Northeast Los Angeles, Silver Lake, and Echo Park—to follow the same fire safety standards for ADUs and Junior ADUs in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. By mandating sprinklers, off-street parking, and adequate road widths, the ordinance ensures responsible development that meets housing needs while protecting residents and firefighters from preventable disasters.
Immigration and Public Safety
Sanctuary City Ordinance
We advanced legislation formally designating Los Angeles as a Sanctuary City, prohibiting City personnel, property, or resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement purposes.
Strengthening Accountability in Immigration Enforcement
We advanced legislation requiring the LAPD to verify the identity of any individual claiming to be a law enforcement officer during enforcement actions, including federal immigration agents in plainclothes or unmarked vehicles. This step addresses growing concerns about impersonation, masked agents, and a lack of transparency, thereby strengthening accountability, due process, and community trust in public safety.
Backing the No Secret Police Act
We advanced a resolution supporting Senate Bill 627, the “No Secret Police Act,” which would prohibit law enforcement from covering their faces while conducting operations in the state of California and require officers to be identifiable by their uniform, whether by name or other identifier. This move reinforces the City’s stance that masked or covert enforcement cannot operate unchecked in our communities.
Backing the Ban on Military Drone Surveillance
We moved forward a resolution to include support for H.R. 4759 (Gomez), the Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act, which would prohibit the use of unmanned military-grade aircraft to surveil U.S. persons engaged in protest or civil disobedience. This step responds to reports that MQ-9 Reaper drones were flown over Los Angeles protests and calls for stronger congressional oversight of surveillance practices.
Housing and Homelessness
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
We amended the Municipal Code to make sure tenants who applied for United to House LA Emergency Rental Assistance could remain in their homes while waiting for their aid to be processed. By making the protections retroactive, renters who applied before the ordinance took effect were still protected. This helped keep families housed and put a dent in the eviction-to-homelessness pipeline.
Protecting Rent Stabilized Ordinance Units
We advanced legislation to pause permits for projects that would demolish five or more occupied rent-stabilized units in Council District 1. This urgent measure buys time to develop permanent protections that go beyond state replacement and right-of-return requirements. It safeguards tenants and preserves affordable homes from speculative redevelopment.
Right to Counsel Program Ordinance
We advanced legislation creating a Right to Counsel Program to provide free legal representation for tenants facing eviction or termination of their subsidy. Eligibility is set at up to 80% of the Area Median Income, with priority given to residents in designated zip codes. It requires landlords and housing authorities to notify tenants of this right in their primary language, include a notice with eviction filings, and post it in common areas. Tenants can use a landlord’s failure to comply as a defense in court.
Expanding ULA Social Housing Financing Tools
We directed city departments to study financing tools that support Measure ULA’s goals of permanent affordability and resident governance. The report will examine financial tools and policy updates that enable low- and moderate-income residents to achieve homeownership—laying the groundwork for community-led, sustainable social housing.
Strengthening Tenant Anti-Harassment Protections
We advanced legislation amending the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (TAHO), which makes it illegal for landlords to intimidate tenants out of their homes. The amendment restored key protections, allowing harassment to be used as a defense in eviction cases, enabling tenants to secure damages for emotional distress, and imposing triple penalties with a minimum of $2,000 per violation. This win deters bad-faith actors and highlights the importance of community voices in shaping housing policy.
Transportation and Public Works
Red Flag No Parking Designation and Signage
We advanced legislation creating new “Red Flag Day” parking restrictions in hillside neighborhoods of Montecito Heights, Glassell Park, and Mt. Washington. The Fire Department surveyed Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and the Department of Transportation installed signage. This keeps evacuation routes clear and ensures faster emergency response during high fire risk days.
Maya Corridor Gateway in Westlake
We secured funding to complete the Maya Corridor along 6th Street in Westlake, adding gateway monuments, cultural signage, new trees, and decorative intersections. The 0.8-mile project honors the Maya community in Los Angeles and reflects years of collaboration with a Community Advisory Board and cultural experts. This investment delivers long-awaited public space improvements while uplifting Indigenous heritage and community identity.
Dodger Stadium Transportation Study
We suspended advancement of the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (gondola) project until a new traffic study is completed. The study will assess impacts on Dodger Stadium and the surrounding neighborhoods and evaluate intersection performance and mitigation. This ensures decisions are based on facts and protects communities from unchecked development.
Expanding Support for Sidewalk Vendors
We advanced legislation to create an interactive map showing where sidewalk vending is permitted in Council District 1 and to launch listening sessions with vendors. City departments will gather input directly from street vendors and report back with recommendations to improve policies, programs, and services.
Animal Welfare
Pet Rent Prohibition and Tracking Surrenders
We introduced legislation to gather data on why people surrender pets to city shelters, including the number of cases involving tenants. It also directs the City Attorney to draft an ordinance banning landlords from charging monthly “pet rent.” These steps set the stage for stronger tenant protections and policies that keep families and their pets together.
Fee Waivers for Pet Adoption
We amended the Municipal Code to allow the Department of Animal Services to waive adoption and redemption fees for animals in City shelters. By removing these cost barriers, the ordinance makes it easier for families to adopt pets and for owners to reclaim lost animals. This reduces overcrowding in shelters and supports more humane outcomes across Los Angeles.
Exploring Stipends for Animal Fosters
We advanced legislation directing the Department of Animal Services to report on the City’s foster program, including the number of volunteers and animals that participated in 2023. It also requests recommendations on establishing a stipend program to support foster volunteers, including details on costs, structure, and best practices. This advances our commitment to easing shelter overcrowding and improving animal well-being.
Government Reform, Transparency, and Accountability
Studying a Two-Year Budget Cycle
We advanced legislation to study what it would mean for Los Angeles to adopt a two-year budget cycle. The report will include recommendations, a proposed timeline, and ways to increase public participation. This sets the stage for a more proactive budget process that gives Angelenos a more decisive say in how taxpayer money is used.
City Ethics Commission Funding
We put forward legislation to make sure the City Ethics Commission has stable funding every year, instead of depending on the ups and downs of the budget process. It looks at models where departments, such as the Los Angeles Library and Recreation and Parks, receive funding through a set formula. This is about accountability in City Hall and ensuring the Ethics Commission has the independence and resources it needs to do its job effectively.
Modernizing City Budget Tools
We advanced legislation to update the City’s digital budget tools, allowing Angelenos to better see how their tax dollars are being invested. The motion calls for a report on existing platforms and recommendations to add surveys, data visualization, and other online tools that make budget information more accessible.
Youth Participation in the Independent Redistricting Commission
We advanced legislation to make sure young people have a seat at the table in the new LAUSD Independent Redistricting Commission going before voters this November. The Youth Development Department, together with LAUSD and community groups, will design a framework for how students can take part. With over 400,000 students impacted by redistricting, this step makes sure their voices are included in shaping the future of their schools.
Work Experience In Lieu of Education Requirements
We advanced legislation to make it easier for people to qualify for City jobs by allowing work experience to count in place of a college degree in many cases. The goal is to widen the applicant pool, speed up hiring, and create more equitable access to City employment.
Employment-Based Visas
We advanced legislation calling for a review of hiring policies to ensure that qualified applicants who require visa support can be considered. This opens opportunities, addresses job shortages, and makes the City’s workforce more inclusive.
