The Case Against the Los Angeles 'Neighborhood Integrity Initiative'

The dust from the November election is far from settled, but Los Angeles is already headed back to the ballot box in March. The big ticket item for planning in the city: Measure S, also known as the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative.

3 minute read

February 14, 2017, 2:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Hollywood Sign

Gabriele Maltinti / Shutterstock

Planetizen has been covering the genesis of the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative since its earliest days—specifically, November 2015.

Now the city is just a few short weeks away from voting on the initiative's controversial reforms of the city's development process, now described by more prosaic nomenclature: Measure S. Election day is March 7, 2017, but Los Angeles residents have been inundated with mail on either side of the issue, while the city has been plastered in billboards financed by the Yes on S campaign.

Online, however, the No on S campaign has dominated the discussion, led by former Planetizen blogger Shane Phillips. Phillips has published in several forums about the realities of the city's housing market (i.e., despite the Yes on S campaign's claims about runaway development, the city is building well short of enough housing to meet the demands of its growing population). Here's a roundup of articles by Phillips:

In the past week, several high profile endorsements have also voiced strong opposition to Measure S, including the Green Party of Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles Times editorial board. The headline of the Los Angeles Times editorial uses a memorable turn of phrase to drive home its argument: "Measure S isn't a solution to L.A.’s housing woes, it's a childish middle finger to City Hall. Vote no." Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also recently announced his opposition to Measure S, as did the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Curbed Urbanism Editor Alissa Walker, whose name will be familiar to Planetizen readers, has also taken to Twitter to debunk some of the claims made by the Yes on S campaign.

Walker also shared a Tweet highlighting the varied quality and quantity of endorsements on either side of the Measure S issue.

Endorsements for Measure S have been a thorny issue, after the Yes on S campaign falsely claimed actor Leonardo Dicaprio endorsed the measure. The Yes on S campaign eventually had to describe the endorsement as a "misunderstanding."

Both campaigns have websites. The Yes on S website is paid for by the Coalition to Preserve LA and sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The No on S website is paid for by the Coalition to Protect L.A. Neighborhoods and Jobs and sponsored by CH Palladium, LLC and No on S - Build Better L.A. Sponsored by Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Coalition of Organizations Representing Working Men and Women, and Businesses.


James Brasuell

James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row.

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Man in teal shirt opening door to white microtransit shuttle with cactus graphics and making inviting gesture toward the camera.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps

New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

June 13 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Group of people at table set ouf with picnic food on street during a neighborhood block party.

This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors

A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.

June 13 - The Kansas City Star

Crowd gathered with protest signs on April 5, 2025 on steps of Minnesota state capitol protesting Trump cuts to social security and other federal programs.

Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us

Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.

June 13 - Shelterforce Magazine