Katharine Elizabeth Young Yaroslavsky (born May 30, 1980) is an American attorney and politician who is currently a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 5th district.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, Yaroslavsky placed first in the 2022 election to replace Paul Koretz,[2] before winning in the general election against attorney Sam Yebri.[3][4]
Katy Young Yaroslavsky | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 5th district | |
| Assumed office December 12, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Koretz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Katharine Elizabeth Young May 30, 1980 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | David Yaroslavsky |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Zev Yaroslavsky (father-in-law) |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) University of California, Los Angeles (JD) |
The daughter-in-law of influential Los Angeles politician Zev Yaroslavsky, she worked in the office of Sheila Kuehl, whom her mother previously worked for.[5] During her tenure on the L.A. City Council, Young Yaroslavsky spearheaded a legislative effort to block the fast-tracking of affordable housing in historic districts.[6]
Early life and career
editYoung Yaroslavsky was born Katharine Elizabeth Young on May 30, 1980. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor's degree from University of California, Berkeley and received her Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Los Angeles.[7]
Young Yaroslavsky got into politics as a deputy for Sheila Kuehl when Kuehl was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; Yaroslavsky's mother Laura Plotkin served on Kuehl's staff when she was in the California State Legislature.[8][9][10] While a deputy, she helped with the creation of the Office of Sustainability and the creation and passing of Measure W in 2018.[11][12] Before being named in Kuehl's staff, she was the general counsel and director of government affairs at the nonprofit Climate Action Reserve.[13]
Political career
editLos Angeles City Council
editIn September 2021, Young Yaroslavsky announced that she would be running to replace Paul Koretz on the Los Angeles City Council for the 5th district.[14] In the primary election, Young Yaroslavsky and Sam Yebri advanced to the general runoff election, with Young Yaroslavsky taking a majority of the votes.[15] In the general election, Young Yaroslavsky won against Yebri in a landslide.[16]
In 2023, she was named to be on the Transportation Committee, the first all-female committee, alongside Traci Park, Eunisses Hernandez, Nithya Raman, and Heather Hutt.[17]
In 2024, Young Yaroslavsky introduced a motion to stop the fast-tracking of affordable housing in any areas of Los Angeles designated as part of the 8.5 square-mile Historic Preservation Overlay Zone. Prior to 2000, there were only 8 historic zones in L.A., but by 2024, they were 36.[18] Housing advocates have criticized the historic designation process as being hijacked by NIMBY homeowners to block housing in their neighborhoods. Young Yaroslavsky's chief of staff justified the need to block affordable housing by pointing to the construction of a 70-unit affordable apartment building on a vacant lot in the affluent neighborhood Windsor Village. The chief of staff described the building as "egregious" and a "refrigerator box".[6]
Personal life
editYoung Yaroslavsky is married to David Yaroslavsky, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, with the two having three children.[19] She is the daughter-in-law to Zev Yaroslavsky, a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors who held the same seat in the City Council from 1975 to 1994.[20]
Electoral history
edit| Primary election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Katy Young Yaroslavsky | 28,039 | 48.97 | |
| Sam Yebri | 16,998 | 29.68 | |
| Jimmy Biblarz | 6,268 | 10.95 | |
| Scott Epstein | 5,954 | 10.40 | |
| Total votes | 57,259 | 100.00 | |
| General election | |||
| Katy Young Yaroslavsky | 50,391 | 59.69 | |
| Sam Yebri | 34,028 | 40.31 | |
| Total votes | 84,419 | 100.00 | |
References
edit- ^ Regardie, Jon (March 3, 2022). "A Fight for the 5th District". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
- ^ "Katy Young Yaroslavsky". Voter's Edge California. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
- ^ Zahniser, David (November 15, 2022). "McOsker, Yaroslavsky, Soto-Martinez claim victory in their L.A. City Council races". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ^ "Katy Young Yaroslavsky Set to Win LA Council's 5th District Seat, Yebri Concedes". Westside Current. November 15, 2022.
- ^ "Endorsement: Katy Young Yaroslavsky for Los Angeles Council District 5". The Los Angeles Times. May 3, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
- ^ a b "Why Homeowners In LA's Historic Districts Say They Should Be Exempt From Fast-Tracked Affordable Housing". LAist. 2024-05-03.
- ^ "Katy Young Yaroslavsky". VerdeXchange.
- ^ "L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl announces staff appointments". Century City/Westwood News. December 2, 2014.
- ^ Fishbach, Brian (June 15, 2022). "Four LA Elections to Watch". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
- ^ Miller, Jacob (June 7, 2022). "Meet the four candidates vying to represent one of L.A.'s Jewish hubs". Jewish Insider.
- ^ "Endorsement: Katy Young Yaroslavsky for Los Angeles City Council". Los Angeles Times. September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Katy Young Yaroslavsky Unpacks Measure W: Implementation of LA's 'Safe, Clean Water Program'". The Planning Report. September 3, 2019.
- ^ Svendsen, Tim (September 22, 2022). "Confirmation: Katy Young Yaroslavsky for Los Angeles City Council". Local Today.[dead link]
- ^ Folven, Edwin (September 23, 2021). "Candidate Katy Young Yaroslavsky aims to bring meaningful change to 5th District". Park Labrea News & Beverly Press.
- ^ Love, Marianne (October 13, 2022). "In LA City Council 5th District race, it's Katy Young Yaroslavsky versus Sam Yebri on Nov. 8". Daily Breeze.
- ^ Love, Marianne (November 15, 2022). "Election 2022: Sam Yebri concedes LA City Council seat to Katy Young Yaroslavsky". Los Angeles Daily News.
- ^ "LA council committee makes history as 1st all-female panel". Hey SoCal. January 25, 2023.
- ^ "Why homeowners in LA's historic districts say they should be exempt from fast-tracked affordable housing". LAist. 2024-05-03. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ Lombard, Patricia (December 12, 2022). "CD5 Councilmember Katy Young Yaroslavsky Sworn in at Pan Pacific Park Auditorium". Larchmont Buzz.
- ^ Chiotakis, Steve (October 27, 2022). "LA City Council races: Key takeaways about each candidate". KCRW.