West Valley Youth Investment
If someone offered you an investment with a guaranteed 10-to-1 return, you would take it. That is exactly what investing in our young people offers Los Angeles, and for years the City has failed to make it. I have spent over 20 years working with youth organizations like the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club, and Discovery Cube, and I have seen firsthand how these programs change lives, steer kids away from crime and homelessness, and give working parents a safe place for their children. Investing in our youth has been one of my top priorities since day one. Here is my plan.
Priorities in the Plan
The Path Forward
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A Real Commitment, Not Budget Scraps
The City folded its standalone Youth Development Department into a larger agency, treating youth development as something it could sacrifice because the results are not flashy or immediate. I will fight that mindset. I will use our officeholder funds to directly support youth programs and make sure our district treats investing in kids as the priority it is, because these programs are the backbone of lowering both crime and homelessness in the West Valley.
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One Place to Find Every Program
CD3 is full of excellent youth programs, but parents often have no idea what is available. I will build a comprehensive, searchable directory through the Council office listing every youth program in the district by age, location, hours, cost, and how to apply, covering everything from PlayLA and the YMCA to college-prep and trade programs. It will live online and in print, and we will get it into families' hands door to door and at CD3 pop-ups in shopping centers, parks, and grocery stores.
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A West Valley Business Incubator for Young Entrepreneurs
I have been an entrepreneur since I was a kid, and during this campaign I have met young people with real ideas who just do not know where to start. I will create the West Valley Business Incubator, in partnership with the City's workforce development team and local business groups, with a track built specifically for young people as young as 12. It will connect ambitious kids with successful mentors and investors, a "shark tank" for young people who deserve the chance to make their ideas real.
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Housing Stability for Youth and Families
Youth and families with children are among the largest groups falling into homelessness, and stable housing is the foundation of everything else in a young person's life. My youth directory will include every emergency shelter in CD3, like Hope the Mission, Casa de Vida, and the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission, so families in crisis can find help fast. And I will provide rental assistance to keep youth and families housed, because bridging the rent gap is far cheaper and far kinder than re-housing someone after they have already lost everything.
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Measure the Results, Own the Outcome
What gets measured gets done. On day one, we will gather the data that matters, from the number of youth in our programs to internship availability and graduation rates, and publish it on a transparent public dashboard. I will appoint a West Valley Youth Investment Czar who leads the effort and is personally accountable for hitting our goals. No passing the buck. I will also invite residents with experience in mentorship, trades, and entrepreneurship to join our Youth Investment Task Force.
