Dozens tell Council to protect Measure ULA and fund trans equity programs
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Summary
More than 50 people spoke during public comment. The majority urged the Council to reject proposed rollbacks of Measure ULA and to protect funding; community groups also asked the Council to back a TGI equity and wellness initiative.
The public comment period on Jan. 27 drew more than 50 speakers and roughly an hour of testimony, with many residents, labor unions and community organizations urging the Council to protect Measure ULA and oppose proposed modifications.
Speakers included Mora O'Neal (Betterneighborhoods Neighbors LA), who asked the Council to delete section 5 and restore prior short‑term rental ordinance language; Elmer Linda Navarez criticized efforts to roll back ULA and called arguments from real-estate interests "ridiculous;" and multiple union and tenant‑advocacy speakers — including representatives who cited UTLA membership and SAGE — urged rejection of any changes that would reduce ULA revenues. Several commenters repeated the figure CMs cited in debate: that ULA has collected more than $1 billion since enactment.
Community groups also raised other policy requests. Bambe Salcedo, president of the Coalition Trans Latina, asked the Council to co‑sponsor and fully fund a TGI equity and wellness initiative to provide services for transgender residents. Andrea Romero and other speakers urged the Council to reject expansions of vacation‑rental conversions, saying those changes would reduce long‑term housing availability.
Why it matters: The volume and consistency of public testimony signal broad community engagement on ULA and related housing and equity issues. Councilmembers repeatedly referenced public comments during floor debate and procedural decisions.
What’s next: Public comment was closed; related items (including Item 19 on ULA modifications and parts of Item 17) were referred to committees for further study or directed for drafting of ballot language, where appropriate.
