Layla Hernandez
Louis Morales is running to represent District 3 on the Downey City Council.
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City Planner Louis Morales was appointed to the Planning Commission earlier this year by Mayor Mario Trujillo.
Morales emphasizes public safety and support for the police department, as well as increasing the police budget to enhance “community policing” and investment in new technology.
On rent stabilization, Morales opposes capping annual rent increases beyond the state limit, instead suggesting fixed leases as a solution.
Morales has lived in Downey for 34 years, 31 of them in District 3.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity. Candidate self-reported their occupation and residence.
Why are you running?
I deeply love and am committed to my City. Since 2020 my district has had 2 years of bad representation, then 1 year with no representation. We need someone with experience to represent us and make the right decisions for our City. As a City Planner and owner of a successful consultant firm with 35 years experience in City Government assisting cities to make decisions to enhance their communities, I will use my skills and experience to make a real difference for our community.
What is your vision for the future of the city?
As a City with sustainable development with a diverse and strong economy to maintain the quality of life issues (Strong Police, safe streets, stable neighborhoods) we expect for our community and community that embraces and preserves its history.
The average monthly rent for an apartment in Downey is $2,241, up 11% from January 2022, according to the apartment search website rentcafe.com. Multiple cities in Southeast Los Angeles County have placed caps on annual rent increases beyond the hard cap of 10%–5% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is lower–passed by the state in 2019. Bell Gardens set a cap of 50% of inflation or 4%, whichever is less; Maywood’s maximum rent increase is 4%; Cudahy’s cap is the change in inflation or 3%, whichever is less. Do you support a cap on annual rent increases in Downey beyond the state cap?
No. I would need to access what works for Downey and take into consideration what works equitably for all parties before considering any changes to caps established by the State of California.
What are other solutions to prevent renters from being priced out of the city due to rising rents?
Entering into a lease (contract) that has fixed increases over a duration of time.
The police department makes up 38% of the city budget. Do you think this is the right amount of spending? What public safety strategies do you think the city could implement that don’t rely on traditional policing?
Public Safety is typically the biggest expense in a Public Agency’s budget. Downey is no different. The budget needs to be increased accordingly to reflect the needs of the community to meet expectations to protect the City. We need to invest in prevention and increase collaboration (Community Policing). Investing in technology to better equip our police is important to aid in combating crime.
Should the police budget increase, decrease, or stay the same?
Increase. Budget needs to be increased to commensurate with a properly funded Police Department. Law enforcement agencies need the resources to recruit, train, and retain quality officers as well as upgrading current systems to address crime elements.
The 2015 Downey Bicycle Master Plan proposed 33.6 miles of added bike lanes in the city, though the city currently only has just over 5 miles of bike lanes. If elected, what steps would you prioritize to improve non-motorized travel, especially biking infrastructure, and how will you ensure the city remains on track with these goals?
I will need to evaluate and determine if we can realistically meet the goal. I will look at the challenges or hurdles we are facing. Our City’s infrastructure and street widths were not designed to incorporate bike lanes. Safety is a key element to enable us to incorporate and promote non-motorized travel during peak hour traffic. I voted (Planning Commission) to re-evaluate and look for alternatives when Stewart and Gray proposed a bike lane at the expense of a vehicle lane, which would have increased congestion and compromised safety for bike users.
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