Beverly Hills Councilmember John Mirisch will represent the Southwest Corridor sector of Los Angeles County on the newly-formed Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) board. Mirisch was unanimously elected to the position by The Los Angeles County City Selection Committee.
The new agency was established by SB 679, which the Beverly Hills City Council supported and Governor Newsom signed into law last year. The mission of LACAHSA (pronounced, somewhat fittingly, as “La Casa”) is to provide for enhanced funding for new affordable housing production and for affordable housing preservation, as well as for safeguarding tenant rights in Los Angeles County.
It is a mission statement tailor-made for Mirisch.
First elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 2009, Mirish served as Mayor in 2013, 2016 and 2019. He has long been an outspoken advocate for workable affordable housing solutions. Most recently, Mirisch cited missed opportunities to generate additional affordable housing funds as a reason for voting against the Cheval Blanc luxury hotel project.
He has also advocated for concepts such as a housing project that would allow seniors in Beverly Hills to age in place.
“I was reminded recently that if we had gotten that project off the ground, people would be living there by now,” Mirisch told the Courier.
He remains undaunted, expressing both gratitude and enthusiasm for the opportunities the new agency brings. His term on LACAHSA, which he will serve with other prominent municipal leaders, begins in April.
“I think a regional approach is a good and important one,” he said. “We’ve worked together regionally on other important issues, such as transportation and water. This makes a lot of sense. I’m hoping we’re going to have an organizational meeting before April. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with this group.”
