County Supervisor Candidate Refuses to Address Gentrification Issues

Gentrification is occurring at a rapid pace throughout Los Angeles County’s 2nd Supervisorial District and it has African-Americans, in particular, on high alert.

Angel Jennings, with the Los Angeles Times (LAT), penned an article titled “Gentrification is the new litmus test in the county supervisor race in South L.A.” that explores the issue will way heavily on voters mind in 2020.

LAT also produced a handy visual showing where the top four candidates have secured their campaign funding from.

L.A. County President Herb Wesson and his former colleauge, Jan Perry, have the largest reach in donations, with the majority coming from outside the 2nd District. Perry is seriously lagging inside the district, where Wesson has a stronghold.

Sen. Holly Mitchell is only in the conversation because she loaned her campaign over $300,000 to compete.

2UrbanGirls attempted to reach Sen. Mitchell on her campaign and got no response. We also reached out to Perry’s campaign about the issues of gentrification and a recent ban on flavored tobacco and menthol products in unincoporated L.A. County and got no response as well.

It is very disheartening, to 2UrbanGirls, that Black female candidates have no comment on issues that plague the very people that look like them.

Wesson has pledged to create “displacement zones” to ensure Black folks remain in certain areas ripe for gentrification, particularly around the Crenshaw/LAX rail line, but we know little about how it will work or if it will be implemented.

At least he is willing to acknowledge that gentrification exists, to the detriment of his African-American voting base, unlike his fellow high-profile opponents.

Others who have made mention of their running is former 9th District candidate Jorge Nuno, whom the L.A. Times endorsed over incumbent Councilman Curren Price.

Chan “Jake” Jeong, Lennox School Board memberMarisol Cruz, Fred Wimberley, businessman Rene Rigard, Sharis Rhodes and Community activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson have all announced plans to run too.

Candidates have until this December to file official forms.