Residents Allege Double Standard, Ethics Concerns in Advisory Council Appointments
SoCalNewswire - October 21, 2025
Los Angeles, CA — San Fernando Valley residents have circulated a community letter to City Councilmembers and local media over several days, opposing reductions in community representation and new residency requirements for City Council appointees to the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council (VNY CAC). The letter responds to an Oct. 16 Board of Airport Commissioners vote that tightened residency rules for City Council appointees but not for mayoral or airport appointees, a move residents say disadvantages local representation.
The seven-member Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC), which oversees Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), approved the measure with Commissioner Valeria Velasco abstaining. Under the new rule, City Council appointees must reside within the districts they represent. Critics argue the change narrows eligibility and limits candidates from Valley neighborhoods affected by airport operations —including those just south of Mulholland Drive.Established in 1985, the VNY CAC advises decision-makers on community concerns including noise, safety, policy, development, and airport operations. The council offers residents a forum to stay informed, engage with airport officials and ensure discussions remain transparent and on the public record.
“The Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council exists to ensure that the community has a voice in decisions that directly affect their neighborhoods,” Councilmember Nithya Raman of District 4 said in a written statement. “Any attempt by LAWA to remove or restrict City Council appointees without clear authority or process undermines that mission and erodes public trust.”
“City Council appointees now face tightened restrictions, while the Mayor’s and BOAC appointees are not held to the same standard,” said Alicia Avery, a Lake Balboa resident and Council District 6 representative on the CAC, during public comment Oct. 16.
Critics Question LAWA’s Evidence and Justifications
Residents question the agency's justification for tightening residency requirements, arguing in the community letter that the documents cited in the Oct. 16 resolution “do not substantiate LAWA’s claims at the meeting or in the resolution itself.” It is unclear whether the board examined all referenced actions before voting. During the meeting, the Board did not request supporting data or reports from LAWA, and no related documents were made available for public review. LAWA and the Airport Commissioners did not respond to requests for comment.
Residents also pointed to actions omitted from the resolution. In emails shared over the past few days, some cited a 2021 BOAC resolution that is believed to contradict Van Nuys Airport Manager Jacob Haik’s claim that City Council appointees had long been subject to district-only residency limits.
A copy of BOAC Resolution No. 27209, signed March 4, 2021, reviewed by SoCalNewswire, states, “The 14 appointments by City Councilmembers often include constituents and members of the local community.” Critics say the wording distinguishes between constituents and other local residents, suggesting participation was not limited to a councilmember’s district.
“Resolution No. 27209 completely contradicts [VNY Manager] Jacob Haik’s claims of preexisting residency rules confined to council districts,” Valley resident Mar Suarez wrote in an email shared with City Council offices, local media and the Mayor’s Office.
Haik responded affirmatively to Commissioner Nicolas Roxborough’s question about whether “Council” supported the change. But LAWA did not provide written concurrence from City Council or any councilmember on October 16.
Alleged Financial Conflict of Interest and Ethics Concerns
Building on criticisms that the new residency restrictions create a double-standard exempting mayoral and BOAC appointees, community emails also flagged potential conflicts of interest: residents say some mayoral and airport appointees have business ties to Van Nuys Airport that could influence CAC recommendations. During the meeting, Haik told the Board that the founding guidelines included airport representatives on the CAC. A review of the 1985 documents by SoCalNewswire found no language supporting that claim.
“Mayor and BOAC appointees currently include persons outside the Mayor’s district, city of Los Angeles, and who profit from the facility the CAC advises on —creating a favorable environment for LAWA’s own agendas.” the Valley Community Statement read.
In an email forwarded to elected officials and media, Valley resident Christine Kim noted that one of the mayor’s appointees, Jason Price, lives in Simi Valley. Kim wrote that Price “has an outright conflict of interest because of his financial ties at the airport as the owner of Mach 1 Aviation, a flight school based at Van Nuys Airport.”
Targeted Community Suppression Concern
Another point of contention is LAWA’s decision to reduce City Council District 5’s (CD5) representation on the CAC. At the Oct. 16 meeting, Van Nuys Airport (VNY) manager Jacob Haik said there “is very little activity in CD5”, referring to VNY air traffic when responding to Commissioner Velasco’s question about the district’s reduced representation.
The agency suggested that CD5 is no longer significantly affected by the airport’s operations. The Oct. 16 measure states, “… its exposure to operations at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) has been substantially reduced …”
Residents, including a member of the Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council, dispute LAWA’s explanation, citing ongoing VNY aircraft activity and a 2023 Cessna crash just south of Mulholland Drive. Multiple news outlets reported that the plane had been cleared to land at Van Nuys Airport.
Suzanne Gutierrez, co-founder of Fumefighters United VNY, asked the Board on Thursday, “Remember the Cessna that was cleared for landing at VNY airport before it crashed into the backyards of a neighborhood? … That neighborhood was Beverly Crest in Council District 5.”
“In addition to other risks, our stakeholders remain impacted by noise from aircraft heading in and out of Van Nuys,” said Travis Longcore, president of the CD5 Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council, in an email.
Data Gaps and Elected Officials’ Responses
Haik said that the agency reviewed flight tracks and noise complaints but offered no data or community outreach to substantiate the claims. Such information is also absent from the resolution, which cites 2022 redistricting and a reduced geographic connection to airport operations as further justification. SoCalNewswire reviewed redistricting maps from the CAC’s 1985 inception to the present; they show that both before and after redistricting, the CAC composition consistently includes districts with territory south of Mulholland Drive — raising questions about LAWA’s rationale.
Councilmember Yaroslavsky’s office did not respond before the deadline. An email from the council office dated July 30, 2025 — entered into the public record at the August 5 CAC meeting — reads in part:
“…the by-laws allow that the Council Districts within the general vicinity of the airport shall have representation. As we discussed, CD5 — even after redistricting — meets this standard, including the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft flight paths over our hillside communities.”
Mayor Karen Bass’ office did not respond with comment on the controversy. City Councilmembers have not announced whether they plan to challenge the measure, though the community email being circulated indicates San Fernando Valley residents are seeking such action.
“Our office remains actively engaged on this issue…” Councilmember Raman stated in a written statement, “We believe transparency and community engagement are integral components for any advisory body, and will continue working to ensure that Council’s appointing authority — and the public’s voice — are fully respected”.
