7 Win North Hollywood Advisory Seats

In an uncharacteristically quiet election, seven residents have won seats on a citizens advisory committee for redevelopment in North Hollywood.

“It was probably the most orderly, calm, businesslike election we’ve had,” said Jerry Belcher, project manager for the North Hollywood Redevelopment Agency. “It was very pleasing to see the community react that way, even though I realize there are some strong feelings on these issues.”

Past meetings have been peppered with heated arguments, fistfights and accusations of impropriety between opponents and supporters of the redevelopment agency.

The more than 200 people who turned out Tuesday night for the elections at St. David’s Episcopal Church in North Hollywood “were respectful” of each other, Belcher said.

About 30 people ran for 16 open positions on the Project Area Committee, which advises the Community Redevelopment Agency. To win a seat on the 25-member committee, candidates had to have at least 50% of the votes cast.

Three of those elected were supported by North Hollywood Concerned Citizens, a community group that opposes the redevelopment agency. Last year, seven candidates from a slate organized by the group were elected.

Mildred Weller, president of the group and a committee member elected last year, called this year’s election results a hollow victory for her group.

“What we managed to do was keep the pro-CRA slate from getting elected also,” Weller said. “We have eliminated all of the pro-CRA, spend-the-tax-dollars-any-way-you-can, elected PAC members.”

Weller’s group wants to put an end to the agency’s power of eminent domain, which enables the city to force property owners to sell for the purposes of redevelopment. It also opposes the use of tax dollars for redevelopment. Members say development will come without the use of public money, Weller said.

“We believe . . . that if CRA were to close their office and leave North Hollywood alone, it would redevelop in one year without any question,” Weller said.

The election leaves the committee split, with about half opposed to the project and half in support, Belcher said.

“There’s a strong complement of people who are pleased with where we are headed and want us to continue in that direction,” Belcher said.

The new members of the committee are Jim Fakhoury, Jerry Day, Leigh Ryan, Diana Liekus, Michael W. Mafei, Lee Cameron and Manuel Figueras.

Nine seats will remain vacant because none of the other candidates received 50% of the vote.