Castaneda Files to Enter 7th District Race : City Council: The aide to Rep. Howard L. Berman plans to start raising funds. She joins other Latinos vying for Ernani Bernardi’s seat.

Rose Castaneda, a longtime community activist and chief district aide to Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City), took the first step Monday toward running for the Los Angeles City Council seat being vacated by Ernani Bernardi in the east San Fernando Valley.

Castaneda, a forceful advocate for housing project residents and former gang members, filed papers declaring that she intends to start raising funds for the April 20 primary.

“The 7th District isn’t too safe a place right now,” Castaneda said. “I think I can best work to make the district a safer place because of my experience. There’s a lot of neglect out there.”

If she decides to run, Castaneda, 45, would join an already crowded field. Bernardi is retiring after 31 years, making way for what is expected to be a wide-open race.

Castaneda has not sought office previously. But she would bring to the campaign a combination of grass-roots visibility in Pacoima and other District 7 communities, and the support of Berman, a powerful sponsor.

“With Berman’s backing, you have to consider her a serious candidate,” said David Mays, Bernardi’s chief deputy.

One obstacle may be the presence of other well-known Latino candidates in the race. The new district--which includes Sun Valley, Mission Hills and Pacoima and parts of Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Panorama City, North Hills, North Hollywood and Sylmar--has a population that is 70% Latino and could possibly elect the Valley’s first Latino council member.

But Latinos represent only 31% of the district’s registered voters. This means that a Latino candidate would likely have to attract non-Latino support to get into a runoff and definitely to win election. It also means that the various Latinos could split that tally.

The most prominent Latino candidate is Richard Alarcon, Mayor Tom Bradley’s Valley liaison. Another Latino, former Bernardi field deputy Raymond J. Magana, is also running.

Perhaps the best known candidate is Los Angeles Fire Capt. Lyle Hall, who forced Bernardi into a runoff in 1989 during a campaign heavily financed by labor union contributions.

Also filing to raise funds are LeRoy Chase Jr., executive director of the San Fernando Valley Boys & Girls Club; businessman Al Dib, who is supported by Councilman Hal Bernson; Anne Finn, the widow of former Councilman Howard Finn, and Sharon Humphrey-Peterson of Arleta.

Castaneda, who recently moved to Sylmar, began her career when she demanded improvements at the crime-plagued San Fernando Gardens housing project where she lived more than two decades ago. She left school in the 11th grade; by the age of 20, she was divorced, on welfare and the mother of four.

But she began organizing events for the children at San Fernando Gardens and was eventually hired by the Los Angeles Housing Authority as a community liaison. Later, she worked as social services director at Pierce Park Apartments before joining Berman’s staff as a receptionist in 1986. He made her his administrative assistant early last year.

Castaneda said she will determine by Jan. 22 if she can raise enough funds to wage a viable campaign. If she decides to run, she said she will take a leave from Berman’s staff.

Castaneda and Berman have been quietly assessing her prospects for the City Council seat in recent weeks. He represents most of the City Council district in which she may run and has a broad base of well-heeled campaign contributors on the Westside and elsewhere who he could go to on her behalf.

“If Rose decides to run, I think she would be a fabulous city councilwoman,” Berman said Monday in pledging his full support. “She comes from the community, she knows the district, she’s dedicated and smart and would be a great person to help turn Los Angeles around.”

Marc Litchman, a Democratic political consultant who previously ran the district operations of Berman and Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Panorama City), would oversee Castaneda’s campaign. Litchman is also handling Councilman Marvin Braude’s reelection campaign and ran Councilwoman Ruth Galanter’s successful race in 1991.