One of these candidates will win Venice’s first election for L.A.
City Council in five years! - Flora Gil Krisiloff
1. What would you do, if anything, to
change the neighborhood council system?
I
believe the Neighborhood Council system needs to be supported by the Council
office and City. This experiment in expanding democracy to local
communities is new and needs time and resources to develop. I would work
to provide additional resources and support to neighborhood councils throughout
the 11th
District.
2.
Do you support community control of development? If so, would you make any
exceptions?
As the
former President of the West Los Angeles Area Planning Commission, one of my
primary efforts was to protect communities from overdevelopment, promote smart
growth and make sure that community members were active participants in the
development and planning process of their neighborhoods. I fully support
community involvement in
development.
3.
Section 8 housing is being cut back and tenants share of the rent is being
raised from 30 to 40 percent. What would you do, if elected, to address this
problem?
I
oppose the unnecessary and unfair elimination of Section 8 housing, particularly
by owners who have committed to providing low income housing and are now
attempting to maneuver out of their commitments. I would actively advocate
to our federal, state and county leaders to maintain the level of Section 8
housing and protection against tenant
abuse.
4.
How would you promote low-income housing throughout the city, including
Venice?
As an
advocate of affordable housing, I would use my experience as a Planning
Commissioner to increase the number of affordable units in new developments and
promote rehabilitation of existing housing to keep rents affordable for working
families.
5.
Many Housing and Urban Development (HUD) buildings are being privatized and
residents evicted. What would you do about this?
I
would advocate that federal leaders hold owners accountable to maintaining their
legal obligations and not attempt to void those contracts in order to privatize
and evict low income
families.
6.
Venice's largest low-income housing complex, Lincoln Place, is being depopulated
and may be demolished. Would you support the tenants' efforts to save it?
How?
Yes.
I would support the effort of Lincoln Place residents to see that the the
housing complex is granted historic designation by the City and
State.
7.
What is your position on the future of LAX and Santa Monica Airport?
I
believe that we must stop the expansion of LAX because it threatens our future
quality of life through the traffic it will add to our neighborhoods and the
pollution that will negatively impact residents and our sensitive
ecosystems. I also believe that we should collectively work toward closure
of Santa Monica Airport by 2015.
8.
Do you support rail transit on the westside, such as, extension of the Green
Line and building of the Exposition Line?
How
would you support bringing cheap, safe, efficient mass rapid transit to more
riders in Venice and other westside locations?
I support
light rail transit to relieve our Westside streets. I would work to secure
the funding to complete the Exposition Line from Culver City to Santa Monica,
extension of the Green Line, and a subway line down Wilshire Boulevard to
connect downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. It is imperative that we
have a regional public transportation system that gets cars off of streets and
improves our air
quality.
9.
If residents of Venice submit a petition for reestablishing cityhood, what would
be your position?
I
respect the right of all residents to exercise their constitutional rights for
free speech. However I would like to work closely with our neighborhood
council and community organizations throughout Venice to make the kinds of
improvements and changes that will keep Venice a strong and vibrant part of the
Los Angeles City
family.
10.
How would you solve homelessness without punitive action against the
homeless?
As I have
made sure that the West Los Angeles VA would not be commercialized and more
veterans made homeless, I will fight to increase funding for transitional and
permanent housing as well as a greater State contribution to mental illness and
substance abuse treatment, and for shelters and programs for homeless mothers
and children. As a public health nurse, I realize that solutions to human
needs must not be punitive but socially caring and
responsible.
11.
Do you support or oppose rent control? Do you support or oppose vacancy
decontrol?
I
support rent control. I oppose vacancy decontrol. That said, we need
to build more housing throughout the City and lower demand in order to stabilize
rents. As our City grows, demand will escalate and rents will go even
higher. We must dramatically increase housing opportunities for our
current housing shortage as well as future demands.
12.
Do you support or oppose further expansion of Playa Vista?
I
support increasing the amount of open space in and around Playa Vista. As
Councilwoman I would vigorously pursue efforts to acquire more land from Playa
Vista to keep as open space.
Posted: Tue - February 1, 2005 at 06:00 PM