Meet Jordan Rivers, Candidate For Los Angeles City Council District 15

LOS ANGELES, CA — Jordan Rivers, 22, is vying to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council, representing District 15.

In the June 2 primary, incumbent Councilman Tim McOsker will face one challenger, Jordan Rivers.

Subscribe

Learn more about Rivers' goals for Los Angeles, with answers submitted by the candidate:

What is your educational background?

Sacramento State University: Pursued major International Relations

What is your professional background?

Jordan Rivers is a community organizer with experience in international relations, government, and research. He currently serves as chief liaison and organizer of the Global Residents Initiative, connecting local institutions with global engagement efforts and advocating for refugee resettlement.

Jordan has also worked in the U.S. Congress as an intern for Rep. Mike Thompson, conducted research on reparations policy, and organized academic forums on foreign relations.

Have you ever held public office, whether appointive or elective?

No, Jordan Rivers has not held elective or appointive public office. However, he has gained direct government and policy experience through his work in a congressional office, public policy institutes, and community-based leadership roles.

His background includes drafting policy communications, engaging with constituents, and coordinating with public officials at the city, county and federal levels.

What are the top three issues facing Los Angeles right now?

The top three issues facing Los Angeles are social mobility, redevelopment, and food security. Too many residents remain locked out of economic opportunity, while the cost of living continues to rise. We must ensure that working families and disadvantaged communities have access to stable housing, jobs, and essential services.

Redevelopment must focus on connectivity and equity. I will advocate for constructing a rail line connecting San Pedro and Wilmington to downtown Los Angeles, ensuring our communities are no longer isolated. As the city prepares for the Olympics and World Cup, we must invest in infrastructure that serves residents first before showcasing our city globally.

Food insecurity is also a critical issue. I propose transforming abandoned port facilities into “Essential Service Centers,” where the port sources groceries and goods to sell below market rate, ensuring low-income residents have reliable access to affordable food and basic necessities.

What is one specific policy you would advocate for or introduce as a City Council member in your first year?

In my first year, I would introduce a “Social Mobility and Housing Accountability Act” focused on taxing land banking and redirecting those funds into publicly owned, subsidized council housing. Developers who hold land without building contribute to artificial scarcity and rising costs. If developers want to compete, they must contribute to solving the crisis.

This policy would establish a vacancy and land-use tax on underutilized properties and require transparent reporting on development timelines. Revenue generated would directly fund the construction and maintenance of permanently affordable housing for low-income and disadvantaged residents.

Additionally, the policy would require and mandate quotas so that if there is any discrepancy it is recognized and detected by including strict oversight measures to ensure housing funds are distributed equitably across communities and tied to measurable outcomes. This approach prioritizes housing as a human need, not a speculative asset, and ensures that development benefits residents rather than displacing them.

What specific actions should the City Council take to address homelessness, and how would you evaluate whether those efforts are working?

The City Council must shift from enforcement-based approaches to a service-first model. This includes expanding funding for mental health care, housing assistance, and emergency response systems staffed by trained social workers— not police. I would advocate for auditing agencies like LAHSA and implementing clear service quotas to ensure resources are reaching communities effectively.

We must also establish a robust 311 response system for non-emergency assistance, allowing residents to report when someone needs help and ensuring rapid deployment of outreach teams. I propose replacing “Special Enforcement Zones” with “Safe Shelter Zones,” which connect individuals to nearby services through visible, accessible information hubs.

Success should be measured through clear metrics: reductions in unsheltered homelessness, increased placements into permanent housing, response times for service calls, and long-term stability outcomes. Transparency dashboards should be publicly available so residents can track progress and hold the city accountable.

What is one specific change you would support through the City Council to improve public safety in your district or citywide?

I would support reallocating resources toward a public safety model that prioritizes prevention and care over enforcement. Specifically, I would expand non-police emergency response teams to handle mental health crises, homelessness-related calls, and non-violent incidents.

Currently, police are often tasked with situations outside their training, which leads to inefficiencies and poor outcomes. By investing in specialized responders — social workers, medical professionals, and crisis counselors — we can provide appropriate care while allowing law enforcement to focus on serious crime.

This approach improves safety by addressing root causes such as poverty, mental health, and housing instability. It also builds trust between communities and the city. Public safety should mean people feel supported and protected, not criminalized for circumstances beyond their control.

How should the City Council balance housing development, neighborhood concerns, and state housing mandates in Los Angeles?

The City Council must prioritize affordability and community benefit over unchecked development. While state mandates require increased housing production, simply building more market-rate units does not solve the affordability crisis. We must ensure that new developments include strong affordability requirements and community input.

I oppose speculative development that displaces residents or ignores local needs. Instead, we should focus on adaptive reuse, public housing investment, and policies that prevent land banking. Community voices must be part of the planning process, particularly in historically marginalized neighborhoods.

At the same time, the city must comply with state mandates by identifying opportunities for equitable development that align with long-term affordability goals. Balancing these interests requires transparency, accountability, and a commitment to housing as a right — not just a market commodity.

Why are you a better choice than your opponents?

I am my own best preference because I represent a new generation of leadership rooted in urgency, lived reality, and forward-thinking solutions. The issues we face today—housing affordability, climate impacts, and economic inequality — most disproportionately affect young people and those born in my generation. Yet too often, we are left out of the decision-making process.

Young people deserve a start, so why not get started somewhere where we have a say. That begins with electing leaders who understand these challenges not as distant policy problems, but as daily realities.

We need new people to take on today’s challenges so we can bring a fresh perspective and a renewed sense of accountability. The only way to generate new ideas is through new leadership. I am not tied to the status quo — I am committed to bold, people-first solutions that prioritize equity, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.

Otherwise we see the same problems handled the same way instead of doing something new. That is what people want not just something different but also something else.

This campaign is about making sure our city works not just for today, but for the future generations who will inherit it.

Let's leave our communities better than how we found them.