For voters it’s a choice between clinging to outdated ideas about the northwest San Fernando Valley or embracing a fresh, sustainable, vibrant vision for the future. We hope they choose the latter and vote for Oberstein.

The current middling approach of arresting and citing people, while housing a nominal number compared to other districts, created the current conditions in CD12, and anyone who has driven to Balboa and Devonshire can see it is not working. The local council district continues to kick the can down the road. We’ve run out of road. It’s clear that it’s time for a change.

Current Councilmember John Lee is seeking reelection – while fighting accusations of ethics violations. Lee’s challenger on March 5 is Serena Oberstein, who happens to be a former city ethics commissioner and whose campaign stresses the need for “ethical leadership” in a City Hall that has undergone a series of shocking corruption scandals that landed two former councilmembers — Mitchell Englander and José Huizar — in prison.

Former Ethics Commission President Serena Oberstein released the following statement on the recent sentencing of Councilmember Jose Huizar

Oberstein called on the L.A. City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee to heed the concerns of the community as the City considers a proposed Home Depot development in Northridge.

Serena Oberstein, nonprofit policy executive and former president of the L.A. Ethics Commission, announced today that her recent poll shows a clear path to victory in March. The poll shows that voters have deep concerns about incumbent John Lee, given his major ethics accusations, sexual harassment payouts and lackluster job performance. Notably, he fails to reach the 50% support needed to win in the poll, with a majority of voters open to an alternative. Voters respond favorably to Oberstein’s experience as well as her policy priorities.

Ex-ethics commissioner Serena Oberstein challenges John Lee in LA council race. Race for City Council District 12 in San Fernando Valley gets interesting as Lee faces ethics complaint

Serena Oberstein, a nonprofit executive and former president of the L.A. City Ethics Commission, announced her candidacy Monday for the City Council’s 12th District, which covers portions of north, northeast San Fernando Valley.

According to Oberstein, her candidacy received support from members of the Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council; Renay Grace Rodriguez, who is the treasurer of the Chatsworth Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce; and SFV Young Democrats president emeritus Michael Menjivar, among others.