Yet another corrupt ballot measure in Los Angeles. The scammers claim this is for healthier streets. In reality, it is for healthier profits for developers—they win and the taxpayers lose.
“Among the campaign’s largest individual donors is Aaron Sosnick, a billionaire hedge fund manager with ties to New York real estate, contributing $686,000. Yuval Bar-Zemer, of the development company Linear City, known for its significant role in the gentrification of the downtown Arts District, has given more than $411,715. Additionally, Todd Wexman, linked to over ten condominium projects on Los Angeles’ east side in the last decade, has donated $400,895.
Among the largest institutional donors is Community Partners, with a total of $819,000.00 in donations. Move LA, a project of Community Partners, is primarily known for promoting public transit, and, according to their website, also focused on “Championing Robust Affordable Housing Near High-Quality Transit”.
The Current reached out to the Yes on HLA campaign asking why they believed so much of their funding came from developers, and whether it might have something to do with One explanation for HLA’s appeal to real estate developers could be the city’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Incentive Program, adopted in 2016 as the result of the passage of Measure JJJ.
TOC allows major density bonuses — taller buildings with more units and less parking — within 2640 feet of “a site containing a rail station or the intersection of two or more bus routes with a service interval of 15 minutes or less”.
Like the spending on homeless, the more we spend, the worse the results. Only the greedy rich make out like bandits.
Funding Dispute Surrounds ‘Yes on HLA’ Campaign as Contributions Top $3 Million
- Angela McGregor, Westside Current, 2/29/24 https://www.westsidecurrent.com/news/funding-dispute-surrounds-yes-on-hla-campaign-as-contributions-top-3-million/article_41ea13e4-d6ab-11ee-8036-37e0e561d0f9.html
LOS ANGELES– With the March 5 elections looming, the “Yes on HLA” campaign, pushing for the implementation of healthier streets in Los Angeles, is under the microscope for its financing.
Having amassed over $3 million in support for Measure HLA, the campaign has drawn criticism over the origins of its funding. Critics highlight substantial contributions from a small group of donors with ties to the real estate development industry, raising concerns about potential motivations behind their financial backing. On X (formerly Twitter), HLA has responded to its critics by blocking users who raise concerns about its funding.
The leadership of the Measure HLA campaign has rebutted allegations of being significantly funded by one active developer. But, an examination of the city’s ethics portal contradicts the campaign’s statement.
Among the campaign’s largest individual donors is Aaron Sosnick, a billionaire hedge fund manager with ties to New York real estate, contributing $686,000. Yuval Bar-Zemer, of the development company Linear City, known for its significant role in the gentrification of the downtown Arts District, has given more than $411,715. Additionally, Todd Wexman, linked to over ten condominium projects on Los Angeles’ east side in the last decade, has donated $400,895.
Among the largest institutional donors is Community Partners, with a total of $819,000.00 in donations. Move LA, a project of Community Partners, is primarily known for promoting public transit, and, according to their website, also focused on “Championing Robust Affordable Housing Near High-Quality Transit”.
The Current reached out to the Yes on HLA campaign asking why they believed so much of their funding came from developers, and whether it might have something to do with One explanation for HLA’s appeal to real estate developers could be the city’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Incentive Program, adopted in 2016 as the result of the passage of Measure JJJ.
TOC allows major density bonuses — taller buildings with more units and less parking — within 2640 feet of “a site containing a rail station or the intersection of two or more bus routes with a service interval of 15 minutes or less”. The Mobility Plan, which HLA would implement, calls for hundreds of miles of protected bus lanes, thereby creating exponentially more bus routes with 15 minute service intervals. For developers interested in maximizing their profits, this would open up the potential for apartment buildings with just half a parking space per unit, an 80% increase in allowable dwelling units, and 33 feet of additional height. Between 8 and 25% of the units built must be affordable, depending on the development’s distance from a major transit stop.
Schneider responded, “More than half of our funding is not from real estate developers. I’m not sure where you are getting that information. The top funder in the campaign is Community Partners / Move LA. Only one donor is an active developer (Todd Wexman). All of the donors to our campaign care about road safety, are appalled at how pedestrian deaths keep rising year after year with no major change from the City, and want to see a safer, more multimodal City.
More on HLA
Healthy Streets L.A., appearing on the ballot as HLA, proposes a citywide mandate to actualize the ambitious 2035 Mobility Plan. This plan, conceived in 2015 but not ratified by voters, aims to introduce hundreds of miles of protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes across the city. While the Mobility Plan is not currently enforceable, it serves as a strategic blueprint, endorsed by the city council with a 12-2 vote.
When it was passed, the Council promised alterations to it in the future, an attempt to assuage concerns from residents that it would ultimately cause gridlock and slow emergency response times. Still, only a small portion of it has been implemented. But if the voters were to approve HLA, the mobility plan would effectively become law and any changes to it would have to be approved by the voters.
An independent analysis by City Administrator Matt Szabo reported that HLA could cost the city — which is currently facing a budget deficit — $3.1 billion over ten years, likely resulting in cuts from other city programs, including those addressing homelessness.
Schneider also contests the city’s financial assessment, arguing that Szabo’s cost projections are significantly exaggerated.
On February 14, the union representing Los Angeles firefighters announced their opposition to the measure, stating that the “road diets” the plan imposes slow response times and endanger public safety. Streets For All responded by accusing the LAFD of playing “political games.”
Schneider has been working full-time for Streets For All for over 4 years. As we’ve reported, Streets For All has been granted extraordinary access to discussions, planning and implementation of so-called “road diets” throughout the city. They were also behind the controversial proposal to demolish the Marina Freeway and replace it with parks and apartments.
Schneider’s efforts to rethink freeway design extends beyond the Marina 90 (which he referred to as a “freeway to nowhere”). In November 2023, celebrating the closure of a section of the 10 freeway through downtown Los Angeles following a massive fire, Schneider penned a blog post entitled, “Is the 10 Freeway closure really Armageddon?”.
“At a minimum,” he wrote, “the closure represents an opportunity for our political leaders to study if the freeway is needed, and how people adapt when freeways are closed.” As Schneider noted in his post, commuters into downtown were utilizing public transportation in greater numbers. Not mentioned, however, business owners near the site were financially devastated by the delivery delays and operation disruptions caused by the closure.
Over the past two years, Schneider has made dozens of political donations, including to CD5 City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, CD4 City Councilmember Nithya Raman, CD13 City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez and City Controller Kenneth Mejia — all of whom have endorsed HLA. StreetsForAll’s PAC has also donated to both Yaroslavsky and Raman.
