Los Angeles Residents Push Back Against Traci Park’s Reckless Olympics Development Exemption

At Tuesday’s City Council Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee meeting, community members forcefully rejected a proposal from Councilmember Traci Park that would have given Olympics-related construction projects a free pass from all city planning approval, zoning regulations, and environmental review. The motion, which many described as a blatant giveaway to developers, was met with overwhelming opposition from residents, neighborhood councils, and advocacy groups who warned that it would fast-track projects without accountability and open the door to unchecked abuse.  

Phyllis Ling, chair of the Historic Cultural North Neighborhood Council, was among those who testified against the motion, calling it “vague and wide-reaching” and warning that it would “roll out the red carpet for abuse, while placing the burden of the consequences on our communities.” The neighborhood council, which represents Chinatown, El Pueblo, Solano Canyon, and Victor Heights—four historic communities deeply impacted by past waves of displacement and development—had already submitted a Community Impact Statement opposing the motion. The council voted nearly unanimously against it, 15-1, after receiving only public comments in support of their opposition. “Major permanent infrastructure and development must not be forced on our communities without transparency and community engagement,” Ling said.  

The scope of the exemption raised alarms, not only for its application to the Olympics but also for its inclusion of what the motion vaguely called “other major events.” Ling pressed city officials to define what exactly would qualify under this exemption and to explain who would determine which projects were essential for the Olympics. No clear answers were given. “This proposal introduces too many opportunities for abuse and corruption,” she said. “We should not have to deal with the consequences of poor planning, especially not for games that were sold to us as a ‘no-build’ Olympics.”  

Another speaker at the meeting criticized the motion as an “overly broad attempt to evade oversight and accountability” by city leaders who had failed to properly plan for the 2028 Olympics despite having more than seven years to prepare. Julie Wong, a member of the Stop Gondola Coalition, raised concerns that this motion could be used to sidestep necessary impact studies for the controversial Dodger Stadium Gondola project. “The Hernández Commission’s traffic study hasn’t even been completed,” she pointed out. “There are Metro-assigned conditions that must be met before this project is approved. This motion would let them bypass all of that.” The concern over transit projects slipping through under the guise of Olympic urgency was echoed by multiple speakers, with many highlighting how private developers could use the exemptions for their own gain.  

Frustration also mounted over the city’s misplaced priorities. While officials were quick to push through special exemptions for Olympic construction, residents noted the stark contrast in the city’s sluggish response to real crises. “We never see the city move like this for real emergencies—like housing the homeless or even a simple rent freeze and eviction moratorium,” Wong said. “Now they’re trying to ram this through for a two-week event that was forced on us in the first place?”  

What was billed as a necessary measure to ensure Olympic preparations stayed on schedule was, in reality, a dangerous loophole that would have allowed developers and corporate interests to bypass regulations designed to protect communities. The backlash at the meeting made it clear that Angelenos are not willing to accept blanket exemptions that would prioritize the Olympics over their neighborhoods.  

While the committee has yet to make a final decision on the motion, the public response sent a clear message: residents are demanding transparency, accountability, and real community engagement—not backroom deals and giveaways to private developers. The fight to keep Los Angeles livable doesn’t end here, and community members have vowed to continue holding their elected officials accountable in the months ahead.