Barbara Broide, President

A long-time resident of the area active in civic affairs, I am pleased to serve as president of the Westwood South of Santa Monica Blvd. Homeowners Association (WSSM.)

I am also an elected Board member of the Westside Neighborhood Council (WNC) representing Seat 7, and active board member of the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight.

As I am very interested in land use policy and how development impacts local communities especially those concerns about traffic, transportation planning, and the ability of infrastructure to meet growing demands, I am currently chairing the WNC Land Use Committee. I also represent the WNC on the Western Regional Alliance of Council’s (WRAC) executive committee, and serve on both the WRAC Land Use Committee and citywide PlanCheck Steering Committee.

As a graduate of UCLA’s undergraduate Political Science department with an emphasis on local government and administration, I often find myself dismayed at the failure of the City of Los Angeles to adopt regulations in a timely manner and, once adopted, consistently enforce them. The passage of measures based upon good intentions (rather than hard data), coupled with the failure to gather needed data in order to evaluate whether or not adopted ordinances are accomplishing what they were set out to do, is another deep concern, as is the passage of measures that are inconsistent with and contradict other stated city goals.

I greatly enjoy working with the many citizen volunteers who network across the city to share information and form coalitions that deliver critical comments and analysis to the electeds––whether or not they want to hear from us! It is a huge challenge to counter the special interests that regularly troll the halls of City Hall with their paid consultants. Those who volunteer to help level the playing field are much appreciated.

I am also a former executive director of the American Cancer Society’s LA Coastal Cities Unit (an ACS staffer for 20 years) and the Foundation Fighting Blindness in So. Calif. Thanks to these positions, I have extensive background in fundraising and non-profit management. I hold a Master’s Degree from the UCLA School of Public Health in Health Services Administration, giving me a perspective that makes me happy to see current initiatives in City Hall to strengthen connections between city planning and public health––which will make LA a better/healthier place in which to live and work.