Layla Hernandez
Voters in Downey City Council District 3, which covers northwest Downey, will have until Nov 5 to choose between incumbent Dorothy Pemberton and Planning Commissioner Louis Morales.
Pemberton won her first term following last year’s successful recall of Councilmember Catherine Alvarez. Morales was appointed to the Planning Commission earlier this year by Mayor Mario Trujillo.
Both Morales and Pemberton emphasize public safety and support for the police department.
Morales supports increasing the police budget to enhance “community policing” and invest in new technology, while Pemberton favors maintaining the current budget until an independent review provides recommendations.
On rent stabilization, both candidates oppose capping annual rent increases beyond the state limit.
Pemberton points to rising property costs as a reason not to implement additional caps and argues that accessory dwelling units and empty nesters renting out rooms will help make housing more affordable. Morales suggests fixed leases as a solution for renters being priced out of the city.
Morales has lived in Downey for 34 years, 31 of them in District 3. Pemberton has lived in Downey her entire life, with more than 35 years in District 3.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and are listed in alphabetical order. Candidates self-reported their occupations and residences.
Why are you running?
Morales: 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.
Pemberton: I love this city and have always been involved at different levels with many organizations and this is the highest level to serve. I am the most experienced in knowing Downey with over 35 years of volunteering and living here my entire life. It is now the right time for me. I want to continue to make a positive difference in Downey and keep our city thriving. Many feel politicians do not put their residents first, are hard to reach and have bigger aspirations with a political career. I consider myself a public servant and not a politician. That means I must be available to the residents in my community and be their voice. I have done this for my 1st term in office and got things done. We need to do more in District 3 and I plan to continue to get results and be accessible to all residents.
What is your vision for the future of the city?
Morales: 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.
Pemberton: People love to live in Downey because we have a safe and clean city with a top-rated school district. I want to keep these high standards and will give my full support to our police and fire departments as well as support city staff to accomplish this. Residents tell me the city needs more family friendly businesses and entertainment areas. We are getting Round 1 Arcade and Bowling in Stonewood Mall, by the old Sears building. I would like to bring in more stores to Stonewood so we can keep our tax dollars here. We need to bring businesses with good paying jobs for residents to work and live in Downey. With our mandated housing requirements, I would like builders to plan for more low-moderate housing developments that are affordable for 1st time buyers. Keeping Downey’s high quality of life will always be a top priority.
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?
Morales: 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.
Pemberton: No. Expenses for owners are not going down just like all other costs for the general public. Property taxes and insurance are two of the highest expenses that have annual increases built in. Property insurance alone has doubled with some properties. With that being said, if owners cannot afford to make necessary repairs or improvements, it hurts the tenants. Properties are not well kept like they are in Downey.
What are other solutions to prevent renters from being priced out of the city due to rising rents?
Morales: Entering into a lease (contract) that has fixed increases over a duration of time.
Pemberton: Downey has many different areas that are more affordable than other areas. With the addition of ADU’s, that is making housing more affordable for renters as well. Lastly, many long-term homeowners who are empty nesters are also now offering to rent rooms which are very affordable.
The police department makes up 35% 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?
Morales: 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.
Pemberton: Yes, it is the right amount of spending. Public safety is a top priority not only for myself but all my council colleagues. It is also top priority for residents with increased crime. We need to have enough officers for our growing community, which we all feel we currently do not have. An independent research company will give the council a report shortly which reviews the police department and will give recommendations as to best practices and areas of improvement. I’m looking forward to hearing that.
Should the police budget increase, decrease, or stay the same?
Morales: 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.
Pemberton: Stay the same. Until we hear the independent report of what is needed or not needed, the budget stays the same. However, if it is recommended that we hire more officers or staff, then the budget of course will increase to accommodate pay for new officers.
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?
Morales: 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.
Pemberton: The city currently has heavy congestion and reducing lanes of cars for bikes needs to be done carefully and not on main roads. Many residents were not happy with the lane reduction on Old River School Road for a bike lane and the bike lane never seems to have bikers in it. The council will be addressing continuing a Bicycle Master Plan, however it must be done on streets with less traffic. Our streets must continue to adequately move traffic through our city.
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