Layla Hernandez
Voters in Bellflower District 1, which covers the northern part of the city, have until Nov. 5 to decide who will represent them on the City Council. Incumbent Wendi Morse was appointed to the council in October 2023 after the resignation of Councilmember Raymond Hamada. She is being challenged by law enforcement professional Aaron Drake, who was appointed to the Planning Commission in 2019 by Hamada.
Both Drake and Morse emphasize public safety as a top priority. Drake wants “to work closely with our Law Enforcement agency to focus on reducing and preventing crime,” but he’s noncommittal about increasing the city’s policing budget, stating he would need to review current spending before taking a position.
Morse supports the “hiring of additional (LA County Sheriff) deputies,” Bellflower’s policing agency, to improve response times. She also “want(s) to provide real solutions for those experiencing homelessness, offering support and resources so they can rebuild their lives while making sure our neighborhoods remain welcoming and secure.”
The candidates differ on rent stabilization. Drake supports capping annual rent increases beyond the state limit to help renters, while Morse is undecided, stressing the need to balance the interests of both renters and property owners.
Drake supports securing state and federal funding to help renters transition into homeownership. Morse advocates for increased production of affordable housing through developer incentives and expanding rental assistance programs to prevent families from being priced out of the city.
Morse has lived in Bellflower for 30 years, including 22 years in District 1. Drake has lived in both Bellflower and District 1 for over 34 years.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and are listed in alphabetical order. Candidates self-reported their occupations and residences.
Why are you running?
Drake: To make Public Safety a Priority, by continuing to work closely with our Law Enforcement agency to focus on reducing and preventing crime. As a member of the Planning Commission, I want to continue showcasing and promoting the City of Bellflower to increase new businesses to open in our city. Continue our on-going neighborhood Clean-up projects in District 1. Continue meeting with the local Business owners to work together addressing problems. Explore programs that will encourage and assist renters to become Homeowners.
Morse: I am running because I care deeply about Bellflower. This city isn’t just where my husband and I live; it’s where we are raising our children. Bellflower is where we volunteer our time to help our community prosper.
As a parent, I understand the importance of a safe and supportive community for families. I want every family, especially those just starting out, to feel secure, supported, and proud to call Bellflower home. My goal is to make sure that every child, just like mine, grows up in a thriving environment where they can feel safe playing outside, where families can access quality services, and where neighbors truly feel like family.
What is your vision for the future of the city?
Drake: Make Public Safety a Priority, by working closely with our Law Enforcement agency to
focus on reducing and preventing crime. Safe, secure, and informed communities thrive.
Morse: My Vision for Bellflower centers on creating a vibrant community where young families can grow and thrive. A big part of that vision is enhancing public safety. I want to provide real solutions for those experiencing homelessness, offering support and resources so they can rebuild their lives while making sure our neighborhoods remain welcoming and secure.
Lastly, I want to focus on fostering economic growth, which is essential for all of us, especially young families looking to build their futures. This means creating opportunities for new businesses, supporting local entrepreneurs, and ensuring that Bellflower is a city where dreams can take root and grow, providing the resources and jobs our community needs to flourish.
The average monthly rent for an apartment in Bellflower is $2,111, up 18% 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 Bellflower beyond the state cap?
Drake: Yes. The Housing crisis has reached a critical point. As we are approaching a vote on State Measure 5, which deals with local bonds for affordable housing, we are reminded of our local renting situation. California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), which limits rent increases to 5% plus the local cost of living index (CPI), or 10%, whichever is lower. I would support a rent cap at this time. One of my campaign goals if I’m elected to the Bellflower City Council is to work on assisting renters with first time buyers programs and any other assistance available to support and assist renters to become homeowners.
Morse: Undecided. Currently, I am undecided on implementing a cap beyond the State limit. It’s important to consider the needs of both renters and owners when making such decisions. As a community, we need to balance affordability for families with ensuring property owners can maintain and invest in quality housing. I am committed to exploring all options, engaging with residents, and finding a solution that helps create a stable, affordable rental market while fostering a thriving community.
What are other solutions to prevent renters from being priced out of the city due to rising rents?
Drake: Secure grants and funding from the state and possibly at the federal level to obtain the support and resources to assist renters to become homeowners.
Morse: One solution to help prevent renters from being priced out of Bellflower is to focus on building more affordable housing options. By working with developers and offering incentives, we can create a wider range of housing choices that are within reach for young families and new residents. This would increase supply of affordable rental units, helping to reduce pressure on prices.
Another approach is to expand rental assistance programs, providing support to families who may need temporary help to stay in their homes. This could include working with local organizations to secure funding and resources that assist families during tough economic times, helping them manage rising costs without having to move out of the community.
Policing makes up 30.3% of the city’s general fund spending. 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?
Drake: To assist with this, I would review all the operating costs of what the city is spending on police services to ensure the city is getting the services they are paying for. I would explore every option which would include civilian positions to assist with cost savings. I have met with other city officials in various cities and they have privatized some of the operations within the law enforcement operations that have also produced cost savings. We could benefit from having non-sworn personnel handle community engagement programs, neighborhood watch programs assisting with handling reports file from our community residents where a sworn officer is not needed. There are also other duties and responsibilities that can be handled by a civilian without a sworn officer.
Morse: Public Safety is of extreme importance. Bellflower currently hires 24-hour additional public safety patrol units in addition to our Sheriff patrol units.
Should the police budget increase, decrease, or stay the same?
Drake: No opinion. I would need to review the current spending budget and possibly assemble a committee to review the budget. After some additional follow-up we can make some informed recommendations as to the budget, to increase or decrease the spending for law enforcement.
Morse: Increase. There are several reasons I believe in maintaining or increasing the Sheriff department’s budget. An Increased budget can support hiring of additional deputies improving response times and having adequate patrol coverage. Also, specialized training and additional resources are needed for Deputies to be able to address specific issues such as homelessness, drug addiction, mental health issues.
The city’s 1997 General Plan states: “The primary goal of Bellflower’s Circulation Element is to achieve and maintain a balanced, safe, problem-free transportation system which: […] reduces dependence on single occupant automobile travel by providing a high level of pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit travel opportunities,” though current Census Reporter data shows that 5% of the city relies on non-vehicular transportation. Do you have specific goals to increase the number of residents using alternative transportation? If so, what are they, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Drake: One of the upcoming projects for Bellflower when completed, is to have the L.A. METRO rail traveling through our city. We can definitely benefit from that transportation project. To assist with achieving the goal of the 1997 General Plan, I would be a supporter of making public transportation attractive to our residents. This can be achieved by partnering with L.A. METRO to provide rider incentives for using public transportation, increase and promote ride sharing to reduce the single occupant automobile traveling, promote the use of our dedicated bike safe passages, and encourage the use of electric bicycles and electric vehicles. I currently promote the use of public transportation and provide MTA tokens for fare-free ridership when possible.
Morse: Yes, I have ideas to increase the use of alternative transportation in Bellflower. I would like to focus on making it easier to get around without always relying on a car. Dedicated bike lanes will make cycling a safer option for families. Additionally, researching traffic calming measures throughout our neighborhoods such as roundabouts or bulb outs, and improving crosswalks will help make our streets feel safe and parents are more likely to walk their kids to school or use local parks and businesses, which also helps to create a more vibrant community.
By investing in these types of improvements we can reduce congestion, promote healthier lifestyles and create a city where alternative transportation options are both safe and accessible for everyone.
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