WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city will host a virtual West Hollywood Housing Symposium on Wednesday, March 23, at 5:30 p.m. via the Zoom platform. The Housing Symposium will bring policy makers and policy experts in the regions of housing and land use in California.

According to a press release from the city of West Hollywood, the Symposium will be viewable on the city’s WeHoTV YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv. Community members interested in submitting questions during the panel discussion may do so; registration is required in advance via Zoom. For updated information about the West Hollywood Housing Symposium visit www.weho.org/calendar.

California continues to respond to an unprecedented housing crisis, and as thousands of residents are dealing with homelessness, it is imperative that cities and counties throughout the state work to accommodate the creation of additional housing units. The California State Legislature enacted some laws that preempt local ordinances, which can effect curtailing the ability of local municipalities to make decisions that fit its communities characteristics.

The West Hollywood Housing Symposium will feature a moderated panel discussion to provide the community with information about recently approved state legislation and pending housing legislation under consideration in Sacramento that may impact West Hollywood. Panelists will discuss the challenges that exist in balancing a broad vision to accommodate higher-density developments with the desire of many local communities to protect local control with fewer restrictions.

Symposium panelists include: Aaron Eckhouse, Regional Policy Manager for CA YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard); Alex Fisch, Culver City Councilmember and Westside Cities Council of Government representative to Southern California Association of Governments; Peggy Huang, Yorba Linda Councilmember, and proponent of a statewide ballot initiative to protect local control; Jason Rhine, League of California Cities Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs; and Marcel Rodarte, California Contract Cities Association Executive Director. The West Hollywood Housing Symposium will be moderated by Hernán Molina, West Hollywood Governmental Affairs Liaison.

For more details, contact Hernán Molina, West Hollywood’s Governmental Affairs Liaison, at hmolina@weho.org or at (323) 848-6364. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing call TTY (323) 848-6496.