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CD 11 RACE -
"I was elected to fight City Hall, not be like City Hall."
About 75 or so Venetians gathered last week at the residence of an enthusiastic supporter to get a community update from Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) on what was Venice before, the changes being made and the overall future of Los Angeles.
It was vintage Park, no notes and a full command of the issues in a race for reelection where she is moving full steam ahead and no looking back.
Composed and confident, the first-term council member reeled a series of accomplishments, challenges, goals and objectives for this Palms based, East Venice neighborhood.
Park articulated a strong command of the priorities, policies and challenges that faced both Venice and Los Angeles in her 60-minute presentation.
The daughter of a school secretary mom and US Army veteran & public employee union Dad, Park was an unknown political outsider who took a crowded council race by storm four years ago by focusing often and early on the only issue that universally resonated and that was the encampment crisis and the effect it was having on her Venice neighborhood while the incumbent politically imploded under his own weight of incompetence and indifference.
"I was a fluke in 2022," offered the hard charging and blunt speaking incumbent.
After a second-place finish in that June Primary, Park crafted and consolidated a coalition with the other hopefuls that produced her 52%-48% win and has never looked back as she is now a player within Los Angeles city governance and politics.
She finds herself running against a fellow Venetian for a second time in DSA progressive Faizah Malik, but Park is really running against herself like a marathon runner seeking to beat her best time. Having raised more than any other candidate on the ballot with maybe the exception of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass herself, Park is creating a wider and brighter political landscape in a city where incumbents are at-risk and basically unliked.
Her rise to relevance is based on hard work, discipline and a political talent that has bloomed in her short time at the center of Los Angeles politics.
Five years ago, Venice was described as the most dangerous beach in America by Outforia, and Park responded with the housing of some 1,000 individuals, and the enforcement of 41.18, the municipal ordinance that prevents encampments in safe and sensitive spaces throughout the district, most importantly the beach.
Touting the return of the television program Bay Watch back to Venice, Park noted that 350 new jobs were part of this economic revival here in the neighborhood. For Park sees her term of office as a Westside Comeback Story worth telling, reminding and repeating.
She pointed to the Fan Zone that will promote the FIFA World Cup next month, a series of outdoor concerts at the beach as well as the LA Jazz Festival during this summer season.
"Bringing Venice Back" is the cornerstone of her tenure, as keeping the community safe continues to be a top priority. This shrewd coalition of homeowners, police, fire and business groups along with a collection of private sector labor rank & file and attention to community advocacy on the twin issues of homelessness and quality-of-life concerns leaves this incumbent in a very good place with voters seeking tangible and consistent results.
Regarding the 2028 Summer Olympics, Park reminded those in attendance that no events were originally scheduled by the beach, but after negotiations with LA28, Venice will be part of the marathon as well as other para-Olympic activities. NBC has also announced their broadcast center for that 17-day international extravaganza will be here in Dogtown.
Those in attendance nodded in approval.
"Our Olympic footprint will be huge. We are laying a foundation for an economic runway to maintain Venice as a #1 tourist destination," offered the Incumbent.
Park's update on the encampment crisis has shifted to stationary and illegal RVs along key corridors like Washington Boulevard, where a reduction has been obvious and evident.
This attention to governmental detail is impressive and persuasive.
For the issue that has most elected officials off stride, Park is laser focused on moving the needle on RVs and homeless encampments.
Park believes that mandating recovery regarding substance abuse and alcoholism within the homeless equation needs to be fully explored to ensure those on the streets get the help and assistance they need.
Park also noted that the council office's work in Playa Vista has that neighborhood now "encampment free."
Who else can say the same?
Park also offered her commitment to cracking down on "Van Lords," those who own and rent these substandard vehicles for profit to the most at-risk individuals on the streets today.
"We need to manage our curb space effectively, we must keep working, we have come a long way and no more excuses" in this battle to end this scourge on the streets of Venice as well as the rest of CD-11.
Park also was the only "no" vote (12-1) on the adoption of the $14.8 billion-dollar, 2026-27 LA Municipal Budget, as she believes the LAFD is underfunded, and added dollars for other resources are required from a public safety perspective.
"I was elected to fight city hall, not be like city hall," Park pronounced, to a strong round of applause.
Park addressed the unfounded accusation that homelessness is being "criminalized," and noted "no one is being arrested for violating 41.18."
It is a truth that is plaguing the mayoral campaign of her council nemesis Nythya Raman, mired in what appears will be a third-place finish and out of the money for the fall runoff leaving reality personality Spencer Pratt and Mayor Karen Bass to fight it out themselves.
And while Park is not endorsing in the mayoral race, she had high praise for incumbent City Attorney Hydee Feldstein-Soto in her reelection bid as well as Democrat, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan in his race for California governor.
Like Park, Mahan has a plan for homelessness as this commonsense wing of Democratic governance produces not headlines, but actual results.
Regarding the controversial Venice Dell project, now mired in lawsuits and litigation for over a decade, Park has proposed an alternative site (Lot 731), to finally end the controversy with a better plan that makes sense for Venice.
Seeking consensus and solution, Park described the current Venice Dell controversy like the "bad boyfriend that won't go away."
Park is also proud of the vastly improved relations with LAPD when compared to her predecessor, calling it both "professional & respectful."
Regarding future economic development, Park noted a need for the adequate infrastructure investment that addresses density, "a plan that is balanced."
Getting back to homelessness, Park emphasized the population on the street "needs a doctor; a hospital mandate to get well." She stated long-term sobriety and recovery assistance is required to take a major step in solving the crisis that is both difficult and complicated.
"Treatment first results, shared and sober housing, long term recovery that includes step down management," are at the heart of her policy formations moving forward.
"We need to force the issue to save someone's life. Our work is not done."
In the case of Councilwoman Traci Park, the work is what keeps her focused, driven, and moving forward.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-three-year resident of the Westside and is covering the numerous races on the June 2nd Primary ballot, including the race in CD-11. A contributing writer to City Watch LA, he can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected])
