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WESTSIDE - If today's enthusiastic and rowdy crowd was any indication as to the interest in this race for Los Angeles City Council here in the 11th District, buckle your seat belt.
Roughly 350 residents, city staffers, union members, and supporters of the three council hopefuls packed Grace Lutheran Church here in Venice Sunday afternoon as two first-time candidates made their case why change makes sense as incumbent Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) confidently and cooly called for another four years in this district where homelessness, crime, public safety, municipal finances and Palisades wildfire dominated the two-hour conversation that was moderated by ABC News Reporter Josh Haskell.
The Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC) hosted the Candidate Forum as the candidates took to the stage for the first time for 2026.
WRAC, an alliance of 14 neighborhood and community councils spanning Beverly Crest, Brentwood, Del Rey, Mar Vista, Pacific Palisades, Palms, South Robertson, West LA-Sawtelle, Westside, Venice, Westchester, Westside, and Westwood, hosted the forum to provide voters an opportunity to compare the candidates’ positions on key issues facing the district.
Venice Community Officer Nico Ruderman was one of the organizers of the event in cooperation with the other six neighborhood councils that populate CD-11. Several members of the Venice Neighborhood Council were also in attendance including President David Feige, Vice-President Gary Pearl, Treasurer Helen Fallon, Communications Chair Soraya Moss as well as Community Officers Lisa Redmond, Sarah Mahir, Erica Moore, Ted Henderson and Alley Bean.
The huge audience that jammed the aisles as well as upstairs viewing was impressive given the picture-perfect weather on a Sunday afternoon as Venetians lined up outside to gain entrance to the forum.
Haskell finally introduced Faizah Malik, Jeremy Wineberg and Councilwoman Traci Park to the packed house as the candidates were warmly received. In the case of the two Venetians, Malik and Park, clearly had urged supporters to attend as many in the audience wore hats and shirts supporting their respective candidate.
Wineberg stressed he was not a politician, but a victim of the Pacific Palisades wildfire where he lost his home.
Wineberg stressed the fire was "preventable," and that his emphasis was "neither left or right," and he described himself as a "builder," and not a creature of partisan politics.
Faizah Malik, an attorney and Venice resident described herself as a Mom and renter coming from a Pakistani and Burmese background as her family immigrated to Los Angeles. Malik accused Park of government "short cuts," and kicking the can down the road when it came to homelessness and that making the district safe was her priority.
Thanking her staff, Councilwoman Park is seeking reelection "to finish what we started," and noted in 2022 "Venice was in the news for all the wrong reasons," and that under her tenure this urban beach enclave was making a comeback as Bay Watch was filming at the beach and that a pathway home was evident as LA prepared for the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
A series of topics followed as the candidates gave their insights on a variety of topics and issues.
LAPD:
Candidate Wineberg was brief simply stating he supported funding for the LAPD while Malik noted crime has decreased by considerable lows and that investing in housing should be a greater priority and would look "closely at future police spending."
Park was adamant that police and public safety spending "wasn't anywhere where it should be," noting that the current force of 8,600 needed to be increased. Wineberg offered that response times were slow as Park offered that the level of public safety is a districtwide concern that must be addressed financially.
Park spoke about the historical expansion of "unarmed response," while Malik discussed better ways to respond to non-urgent calls.
At this juncture an unidentified audience member began screaming at Park and was escorted from the premises.
This was the first in a series of such outbursts that the organizers tried to control.
MENTAL HEALTH:
Wineberg explained that those that are on the streets need to "get the help they need," while Malik discussed how to insure those "homeless neighbors" to get the right level of services.
Park observed that there is a mental health and addiction crisis on the streets as one audience member demanded "how many have you housed?"
The question went unanswered, probably due to the confusion of the outburst that went on for minutes.
Park spoke to "sobriety and recovery" as the key to reducing homelessness in Venice and across CD-11.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
Wineberg questioned safety concerns while Malik called for additional "community housing," as well as transit model housing moving forward.
Park referred to the community planning she has done with constituents, and the hundreds of hours applied to that process in the face of the density issues here in Venice. Park stated "we're doing it" regarding new housing as thousands of units are being constructed under her watch districtwide.
THE VENICE DELL PROJECT:
Wineberg supports the controversial proposal and noted that the project has been approved, why is it being challenged at this late juncture?
Malik supports the project and claims "millions were being wasted" in opposing the plan, and that "misinformation" was delaying the project, and that accusations of a "land grab" were false.
Park was blunt, as she opposes the project describing it as a "Mike Bonin Boondoggle," a reference to her council predecessor who opted to retire than face voters for a third and final term in 2022 after the added threat of a second recall too.
Park called Venice Dell a "ballooning taxpayer expense," with shady appraisals and that her proposal for 400 new units of which 40% would be deemed affordable was a better alternative.
Malik accused Park of attending ribbon cuttings for projects she opposed while questioning the feasibility of Park's approach to affordable housing.
QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES FACING VENICE:
Wineberg focused on Oceanfront Walk, saying it was hardly booming or beautiful, and that taxes in general are out-of-control.
Malik focused on walkability and the greening of Venice. She was concerned that corporations had taken over Abbot Kinney, and that more investment in Venice's infrastructure was essential.
Park believed both modernization and gentrification were obvious and apparent, and she spoke to connecting Penmar to OFW as a future goal and objective.
PACIFIC PALISADES RECONSTRUCTION:
Wineberg spoke of a more streamlined permit process and that he would implement a team of people to work through the bureaucracy facing residents. Malik also emphasized better services, and she would have dedicated staffing regarding reconstruction. Malik also noted she would support rental reconstruction as well as mobile home park restoration.
Park said access to "capital and resolving insurance disputes" as critical for recovery, and that infrastructure investment and road widening just as important as she noted a Pacific Palisades Town Hall would be held Monday evening to further discuss.
Park emphasized she protected essential job positions within LAFD from cuts while blowing the whistle on a lack of services. Malik was concerned for fire survivors, especially displaced teachers and mobile homeowners.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:
Park was proud of her votes to increase LAPD pay some 22%, while Malik was committed to no layoffs. Park revealed salaries as a "#1 expenditure, but the #1 investment" from her point of view.
Park said she would continue to invest in staffing and technology while avoiding "frivolous spending."
CITY SPENDING:
Wineberg said he would use technology to track spending, such as dashboard usage. Malik observed a "culture of mistrust" and cited her endorsement from Kenneth Mejia, the LA City Controller as an example of her commitment to ensuring tax dollars are spent wisely.
When it came to homeless spending, Park cited the "double downing on failure."
Park believes service providers need to be held accountable, and that investing in mental health, recovery and housing are the pillars to reducing homelessness.
Malik believes temporary shelters have what she viewed as endless funding versus permanent housing. Park countered that her proposal on Main Street is a far better investment for taxpayers when it comes to permanent housing.
THE "B" WORD:
The moderator mused when he brought up the controversial Mike Bonin, the Park council predecessor and political nemesis, and his role in this campaign. Park accused Malik of being "Bonin's attorney," and Malik asked Park to stop stating this false assertion to the media.
Malik also countered that there were 700 evictions in CD-11 on Park's watch. Malik is the only renter of the three hopefuls.
Malik countered the Bonin argument that Faizah Malik, and not Mike Bonin, is on the ballot and challenging the incumbent.
Park countered by saying "I'm sitting here because of Mike Bonin," even stating that Bonin was Malik's "mentor."
Wineberg interjected by saying the race was nonpartisan, "not left or right," and let's move forward. Malik is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America or DSA while Park, a former Republican is widely described as a moderate Democrat, much in the mold of a Rick Caruso. Many refer to her policies as more common sense, then political, adding to her appeal as an independent elected official.
HLA & 41.18:
Wineberg was concerned about safe streets and called for compliant, accessible, and mobile roadways.
Malik also endorsed safe streets and accused Park of opposing mobility plans.
Park opposes HLA due to its endless mandates and lauded bike mobility as an avid cyclist.
Malik claimed signage regarding 41.18 was costing millions, while Park said kids shouldn't be stepping over drug addicts to get to school.
Park said she would continue to support housing and services together while protecting children.
FUTURE OF LAHSA:
Park emphasized her opposition to LAHSA and endorsing this "divorce" from the controversial agency that has been downsized and in the process of being phased out by county officials.
No one seemed to support a city department for homelessness since those services are county driven.
Park called the agency a bureaucracy "with no results," and felt local control and centralization made the most sense.
TAXES:
None of the candidates were proposing new taxes, and Malik called sales taxes by definition, regressive.
The near two-hour debate ended with closing statements with Malik receiving a rousing ovation from her supporters.
Park's overall presentation and command of the issues was evident as she looked beyond the June Primary and was thinking about the challenges of an expected second term and that while things could be difficult, her commitment to the issues and solving problems was steadfast and determined. Park's agenda to a brighter and better future for Los Angeles, CD-11 and in particular Venice was her true vision beyond the nuts and bolts of the campaign.
It was rumored that this would be the only debate of the campaign but given the size of the audience and the magnitude of the issues, it would be interesting if more discussions such as today are scheduled with three months until election day.
The enthusiasm for future debates and forums seemed obvious.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-three-year resident of the Venice neighborhood and is covering the race for Los Angeles city council in the 11th CD. Have a take or tip on the race? Contact him via e-mail at [email protected])
