Our Vision / Nuestra Visión
Housing people can afford
Housing people can afford is about protecting our neighbors, our families, and our future in Lynwood. Many of us are feeling the impact of the housing crisis firsthand, rising rents, overcrowded homes, and the fear of being pushed out of the community we’ve worked hard to build. Lynwood is not alone in this crisis, but we are responsible for how we respond to it.
For years, our city and our state have failed to build enough homes affordable to people at all income levels. Under the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), Lynwood must plan for 1,558 new housing units by 2029, including homes that working families, seniors, and young people can actually afford. This is not just a requirement, it is a chance to do better for our community.
We can choose solutions that put people first. That means updating zoning so we can build well designed, higher-density housing along major streets and near transit, like the newly-renamed Lynwood Station. It means transforming vacant and blighted lots into homes instead of letting them sit empty. And it means committing real, ongoing funding to ensure affordable housing projects become reality, not just promises.
This change depends on us. Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home, and together we can make sure Lynwood remains a city where our families can stay, grow, and thrive.
Strong protections for renters and working families
Protecting renters is essential to protecting Lynwood’s families and neighborhoods. The majority of Lynwood residents are renters, and many are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of housing. Too many families are being forced to spend an unsustainable portion of their income just to stay housed, living with the constant fear of being priced out or displaced.
This fear is not abstract. According to a 2024 UCLA survey, nearly 4 in 10 renters in Los Angeles County have worried about losing their homes and becoming homeless in recent years. In Lynwood, many renters are living paycheck to paycheck, one unexpected expense away from losing their housing.
While increasing the housing supply is critical, it is not enough on its own. We must also protect the residents who already call Lynwood home. We cannot allow families to be pushed out of the city, forced farther away from their jobs, schools, and loved ones just to survive.
To create real housing stability, Lynwood must take action. The city must pass strong renter protections, including an annual cap on rent increases and just-cause eviction protections. It must also do more to educate renters about the statewide protections they are already entitled to and work toward providing a tenant right to counsel, so residents are not left to navigate eviction alone.
When renters are protected, Lynwood is stronger. Stable housing keeps families together, supports local businesses, and helps ensure that our city remains a place where working families can stay, grow, and thrive.
Keeping our Community Safe
Safe and respected communities are built through care, accountability, and smart investments. Everyone in Lynwood deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood and respected by the systems meant to serve them.
Lynwood already invests heavily in public safety, spending approximately $1.2 million per month on police services and nearly $800,000 per month on fire suppression. These resources matter, but safety is not just about how much we spend, it is about how well those investments meet community needs.
Real public safety requires a balanced approach. That means investing in prevention, mental health support, youth programs, and neighborhood resources, alongside strong emergency response. It also means transparency, accountability, and respectful treatment, so public safety systems work with the community, not against it.
This is a choice we must make together. Lynwood residents must stay engaged, ask hard questions about public safety spending, and demand solutions that prevent harm and build trust. By organizing and speaking up, we can create neighborhoods where people feel secure, respected, and proud to call Lynwood home.
An economy That works for all of us
An economy that works for all of us starts with good jobs and respect for workers. Lynwood deserves jobs that pay a living wage and give workers a real voice on the job, including the freedom to join a union. When workers are able to organize, their wages, benefits, and quality of life improve, strengthening families and our local economy.
Lynwood is home to more than 3,000 union-represented jobs, and the city must stand with these workers as they seek to improve their workplaces. Supporting union jobs is not just about fairness on the job, it is an investment in a stronger local economy.
Lynwood also has a responsibility to help create better jobs. Because Lynwood contracts out many municipal services, it must ensure that all city contractors are responsible bidders who provide high-quality jobs, fair wages, and safe working conditions. With the cost of living rising, wages must keep pace so working families can afford to stay in Lynwood.
The City Council has taken important steps, including adopting the $25 healthcare living wage and passing a worker retention law, but these should be the floor, not the ceiling.
Lynwood’s economy should reward the people who make our city run. By setting higher standards for wages, union rights, and job quality, we can ensure economic growth lifts everyone, not just a few.
A transparent government accountable to the people
A transparent and ethical city government is essential to public trust. Lynwood residents should be able to trust that decisions at City Hall are made openly, fairly, and in the best interest of the community. To rebuild and protect that trust, stronger guardrails are needed.
Lynwood must establish an Independent City Ethics Commission and pursue reforms such as campaign finance rules, a lobbyist registry, and clear disclosure of outside influence on decision-making. These steps help ensure accountability and prevent conflicts of interest.
Residents also deserve meaningful access to local government. The city should expand opportunities for participation through participatory budgeting, live-streamed meetings, and permanent remote access, recognizing that work schedules and family responsibilities prevent many from attending in person.
Transparency must extend beyond meetings. Lynwood should invest in its City Clerk’s Office so residents can easily access public records and contracting information online, and ensure that the city’s contracting process is fair, competitive, and transparent.
Good government earns trust by opening its doors to the people it serves. By strengthening oversight and public access, Lynwood can build a city government that truly works for its residents.