(Los Angeles, CA) The nation’s top thought leader on walkability, Jeff Speck, AICP, Urban Planner and author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, is putting his faith in Josh Post for a brighter, safer and more environmentally friendly Los Angeles.

“I am honored to support Josh Post in his run for LA City Council,” says Speck. “Once the poster child for anti-pedestrian urbanism, Los Angeles is finally making real progress towards becoming a more walkable and bikeable city. A vote for Josh Post is a vote for continued evolution, healing, and better design in a city that is ready for a change.”

Tackling our city’s transportation challenges will be one of Josh’s top priorities once elected to City Council. “We must become more bicycle and pedestrian friendly,” says Josh. “And we must improve our public transportation to reduce traffic, parking problems and environmental harm. This is one of the most important things we can do for our city.”

Josh says one of the ways to do this is to integrate city planning and policy to create more walkable, self-sustained neighborhoods, especially near transit hubs. “Walkable neighborhoods will improve traffic and parking concerns. We also need to consider alternative uses of our roadways through strategically placed ‘road diets’ to mitigate traffic, increase bicycle and pedestrian safety, and encourage alternative forms of transportation,” says Josh. “We also have to make Los Angeles more bike friendly. That means creating more bike lines and bicycle parking, better educating our LAPD in dealing with bicycle traffic, and supporting the implementation of the bicycle master plan.

Finally, Josh says we need to expedite completion of Measure R transit projects within the City. “Specifically, I want to bring Measure R projects to CD13,” notes Josh. “For example, let’s create a Sunset Streetcar line to connect Hollywood, East Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and downtown via Sunset Boulevard. Let’s also explore possible streetcar systems through dense neighborhoods, working with local business along potential routes.”

For more, visit joshpost.com, or facebook.com/joshpostforla or on Twitter at @JoshPostLA.

Below is a letter I sent to neighbors this week regarding the journey of this campaign.

Dear Neighbor,

This past year has been an exciting journey. I walked every neighborhood in the district, knocked on thousands of doors and had countless conversations. The diversity of people, culture, language, and ideas makes our city great and inspired my campaign.

First and foremost I want to thank you. As I walked door to door, many of you invited me into your living rooms to share ideas. We spoke of the critical need to focus on quality-of-life issues like broken sidewalks and public safety. We also spoke about the potential to use technology to create jobs in our district and accountability in City Hall.

During this campaign I have also seen that voters in this district yearn for a better way forward. We are looking for a viable, grassroots candidate who is truly independent of outside interests. My opponents tout their experience as City Hall staffers and aides to other politicians. But it’s time for new leadership and new ideas. Let’s think outside the box of City Hall and outside of politics as usual.

As a Deputy Attorney General, community leader, and advocate for after school programs, I offer the experience needed to fight for your interests.

It would be an honor to work for and with you in the coming years. We will put our creative
ideas to work, and we will bring innovation and accountability to City Hall. In doing so, we will create a better Los Angeles for all of us.

I hope to earn your vote on March 5.

Josh Post

(Los Angeles, CA) Far too many residents of Los Angeles, and Council District 13, feel a widening void between themselves and City Hall. This is a key message they’re delivering to City Council Candidate Josh Post, as he goes door to door, engaging with voters. “One of the main reasons for this,” recounts Josh, “is they don’t entirely trust the powers that be right now. To me, this is abysmal. Public servants are just that, servants. They should work for the people who elect them.”

It begins, for Josh, by listening. “Voters have more power than they realize. I want to hear from residents of CD13. We have the technology to engage virtually, be it through email, social media sites or a simple phone call. I am and always will be accessible to the voters of this district.”

But, Josh says, he can’t do it alone. “I’m going to look to the voters of this district to actively participate beside me. I want them to be civically engaged. We need to increase citizen involvement in government affairs.”

While that is happening within CD13, Josh also contends there is much work to do at City Hall in order to restore public trust. “City government needs to be completely transparent in all of its actions,” says Josh. “I’ll look at creating a website that shows residents exactly how their tax dollars are being spent, in easy to understand graphics. This is your money, our money. We all deserve to know where every cent is being spent.”

By involving more local residents and creating a more transparent government, Josh hopes to restore the faith that has eroded in recent years. “There will be no back-room deals. And if I am elected,” says Josh, “I will bring __________________________writers block. ______________thoughts how to end??

–After we put up this blog post, we got some feedback from LA Weekly about how we should end our post on transparency.  Here is how LA Weekly suggested we end this:

“And if I am elected,” says Josh, “I will bring all stakeholders together and ensure that all voices are heard. Because it’s not about what I can do as a councilman. It’s about what we can do together for our city.”

Thank you LA Weekly for the feedback. Let’s continue this open dialogue. And in the spirit of transparency, we welcome everyone’s feedback on how we, as a city, can be more transparent and accountable.

For more, visit joshpost.com, or facebook.com/joshpostla or on Twitter at @JoshPostLA.

Josh worked for nearly three years under Mayor Jim Hahn’s administration with the nationally renowned LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program.  In this role, Josh and his colleagues fought to get after school programs into some of the most underserved neighborhoods in Los Angeles, many of which are in District 13. Josh saw the extraordinary good that can come from giving kids enrichment opportunities during after school hours.

For Josh, after school programs are much more than just child care programs. “These programs are critical for both public safety and in steering our youth toward lives of positive productivity,” Josh says.  “If you give youth a chance to shine, they will. If you leave them in the streets, they will find other ways to feel accepted and many times this is through gangs, teenage pregnancy, drugs, and alcohol.  If we want to keep our neighborhoods safe, we must start by giving our youth purpose in the critical hours after school.”

In his current job, Josh works with prison inmates as an attorney for the California Department of Justice. “This has provided me with unique insight,” says Josh. “Every day I see what happens when young people take the unfortunate path of crime. Recent studies show after school programs also drastically reduce gun violence in teens. Today, we need these programs more than ever. We can curb the trend of school violence, and, in doing so, we will keep the youth of Los Angeles safe.”Josh acknowledges the struggle of funding massive programs, but he has ideas on how to make it happen. “I want to build more public-private partnerships,” notes Josh. “These are imperative. Not only will they bolster the afterschool programs, they can also make up for Los Angeles Unified School District budget cuts to arts and music programs. I will be on the forefront of creating these partnerships.”

And Josh says there’s more to do than just focusing on test scores. “When we talk about education, it’s not just math and reading. Children need routine physical education, combined with structured play and outlets for creativity. And we need to expand efforts to establish healthy eating habits in our schools. I also want to expand the technology-based learning offered to our students. This is the real future.”

For more, visit joshpost.com, or facebook.com/joshpostla or on Twitter at @JoshPostLA.

(Los Angeles, CA) This week, the Josh Post for LA City Council team is addressing our city’s ongoing transportation malaise. “There are so many issues here,” begins Josh, “But that also means there are so many opportunities. We have a chance to affect real and lasting change, not just for the residents of Council District 13, but for all of Los Angeles.”

Josh says it starts by creating more walkable communities. His recent endorsement by the nation’s top thought leader on walkability, Jeff Speck, AICP, Urban Planner and author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, speaks volumes about his commitment to this solution. “Walkable neighborhoods will improve traffic and parking concerns,” says Josh. “That can also lead to a boon for local businesses. Just look at what has happened in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood and in downtown Portland.”

But it doesn’t stop there. “We also need to improve our public transportation to reduce traffic, parking problems and environmental harm,” says Josh. “This is one of the most important things we can do for our city, and the environment. This includes making Los Angeles more bike-friendly. I want to create more bike lanes and bicycle parking. We also need to encourage better education for LAPD in dealing with bicycle traffic. And we need to support the implementation of the bicycle master plan.”

Finally, Josh wants to expedite completion of Measure R transit projects within the City, and to bring Measure R money to CD13. “Let’s get a Sunset Streetcar line to connect Hollywood, East Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and downtown via Sunset Boulevard,” says Josh. “That would be a win for commuters, businesses, visitors, everyone!”

For more, visit joshpost.com, or facebook.com/joshpostla or on Twitter at @JoshPostLA.

(Los Angeles, CA) The Josh Post for LA City Council campaign just received a major boost from one of California’s most highly respected elected officials. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has endorsed Josh Post in his bid for the District 13 council seat.

“Josh is a smart, hard-working individual, and he’ll bring fresh perspective to City Hall,” says Senator Steinberg. “We share many of the same values and priorities, including a commitment to protecting the environment and improving alternative transportation. For these, and many more reasons, I am endorsing Josh Post for Los Angeles City Council.”

Senator Steinberg’s endorsement comes on the heels of other strong early endorsements for Josh. Newly sworn-in L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and actor/environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. are both supporting Josh’s campaign.  

“This is a thrilling endorsement,” says Josh. “Senator Steinberg’s leadership ability is unparalleled. But it’s the issues he has championed that most inspire me. His Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375) was a landmark bill that curtailed urban sprawl and protects our environment. And, just as I plan to do, Senator Steinberg has worked tirelessly on behalf of children and after school programs his entire career.”

Josh, an attorney with the California Department of Justice and Echo Park resident, has an accomplished record of civic and volunteer involvement advocating for small business, environmental issues and neighborhood renewal. He began his career working in L.A. City Hall under Mayor James Hahn, managing public relations for the nationally-renowned LA’s BEST After School Program. In 2010, Josh took a position as a visiting professor of law at the Universidad de Guanajuato in Central Mexico, where he learned Spanish and immersed himself in the Mexican culture.

Josh has already established himself as the dark horse in the crowded field of candidates. He cites similarities to Jackie Lacey’s June 2012 primary election for District Attorney where she was outspent three to one by the favored candidate. Yet, Lacey prevailed against the odds. “We are facing a similar race,” Josh says. “The people are hungry for new blood, fresh ideas and, most importantly, sincerity. I offer this, and this will be the focus of my campaign.”

For more, visit joshpost.com, or facebook.com/joshpostla or on Twitter at @JoshPostLA.

NATIONAL THOUGHT LEADER

SUPPORTS JOSH FOR LA CITY COUNCIL

(Los Angeles, CA) The nation’s top thought leader on walkability, Jeff Speck, AICP, Urban Planner and author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, is putting his faith in Josh Post for a safer, walkable, and more environmentally-friendly Los Angeles.

“I am honored to support Josh Post in his run for LA City Council,” says Speck. “Once the poster child for anti-pedestrian urbanism, Los Angeles is finally making real progress towards becoming a more walkable and bikeable city. A vote for Josh Post is a vote for continued evolution, healing, and better design in a city that is ready for a change.”

Tackling our city’s transportation challenges will be one of Josh’s top priorities once elected to City Council. “We must become more bicycle and pedestrian friendly,” says Josh. “And we must improve our public transportation to reduce traffic, parking problems, and environmental harm. To compete as a world class city, this is one of the most important things we must do in Los Angeles.”

Josh says one of the ways to do this is to integrate city planning and policy to create more self-sustained neighborhoods, especially near transit hubs. “To create more walkable neighborhoods, we also need to consider alternative uses of our roadways through strategically placed ‘road diets’ and ‘complete streets’ to mitigate traffic, increase bicycle and pedestrian safety, and encourage alternative forms of transportation,” says Josh. “We also have to make Los Angeles more bike friendly. That means creating more protected bike lanes and bicycle parking, better educating our LAPD in dealing with bicycle traffic, and supporting the implementation of the bicycle master plan.”

Finally, Josh says we need to expedite completion of Measure R transit projects within the City. “Specifically, I want to bring Measure R projects to CD13,” notes Josh. “For example, let’s create a Sunset Streetcar line to connect Hollywood, East Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and downtown via Sunset Boulevard. Modern streetcar systems in Seattle, Cincinnati, Portland, and elsewhere have a proven track record of revitalizing neighborhoods, encouraging people to get out of their cars, boosting businesses along routes, being more environmentally friendly, and saving millions of dollars per year, compared to bus-operating costs. We may soon see a streetcar line in downtown L.A., and it is time to explore this option in other neighborhoods, especially in CD13.”