I believe that ensuring the safety of the public is the most sacred duty of any elected official. As your Councilmember, I’ve rejected the false choice between a restorative justice system and safer streets while advocating for a focus on crime reduction through better policing and sound public policy. If re-elected, I will continue to work collaboratively with the City Attorney to ensure adequate resources and support for our city’s various public safety departments, including training and support from mental health service providers. I will also continue to seek opportunities to foster dialogue and build trust between law enforcement and the community.
Pier task force
Lana pushed to create and maintain a multi-departmental task force to monitor and prevent crime on the Santa Monica Pier. Specifically, the task force has been tackling flammable material on the pier and beach and criminal activity associated with unlicensed vendors.
Small Business & Community Engagement
Lana has organized regular “Coffee with a Cop” events during which community members can discuss their concerns directly with public safety officers in an intimate environment that promotes trust and safety.
Ending Needle Exchange in Reed Park
As part of her long-standing efforts to make our parks cleaner and safer for families, Lana has been instrumental in efforts to remove the County’s needle exchange program from Reed Park.
Santa Monica’s homelessness crisis is a diverse and complex regional problem that necessitates collaboration beyond city lines. Having worked personally to house several unhoused individuals who had been sleeping outside my store, I’ve seen firsthand that for so many of our unhoused neighbors, the path to long-term, stable housing starts with abundant services. That is why as your Councilmember, I have collaborated with our neighboring cities and regional service providers to expand access to critically needed psychiatric beds. If re-elected, I will build on these partnerships to guarantee mental health and drug treatment services alongside housing that heals. Moreover, I will fight to defend rent control as a tool to prevent more vulnerable renters from falling into homelessness in the future.
ADHOC COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS
As a member of the Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness, Lana has worked with other council members to evaluate the city’s current programs and create new pathways to address the ever-growing population on our streets. Recently, she has pushed for a comprehensive map that analyzes where funds are currently being spent, where and to whom services are already being offered, and where services are still needed. She has also directed city staff to work with providers outside the City to secure critically needed psychiatric beds.
The worst of the pandemic may be behind us, but many Santa Monicans are still feeling its economic impacts. As a small business owner, I know firsthand how our small business community has particularly been affected. From our vibrant shops, restaurants, and hotels, to our cutting-edge tech companies that change how we interact with the world, Santa Monica is a world-class business destination. But we still have more work to do – from removing legislative barriers to seeking new opportunities for growth and innovation – to build upon what makes Santa Monica great while looking for ways to improve quality of life for our businesses and residents alike.
Real Solutions on Unlicensed Vending
Lana has served as a liaison between micro-entrepreneurs and the City to develop better policies in response to a growing number of unlicensed vendors. She has helped create a pathway for unlicensed vendors to become permitted by removing existing barriers while also balancing the economic interests of existing small businesses.
Small Business Outreach & Support
Lana has taken a deep dive into our budget to find revenue opportunities the city can share with the private sector to promote economic growth through public-private partnerships. Lana has also worked with the Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Economic Development Department to put on regular webinars that help ensure small businesses have the resources and education they need to be successful. Recently, she has lead efforts to remove legislative barriers for restaurants to continue operating highly-successful outdoor dining programs.