Hi friends,
What a week. I'm still catching my breath (and catching up on sleep) after Election Day, and yet, there's not much time to rest.
Tonight's City Council meeting may be the biggest night for safe streets since I joined Council, and tomorrow we're hosting a town hall on Flock surveillance at the Wende.
Let's catch up 🌺
A blue wave, coast to coast 🌊🗳️
Last week, voters in every corner of this country sent a message: they're done with a government that chases down immigrants and hands out favors to billionaires while families struggle to pay rent and buy groceries.
Democrats won back both the House and the Senate, flipping seven Senate seats, including in places like Kansas and South Carolina that pundits had written off.
Never in my lifetime did I expect to see a blue Texas (yeehaw!) 🤠
More than 124 million ballots were cast, a new midterm record.
Hope is in the air! This election was about the cost of living, and voters handed Democrats a clear mandate to deliver for working people. Now we have to actually do it, from Congress all the way down to City Hall.
The wave hit Culver City too 🌊
There’s a lot to celebrate here locally too.
Congratulations to Mayor Freddy Puza on his re-election! Freddy finished as the top vote-getter, a clear sign that Culver City wants to keep moving forward on affordability, safe streets, and protecting our immigrant neighbors. I can't wait to keep working alongside him.
Congratulations also to Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin on her election to the Council. While we haven’t always aligned on the issues, Jeannine has given years of service to this city and will bring new energy to the Council. I look forward to finding common ground and getting things done for Culver City together. Worth recognizing: this will be the first time two women serve together on our City Council.
To Thomas Aujero Small and his campaign manager Olga Lexell: thank you for running an inspiring campaign built on a vision for a more affordable, connected, and welcoming city. Thomas knocked doors, showed up everywhere, and never stopped talking about the issues that matter most to working families. Olga kept the whole operation running with skill and heart. This city is better because you both stepped up.
School Board remains with solid leadership
Congratulations to Triston Ezidore, Brian Guerrero, and Stephanie Loredo on their School Board victories! Our kids and educators are lucky to have such dedicated leaders at the helm, and I'm excited to keep partnering with CCUSD.
Measures T and AA: a win for our city and our schools
Culver City voters also said YES to investing in our community:
Measure T raises the hotel tax (paid by visitors, not residents) from 14% to 15%, then to 16% in March 2028. That's up to about $2 million a year for city services, just in time for the Olympics to bring the world to our doorstep.
Measure AA is a parcel tax generating about $18 million a year for Culver City public schools over the next 10 years.
Thank you to everyone who knocked doors, made calls, and voted to invest in Culver City's future.
To the Vote16 organizers: the movement is stronger because of you
Measure YV, which would have let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in our local elections, came up short this time. But I want to say this to the young people of Vote16 Culver City, including Adina Austin, Alice Blakely, Arlo Meighan-Theil, Mia Moroz and the many student leaders who came before them: you should be so proud.
You made calls, knocked on doors, and stood up at town halls to ask the adults in this city to trust you with a voice in your own future. Thousands of your neighbors said yes, garnering more votes than any one candidate. That's how movements grow, and this one is just getting started. 🌱
TONIGHT: The biggest night for safe streets since I joined Council 🚲🚌🚶
I don't say this lightly: tonight's City Council meeting is the most consequential meeting on mobility since I got to Council.
In a single evening, Council will vote to start construction on Better Overland and Safer Fox Hills, accept $1 million in federal funding for both, set the design for Sepulveda Connects, and put a cap on how much parking new developments can build. These projects and policies have been through years of community meetings, designs, and redesigns.
Tonight is when they become real.
Here's what's on the agenda.
Better Overland: from plans to construction (C-3, C-4)
Tonight we vote to award the construction contract for Phase 1 of Better Overland: new protected bike lanes on Overland Ave from Venice Blvd to Culver Blvd, separated from traffic by concrete barriers wherever feasible, plus a new signalized crosswalk at the Julian Dixon Library. We'll also approve final plans for Phase 3 and send it out to bid.
And despite the scary mailers you may have seen this fall, the design keeps the center turn lane, two travel lanes in each direction, and parking on the east side.
If approved, construction starts in early 2027, with most of Phase 1 done by summer 2027.
Safer Fox Hills: 2.5 miles of protected bike lanes (C-6)
Safer Fox Hills brings more than 2.5 miles of protected bike lanes to Green Valley Circle, Buckingham Pkwy, Bristol Pkwy, and Hannum Ave, along with three new high-visibility crosswalks across Green Valley Circle and new traffic calming throughout the neighborhood. Those streets get repaved first, too.
My favorite detail: modular bus platforms at eight bus stops. The bike lane rises up to sidewalk level at the stop, so buses don't have to cut across the bike lane and riders step straight from the bus to the sidewalk.
$1 million from the federal government (C-5)
We're accepting a $1 million grant from HUD (thanks to our Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove!) to help build Better Overland and Safer Fox Hills. Because it amends the budget, it needs four out of five Council votes.
Sepulveda Connects: faster buses and a safer Sepulveda (A-3)
Sepulveda is our busiest street and our busiest bus corridor, carrying more than 6,700 riders every weekday between LAX and UCLA. It's also one of our most dangerous: 525 crashes in the last six years. Tonight Council will vote on the conceptual design for Sepulveda Connects, which includes:
1.8 miles of bus-only lanes, saving riders 5–6 minutes per round trip. That adds up to 20,000 hours a year back in riders' pockets, and up to $1 million a year in Culver CityBus operating savings we can put back into more service.
1.2 miles of protected bike lanes between Culver Blvd and Ballona Creek, connecting two of our most popular bike paths.
Safer crossings at the busiest intersections, including a fix for the Sepulveda/Machado and Sepulveda/Culver intersections and no-right-on-red at Sawtelle, where kids cross between Sunkist Park and Blanco Park to get to school.
Two travel lanes in each direction plus the center turn lane are kept along the whole corridor.
This design came out of nine public meetings, 50 meetings with businesses and community groups, and more than 1,000 public comments. Construction is expected to start in late 2027 or early 2028, putting new bus lanes on the ground in time for the 2028 Olympics.
Parking maximums (PH-1)
In 2022, Culver City became the first city in LA County to eliminate parking minimums. Tonight we take the next step by setting parking maximums: a cap on how much parking new projects can build, based on our old minimums. For apartment buildings with 16 or more units, that means no more than two spaces per home.
Why? Every parking space we overbuild is space and money that isn't going to homes, shops, or jobs. Structured parking can add tens of thousands of dollars per space to the cost of a new building, and renters end up paying for it. A study of 52 recent projects found 77% already fit within these caps, and projects with a real need can still request a bit more. This is about making sure the next generation of buildings in Culver City is designed for people, not just cars.
Bonus: getting projects built faster (C-11)
We're also adopting an ordinance that lets our City Engineer approve plans for public works projects before they go to bid, instead of requiring a separate Council vote. That's one less step between a project Council already approved and shovels in the ground.
Show up for safe streets! 📣
Safe streets advocates have waited years for this night. Let's make sure Council hears from the people who want these projects built.
The meeting starts at 7 PM at Mike Balkman Council Chambers (9770 Culver Blvd). You can follow along on the city’s YouTube channel and participate either in person or on Zoom.
TOMORROW: What the Flock? Town hall at the Wende 📸
There are 52 Flock cameras in Culver City. Right now, they're photographing the license plate of every car that drives past them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Including yours.
On Monday, November 16, the City Council will take up our contract with Flock Safety. Before we do, I want to hear from you. So tomorrow night, I'm teaming up with Our Culver to host a community town hall on civil liberties, privacy, and policing in Culver City.
WHAT THE FLOCK? Town Hall 📅 Tuesday, November 10, 6–8:30 PM 📍 The Wende Museum Community Center 🥪 Light bites provided
You'll hear from a panel featuring:
Vice Mayor Bubba Fish [me]
Rosalind Jones, KnockLA reporter covering Flock and surveillance
Stephen Jones, organizer with Our Culver
And most importantly, we want to hear your questions, thoughts, and concerns.
Panel discussion: is L.A. Poised for a Mobility Revolution?
The City of LA had a big night on Tuesday too, electing Nithya Raman for Mayor of the country’s second largest city. Nithya has a record of fighting for safer streets and more mobility options.
What does this mean for the future of the region?
Join us for a conversation with the Dutch Cycling Embassy, Streets for All, Biking While Black, and former Culver City mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells!
You can RSVP by emailing diplomatica.world@gmail.com.
