MANNY'S
VISION
PRIORITIES FOR LOS ANGELES
Manny understands that the growing challenges facing the people of the Valley are too often either ignored—or worse—forgotten and swept under the rug. Working families across the Valley are tired of the same old establishment politics where nothing gets done because those in power put themselves before the people.
That’s why Manny is running for City Council – to root out corruption and make City Hall work
for the people once again. Manny will focus his efforts on the issues we care about, including:
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Tackling Housing & Homelessness
Having led local nonprofit organizations focused on building affordable housing, reducing homelessness and protecting communities from gentrification, Manny Gonez will make solving our homelessness and housing crises his top priority on City Council. Working at LA Family Housing, a San Fernando Valley nonprofit headquartered in CD2, Manny and his team provided housing and services to more than 11,000 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.
Instead of another career politician who has failed to tackle LA’s homelessness crisis, we need a leader like Manny, with a track record of success and who has worked in our community for years finding real solutions to reduce homelessness and create affordable housing.
At City Hall, Manny will fight to: 1) Prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place by protecting our stock of affordable housing, shoring up tenants’ rights, supporting small landlords in addressing increased costs, and investing in workforce development and programs that help build generational wealth; 2) Cut red tape and create incentives to build more affordable housing; 3) Partner with the Los Angeles Unified School District to ensure encampments are not near schools and provide housing and services to the nearly 13,000 students who are experiencing homelessness; and 4) Develop public-private partnerships to reduce taxpayer costs.
Manny knows what it takes to get people off the streets and into all housing models to make sure they get mental health services, treatment and counseling to get back on their feet.
Environmental Justice
As Policy Director of TreePeople, Southern California’s leading environmental nonprofit, Manny Gonez has worked to reduce air and water pollution, green our communities, and fight climate change. This includes securing over $150 million to create greener and cooler neighborhoods and schools in Los Angeles. These initiatives have led to multi-benefit projects that include affordable housing, stormwater capture, and the planting of thousands of trees across the city every year. Manny was part of the coalition to close Exide Technologies — one of the worst polluters in U.S. history, which contaminated over 10,000 homes in Latino communities in Los Angeles.
On the City Council, Manny will take bold action to combat climate change and hold corporations accountable for toxic pollution that threatens our neighborhoods’ air and drinking water.
Combatting Gun Violence
As a father of three young children and founder/officer of a Parent Teacher Association, Manny strongly supports: 1) Stricter gun safety laws to protect families and prevent mass shootings; 2) Strengthening red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals, including those accused of domestic violence; 3) Restricting gun and ammunition sales near schools, childcare programs, and community centers; and 4) Collaborating with local law enforcement to support and incentivize gun buyback programs to get weapons of war off our streets.
Prioritizing Public Safety
On the City Council, Manny will fight to: 1) Increase police patrols and continue piloting unarmed response models that involve traffic and nonviolent incidents to reduce 911 response times and create safer schools, parks and neighborhoods; 2) Work with the LA Police Department to expand the proven 21st Century community policing, recruitment, and retention models; 3) Collaborate with federal, state, and local partners to get fentanyl and other dangerous drugs off the street and out of parks and schools.
Manny will also fight for: 1) Stronger gun safety laws; 2) Increased funding for after-school and job training programs that provide opportunities for students to grow outside the classroom; 3) Fully funding the LA Fire Department and work to reduce non emergency responses; and 4) Pedestrian safety especially around schools and transit corridors by funding protected bike lanes, traffic calming measures, and walkable green streets.
Fighting for Working Families
Raised by a single mother in a low-income household, Manny Gonez knows firsthand how families and workers in our city struggle to make ends meet. He is running for City Council to fight for working families — he will stand with workers for better wages and the rights of workers; protect tenants’ rights against illegal evictions and rent increases; and work to make sure residents across LA have equal access to high-quality services, including safe schools, neighborhood parks, libraries, and public transit.
Reforming City Hall
Manny Gonez offers real change. Manny is not a career politician — he is a nonprofit leader who has worked to improve people’s lives and build stronger and safer communities. He knows that we need common-sense reforms to ensure our elected leaders are working for us, not themselves and their special interest friends. That’s why Manny will fight for greater transparency and oversight to fight corruption, stop special backroom deals and hold politicians accountable for waste, fraud and abuse.