LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles employers, business and housing leaders applauded Mayor Bass’ seventh executive directive today. Here’s what they’re saying:
Michelle Gaskill-Hames, Regional President of Southern California and Hawaii Markets, the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals:
“Easing production hurdles is a welcome change toward expediting housing availability in the city so that our healthcare professionals and employees across industries can be able to call Los Angeles home. As the leading health care employer in Los Angeles, Kaiser knows that affordable and available housing is crucial for our city to successfully compete with other cities and states across the country to recruit and retain talented professionals. Thank you to Mayor Bass for her bold leadership and sensible actions aimed at increasing housing availability for all Angelenos.”
Nella McOsker, President & CEO, Central City Association:
“CCA applauds Mayor Bass on Executive Directive 7 (ED 7) to help streamline housing production for all income levels in Los Angeles. Mayor Bass’ ED 7 strongly aligns with CCA’s priorities to cut down discretionary processes and reduce permitting wait times to alleviate our housing crisis. This is precisely the kind of public private collaboration that shows the City's commitment to keeping investment and development here in L.A.”
Marty Borko, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute:
“The Mayor’s continuing efforts to address housing attainability, which helps reduce our unhoused population, is a critical policy direction that helps make our City a better place to live. It supports our real estate and development community to expeditiously provide more housing at all levels.”
Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council:
“Los Angeles Business Council appreciates the Mayor’s leadership on setting a higher bar for City processes and including objectives to accelerate the planning and development approval process so that the more affordable housing can be delivered. LABC’s research study conducted in partnership with UCLA and CalStateLA reinforces Mayor Bass’ goals, finding that at a minimum, a 25% increase in more efficient processes is possible for City departments.”
Ernesto Medrano, Executive Secretary, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council:
“The price of housing is dictated by supply and demand market forces so building more housing can help to lower the cost for Angelenos. In order to afford this new housing though, we need to ensure workers have the opportunity to earn union wages and family-sustaining benefits during the construction of this new housing. We commend Mayor Bass for continuing to take bold action to address housing unaffordability in Los Angeles.”