In 2020,she co-founded La Defensa with Ivette Alé,a women-led organization that supports reducing the number of incarcerated people in Los Angeles County. [12] That same year she co-chaired Measure J,a ballot initiative that would allocate at least 10% of Los Angeles County's funding for community reinvestment and incarceration alternatives. [15] She co-chaired the ballot initiative campaign with future Assemblymember Isaac Bryan and future councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez;the initiative passed with 57.12% of the vote. [16] In 2021,the measure was temporarily blocked by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel,who ruled that Measure J violated California law by infringing on the County Board of Supervisors' authority to set budgets; [17] in 2023,however,the California Court of Appeals reversed this ruling,allowing the measure to take effect. [18]
Los Angeles City Council
On October 8,2021,Hernandez announced her campaign for Los Angeles City Council District 1 in the 2022 elections. [19] After three other candidates were disqualified,she was the only opponent against incumbent Gil Cedillo. [6] Hernandez was endorsed by multiple progressive groups and leaders,with Council-member Mike Bonin and Dolores Huerta endorsing her in the primary. [1] Hernandez ultimately unseated Cedillo with 53.9% of the vote,avoiding the need for a runoff. [8]
In May 2023,Hernandez was the only member of the Los Angeles City Council to vote against Mayor Karen Bass's first budget. Hernandez cited the $3.2 billion allocated to the LAPD as the motivation for her vote,giving a speech in which she said that "we are celebrating moving pennies around,while we put a quarter of our entire budget into just one department." [20]
In May 2023,Hernandez spoke at a press event to reveal “La Sombrita",a piece of grated metal on a pole intended to provide shade and lighting for bus riders at a bus stop. The bus stop structure was criticized for failing to provide any meaningful shade. [21] [22]
In August 2023,Hernandez along with Nithya Raman and Hugo Soto-Martinez voted against a four-year package of raises and bonuses for rank-and-file police officers. They argued that it would pull money away from mental health clinicians,homeless outreach workers and many other city needs. They warned of the financial consequences for other agencies,particularly if the city is confronted with a major economic downturn. Hernandez and Raman reeled off a list of services that they said are in need of more money —streetlights,sidewalk repairs,building inspections,alley resurfacing and other city operations. [23]
In 2024,Hernandez introduced a motion to suspend private construction of a $300 million 1.2 mile gondola lift connecting Union Station to Dodger Stadium. [24] [25] She put forward a motion to provide $500,000 to consultants to study traffic to the Dodger Stadium. [26]
In 2024,there was a major push in the L.A. City Council to implement ethics reform in the aftermath of a number of corruption and harassment scandals. During negotiations to implement more stringent ethics reforms,Hernandez introduced a series of late amendments that watered down the reform. [27] [28]
Positions on housing
During her campaign and first term on city council,Hernandez has prioritized expanding renter's protections,preventing the demolition of rent-stabilized housing,and initiatives to construct affordable and social housing. During the campaign,she said,"My plan to fight gentrification is to be the biggest barrier I can to luxury and market-rate development," and argued that the city should help community land trusts buy apartments. [29] She also expressed support for the discretionary permit system in Los Angeles,which gives City Council members discretionary power over land-use decisions,allowing them to veto proposed projects. [30]
In office,Hernandez rallied along with councilmembers Nithya Raman,Heather Hutt,and Hugo Soto-Martinez to pass substantially expanded universal rights for Los Angeles renters. [31] She later co-sponsored a motion intended to expand the city's capacity to build a large-scale social housing program in Los Angeles. [32] In 2024,Hernandez cosponsored amendments to the city's tenant anti-harassment ordinance to increase penalties against landlords,which passed over the opposition of three councilmembers. [33] In 2025,in response to the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires,Hernandez co-authored a motion with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez for a moratorium on evictions and rent hikes for affected households. It was the only one of 28 emergency motions that was deferred for later action. [34]
In 2023,she reversed an effort by her predecessor to remove housing height limits in a section of Chinatown. [35] In 2023,Hernandez supported a motion in the City Council to prohibit the sale or rental of recreational vehicles for use as housing. [36] In 2024,Hernandez supported an amendment by councilmember Nithya Raman to allow buildings up to 16 units to be constructed in areas previously zoned for single-family housing,saying that "preserving wealthy single-family neighborhoods represents a continuation of past segregationist policies." The amendment failed by a 10-5 vote. [37] In 2025,Hernandez dissented from a majority of the city council,who passed a resolution in opposition Senate Bill 79 (Wiener),a bill intended to allow the construction of dense housing near transit stops. [38]
