Contact Councilmember Lauren Meister
lmeister@weho.org
(323) 848-6460

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After nearly two decades as a neighborhood advocate, Councilmember Lauren Meister was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on March 3, 2015; re-elected for her second term on March 5, 2019; and re-elected for her third term on November 8, 2022.

Since being elected, Councilmember Meister has worked on initiatives to strengthen the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, develop more neighborhood-friendly planning and land use policies, provide social services for people who are homeless, create a Small Business Task Force, establish West Hollywood as a safe haven for LGBTQ asylum seekers, increase community engagement and transparency, implement a Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program, educate the public on safety issues related to children and pets, embrace and promote our historic resources and, raise the bar on design standards, environmental programs, and sustainability.

In her first term as Mayor (April 2016 to May 2017), she joined with mayors from across the nation to show support for preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and protecting LGBTQ, immigrant, and refugee communities. She also initiated an item to take steps to prohibit West Hollywood City Hall from doing business with entities that provide financial or other benefits to the then-President of the United States and to develop socially conscious banking policies. In her second term as Mayor (September 2021 to January 2023), Councilmember Meister focused on community resilience and preparedness and represented the City of West Hollywood on the Los Angeles County City Selection Committee, the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, and the Sanitation District Personnel Committee.

Among Councilmember Meister’s priorities are:

• Initiating and supporting policies to save our affordable housing stock and local neighborhood-serving businesses;
• Prioritizing public safety, social services, nature-based resiliency, and housing production to reflect the needs of our community;
• Preserving the City of West Hollywood’s rich history and unique character;
• Protecting and enhancing parks and green space; and
• Advocating for safe mobility options and fair parking policies.

 Before being elected to the West Hollywood City Council in 2015, Councilmember Meister became involved with the City of West Hollywood as a neighborhood watch captain, took the LASD Community Emergency Response Team “CERT” training, and attended the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Community Academy. She went on to lead the largest neighborhood association in the City, representing residents on issues such as public safety, traffic circulation, parking, and development.

Councilmember Meister served on numerous commissions and committees for the City of West Hollywood, including the Planning Commission and Public Safety Commission. She worked to mitigate traffic and parking impacts of new and proposed projects in the City, supported creative parking solutions to help neighborhood businesses, initiated the City’s “Live, Work, Play, Be Safe” educational campaign, and supported new ideas to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety. She also worked on campaign finance reform and has been a strong advocate for a stricter code of ethics.

 At the request of former Congressmember Henry Waxman, Councilmember Meister testified before Congress in support of health insurance regulation and universal health care, and she worked with City of Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Koretz to reduce helicopter noise in residential neighborhoods.

In 2013, she served as Chair of the successful “Yes on Measure C” Term Limits for West Hollywood committee, limiting all Councilmembers elected on or after March 2013 to no more than three full or partial terms on the West Hollywood City Council.

Councilmember Meister currently serves on the West Hollywood City Council Subcommittees for 1343 N. Laurel Avenue and Plummer Park Project. She also represents the City of West Hollywood and District 41 on the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and serves on the Board of Directors for the California Joint Powers Authority (CJPIA).

Professionally, Councilmember Meister is the sole proprietor of her own marketing research firm based in West Hollywood. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration, and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Emergency Services Management.

A resident of West Hollywood for more than 30 years, Councilmember Meister has been both a renter and a homeowner in the City. Councilmember Meister’s parents, sister, and rescue dogs, Suki and Sammy, also call West Hollywood home.

You may contact West Hollywood City Council offices via email at council@weho.org or by phone at (323) 848-6460.