Zev Yaroslavsky ’58

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Zev Yaroslavsky scarcely missed a beat between completion of his master's degree and the beginning of his service to the community. First elected to the Los Angeles City Council from the 5th District in 1975, he has been re-elected to that position five times. Serving as chair of the City Council Budget and Finance Committee since1983, Yaroslavsky has taken the lead in ensuring the City's retention of the highest possible bond credit rating.

As his district expanded, Yaroslavsky has demonstrated initiative, personal support and responsiveness to constituents from Westwood to Fairfax and into the San Fernando Valley. He is responsible for such wide-ranging accomplishments as the Fairfax Trolley mini-bus for seniors, the Westwood Design Review Board to oversee architectural standards, the preferential parking system for homeowners and revitalization for Pico-Robertson and Beverly-Fairfax commercial districts.

Yaroslavsky played a vital role in achieving the landmark agreement between UCLA and the City of Los Angeles which paved the way for approval of the crucially important UCLA Long Range Development Plan. He has obtained funding for the Westwood Village Management Corporation which, with other community organizations, is a leader in creating the re-emergence of Westwood as an attractive destination for UCLA students, faculty and staff as well as the wider Los Angeles and Southern California communities. The changes resulting from this effort are already evident in the Village.

Yaroslavsky authored the city's comprehensive controls on conversion and demolition of rental housing. He was the author of legislation requiring divestiture of South African-related investment from city pension fund portfolios. He was the author of Propositions “U” and “O,” two landmark initiatives which limited commercial building in most Los Angeles neighborhoods and prohibited oil drilling along Los Angeles' coastline. Public service and Zev Yaroslavsky are truly synonymous.