Growth fight’s new voice
Journalist Jill Stewart is selected to lead a coalition’s efforts to stop ‘mega projects.’
A Hollywood-based nonprofit group seeking a crackdown on real estate “mega projects” said Wednesday that a high-level Los Angeles newspaper editor had been tapped to head its campaign.
L.A. Weekly Managing Editor Jill Stewart will leave her post to become campaign director for the Coalition to Preserve L.A., said Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The coalition, which includes the AIDS foundation, has drafted a ballot measure to limit the city’s ability to change planning and zoning rules for major real estate projects.
The coalition must gather 61,486 signatures to qualify its measure for the Los Angeles ballot. Weinstein said he was “delighted” to have Stewart running the coalition. “Stewart brings tremendous expertise and institutional knowledge as well as keen political acumen to the table,” he said.
Los Angeles officials informed the foundation on Monday that it may begin circulating petitions. Foundation spokesman Ged Kenslea said the AIDS nonprofit would provide the primary funding for the coalition’s campaign committee, which will in turn pay Stewart.
A former Los Angeles Times reporter, Stewart has worked at L.A. Weekly since 2006, serving first as news editor and later as managing editor. She was a political columnist before that, writing for New Times and other publications.
The announcement comes as business, labor and affordable-housing groups have been meeting to discuss ways to counter the ballot proposal. Some contend the measure, if passed, would make it more difficult for Los Angeles to address its affordable-housing crisis.
Robin Hughes, president of the nonprofit Abode Communities, said her organization regularly asked for zon- ing changes or amendments to the city’s general plan, a document that guides development, when it constructs housing for low-income families and formerly homeless people.
“We have projects in our pipeline that, under these proposed changes, we would not be able to build,” Hughes said.
Stewart, who starts her new job next month, argued that zoning changes and other special approvals were fueling land speculation — which was, in turn, driving up rents. The longtime journalist said the upcoming campaign would communicate that message across the city.
“The idea is to get as many people aware of what the initiative says, especially people who have already been in battles against City Hall and understand what they’re up against,” she said.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said this week that he planned to meet with foundation leaders to discuss a compromise.
Meanwhile, the AIDS nonprofit is preparing to put up five billboards criticizing development in Hollywood. The signs, to be installed this month, will show an image of a skyline with the message “Stop Manhattanwood.com.”
“This is not part of the official campaign” to promote the ballot measure, Weinstein said in an email. “This relates specifically to [the foundation’s] objections to Hollywood mega developments.”