Martha Sanchez

Environment / Energy Martha also champions a Community Right to Know, ensuring residents have access to pollution data and potential health risks, while proposing a local environmental watchdog group to monitor compliance. She takes a Zero Tolerance approach to toxic waste, calling for stronger penalties for illegal dumping and stricter enforcement of environmental laws. In addition, Martha supports Industry Accountability, creating plans to make local industry responsible for their emissions and assisting businesses in transitioning to cleaner energy practices. By combining grassroots activism, policy advocacy, and community education, Martha works to ensure that every child in District 9 can learn and grow in a healthy, safe environment while promoting a cleaner, more sustainable future. Housing Martha’s approach to tackling homelessness combines compassion, practical support, and systemic change. She advocates for increased investment in affordable housing developments, transitional housing programs, and wraparound services that address mental health, substance use, and job readiness. By coordinating with local nonprofits, community organizations, and city agencies, she aims to provide comprehensive resources that help residents move from crisis to stability. Martha also emphasizes preventative strategies, such as tenant protections and eviction prevention programs, to reduce the number of people entering homelessness. Her extensive background in Community Planning, Economic Development, and Mental Health equips her to design solutions that are both effective and equitable, ensuring that every resident has a safe place to live and the support needed to thrive. Economy District 9 faces significant economic challenges, including higher than average poverty rates and unemployment. Martha is focused on supporting small businesses, creating good paying jobs, and investing in workforce development programs that empower families. By fostering collaboration between community members, business leaders, and local government, she aims to reduce poverty and build a more equitable, sustainable local economy (Project Equity; Public Policy Institute of California). Housing Martha is committed to protecting long-term residents from being pushed out by rising rents and unchecked development. Neighborhoods in District 9, including parts of Downtown Los Angeles, are facing rapid gentrification, putting low-income households at risk of displacement. She supports policies that expand affordable housing, strengthen tenant protections, and ensure that economic growth benefits all residents, not just newcomers (Urban Displacement Project). Criminal Justice / Public Safety While violent crime in Los Angeles has seen a 14% decrease in 2024 compared to the previous year, property crime rates have increased by 4.7%. In District 9, residents continue to face safety concerns, particularly related to property crimes. Drawing on her extensive education in Community Planning, Economic Development, Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding, and Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as her experience as a mental health clinician and adjunct professor at LA Mission College, Martha is committed to creating safe, thriving neighborhoods. She invests in youth programs, mental health services, and community resources that prevent crime before it happens, while building trust, empowering residents, and strengthening local networks so families can feel secure without fear of enforcement or displacement.