Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Council District 5 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire – Daily News

Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

Name: Katy Yaroslavsky

Current job title: Councilmember, District 5

Age: 45

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: None

City where you reside: Los Angeles

Campaign website or social media: KatyforLA.com

What are the top issues facing your district, and what would be your top priorities if elected/reelected? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

The biggest issues facing our district are housing affordability, homelessness, public safety and the reliability of basic city services during a difficult fiscal moment.

I’ve focused on results. Street homelessness is down 27% in CD 5, and we’ve expanded interim housing so people have a clear path off the street. I supported the largest expansion of tenant protections in more than 40 years to help keep people housed.

Public safety requires a system people can rely on. I secured funding to keep officers on the street, supported alternative crisis response and invested in things like lighting and street safety that reduce risk in the first place.

As Budget Chair, I helped close a $1 billion deficit while protecting core services.

If reelected, my priorities are clear: build more housing faster, prevent homelessness, improve response times and neighborhood safety and fix the systems that slow the city down so services work the way residents expect.

How would you approach addressing homelessness and housing affordability in Los Angeles? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

We have to do two things at the same time: Move people off the street and prevent more people from becoming homeless.

On housing, the core issue is supply. We need to build more housing at every level and make it faster and more predictable to get projects approved. I’ve supported zoning reforms and the Citywide Housing Incentive Program to increase capacity and reduce delays.

Prevention is just as important. I supported the largest expansion of tenant protections in decades because keeping people housed is one of the most effective ways to reduce homelessness.

For those already on the street, the system has to move faster. In CD 5, we’ve expanded interim housing and reduced street homelessness by 27% by focusing on what works and fixing what doesn’t.

We are also spending significant public dollars on this issue. That requires stronger accountability, so funding is tied to outcomes and actually results in people getting housed.

What steps would you take to improve transparency and accountability at City Hall? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Trust starts with clear results and a system people can understand.

I’ve focused on improving how the city tracks performance and spends public dollars. I co-created a Homelessness Bureau to centralize data and require regular reporting so we can measure outcomes and hold programs accountable.

As Budget Chair, I opened up the budget process by holding hearings in communities and expanding opportunities for public input.

We also need to modernize how the city operates. That means clearer reporting, better public-facing data and systems that show where projects and dollars are going in real time.

Accountability is also about how we spend money. I’m focused on reducing waste, improving contracting and fixing slow approval processes that drive up costs and delay results.

People should be able to see what the city is doing, how decisions are made and whether those decisions are working.

What role should neighborhood councils and other community groups play in shaping local policy decisions, and how would you work with them if elected? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Neighborhood councils and community groups are essential partners in how the city makes decisions. They are often the first to identify problems and the most effective at shaping practical solutions that reflect the needs of each neighborhood.

I have met with every neighborhood council in my district, and regularly engage other community groups like HOAs and renter associations. My approach is to engage early, not after decisions are already made. That means bringing proposals to communities at the front end, incorporating feedback and being clear about tradeoffs. I also believe engagement should be accessible. My office holds meetings across the district and creates multiple ways for people to participate without navigating a complicated process.

As Budget Chair, I pushed to bring city processes closer to residents by holding hearings in the Valley and hosting town halls across the district. If reelected, I will continue to treat community input as a core part of decision-making and focus on engagement that leads to real outcomes.

Public safety remains a major concern for many residents. What policies would you support to improve safety while addressing community needs such as mental health and prevention services? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Improving public safety depends on a system that responds quickly and uses resources effectively.

We need to improve response times. That means addressing staffing, updating deployment through the Basic Car Plan and fixing 911 call center delays so people are not left waiting in an emergency.

At the same time, we should make better use of resources. I support expanding alternative crisis response so trained professionals handle non-violent calls, allowing officers to focus on serious crime.

I have also invested in prevention. Lighting, street safety improvements and clean public spaces all reduce risk and improve quality of life.

Long term, we need to stabilize funding for public safety so the system is fully staffed without relying on costly overtime, and ensure we are using personnel in the most effective way.

Public safety should be reliable, responsive and focused on what works.