On March 7th, voters in the City of Los Angeles will have the opportunity to vote on Measure S. If passed, Measure S would immediately freeze the construction of new developments that require zoning amendments for two years, and limit other projects for decades to come. Such drastic changes would ultimately result in a shortage of affordable housing in Los Angeles. LACBC urges Angelenos to Vote No on Measure S.
As a bicycle coalition, LACBC is concerned with what Measure S would mean for making Los Angeles a more livable and bikeable city.
This measure stands in opposition to density, a key component to making an area more easily bikeable. It’s really simple: the closer people live to where they work, the easier it is for people to bike and walk to work. Banning construction in L.A. will lead to higher rent, speed up gentrification, and lead to displacement of lower-income residents and residents of color. Many of these low-income residents are more likely to depend on walking, biking, or taking transit to meet their daily needs. In fact, rhetoric supporting Measure S is often laced with a not so subtle veil of neighborhood integrity racism that is reminiscent of calls to make L.A. great…again. L.A. is great, but L.A. could be more livable. L.A. could do a better job centering low-income people of color who live in high density neighborhoods and need affordable housing options. Measure S does the opposite.
People traveling from farther away to get to work will have fewer transportation options, forcing them to drive, which increases congestion across the L.A. region. As more people drive, streets become less safe to bike and walk on. People who lack resources to own cars are often pushed to areas without reliable and affordable transit options. Getting to services and jobs requires more time and money. Measure S increases the burdens on L.A. families who are trying to make it and creates barriers that fail to account for the day-to-day struggles many Angelenos face.
Measure S is also based on false assumptions. It is based on an assumption that somehow keeping people and resources out makes neighborhoods better. It is based on the assumption that more people moving in means more cars. It ignores that in many high density, low-income communities and communities of color, people have no other options and rely on biking, walking, and taking transit.
Measure S would solidify automobile parking requirements for new developments that would undo the benefits of the Bicycle Parking Ordinance.We’ll once again be left with too many car parking spaces and not enough bike parking and not enough focus on how people outside of cars move about their communities. Not only do these outdated parking requirements increase the prices of housing, but study after study shows that as the supply of parking increases, people drive more. Again: as more people drive, streets become less safe for people who walk and bike.
Further, the City of Los Angeles depends on fees from developers to build new sidewalks, new bike lanes, and parks. These ‘‘Development Impact Fees” are used to fund all types of projects, like the upcoming 7th Street protected bike lanes in Downtown Los Angeles. If Measure S passes, these funds will dry up–and many street improvement projects will be put on hold.
While Measure S proponents claim that more development will overwhelm L.A.’s infrastructure, the opposite is true. The passage of Measure S would continue L.A.’s housing shortage, increase homelessness, eliminate thousands of construction jobs, and dry up revenue for infrastructure investment. Measure S will force L.A.’s future to be low-density, move people even farther away from L.A.’s urban core, and increase parking requirements. This will ultimately lead to even more traffic congestion, overwhelmed infrastructure, and streets that are less safe for its most vulnerable users.
For all these reasons, LACBC is urging you to vote for L.A.’s future and Vote No on Measure S on March 7th.
Here’s how you can help oppose Measure S:
Make sure you are registered to vote in the City of Los Angeles for the March 7th election. The deadline to register to vote or make residence changes is Monday, February 20th. Vote No on Measure S. You can register or change your address online instantly at ca.gov!
Join the campaign efforts: LACBC is a proud member of the Alliance for Community Transit (ACT-LA), and we’re joining their efforts to oppose Measure S. If you’re interested in making phone calls (starting TODAY, February 9th, at 5:30 p.m.: No On S – Phone Banking with Mayor Garcetti at the LA County Federation of Labor located at 2130 James M Wood Blvd, Los Angeles, 90006) or doing precinct walks to get the word out on Vote No on Measure S, let us know at info@la-bike.org.
Talk to your friends and family about voting no on Measure S, and spread the word!