If you live in Downtown Los Angeles or frequent the Social District, chances are you have run into our friendly neighborhood Social District BID Vice President, Rich Sarian. Since joining the Social District BID in 2022, Rich has turned his passion toward working on projects that improve the district’s safety, activate its public spaces, support the local businesses, and overall help make Downtown more livable.
In 2023, He launched Social District Farmer’s Market (voted Best of by Downtown News in 2025), worked to bring new lighting and streetscape improvements to corridors where people had stopped feeling safe walking through at night, and worked across city departments to complete projects Social District residents could see and feel.
Though much of his work has focused on Downtown Los Angeles, Sarian says his experience on the ground has prepared him to lead at the city level.
Now that elections have opened in the city, DTLA Weekly sat down with Rich Sarian—a lifetime Angeleno, community leader, and candidate for City Council District 13—to discuss his vision for a future in politics.
District 13 spans some of Los Angeles’ most dynamic neighborhoods, including MacArthur Park, Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Hollywood, Silver Lake, and surrounding communities. Rich Sarian talks housing, public safety, small businesses, the future and why he’s the best candidate for the job.
Councilmember Rich Sarian, it’s got a ring to it.
Sarian says his decision to run for City Council comes from growing frustration with slow city response, declining trust in government, and what he sees as a lack of urgency around quality-of-life issues affecting residents.
After years of working directly with city agencies on neighborhood projects, he says he wants to bring that practical experience to City Hall and help improve how local government functions.
“It takes leadership that understands implementation — how departments coordinate, how projects actually move, and how to deliver visible improvements people can feel.”
Rather than focusing on rhetoric, Sarian says he is running to make city government more responsive and results-oriented.
“I’ve spent years working across departments to get projects done,” he said. “I understand how bureaucracy slows progress, and I want to help fix that.”
When asked what residents could expect under his leadership, Sarian outlined three immediate priorities: cleaner neighborhoods, public infrastructure improvements, and reforms aimed at making housing and small business development easier.
His first 100 days…
“I would immediately push for expanded Clean Street Teams, coordinated sanitation schedules, and restoration of services residents feel they’ve been losing,” Sarian said.
He also wants faster repairs to sidewalks and street lighting, better tree maintenance, and neighborhood activation projects intended to make communities feel safer and more welcoming.
Housing is another key priority. Sarian says Los Angeles needs to streamline permitting and accelerate housing production at multiple income levels while reducing delays that often stall projects. He also believes small businesses deserve more support from City Hall.
“Right now, too many small business owners feel like City Hall treats them as obstacles instead of partners,” he said. “We need to reverse that mindset.”
A “Layered” Approach to Public Safety
Public safety remains one of the most debated issues, especially in CD13 around policing, homelessness, and mental health response.
Sarian says he supports what he describes as a “layered” strategy.
“People want two things at the same time: they want to feel safe, and they want systems that treat people fairly and humanely,” he said. “Those goals are not incompatible.”
Looking ahead, Sarian says he wants District 13 to feel cleaner, safer, more economically active, and easier to navigate — while preserving the creativity and energy that make Los Angeles unique.
“My role is helping make City Hall function well enough to actually deliver that future instead of just talking about it,” he said.
The goal, Sarian says, is urgency. “Residents need to feel like the city is working again.”
Ultimately, Rich Sarian’s time on the ground in Downtown Los Angeles has served as the ultimate proof of concept. He isn’t arriving at the political table with abstract theories or empty campaign promises; he is arriving with a proven blueprint for city improvement.
By mastering the intricate machinery of municipal bureaucracy to deliver safer streets, thriving economic corridors, and celebrated community landmarks like the Social District Farmer’s Market, Sarian has already done the heavy lifting of local governance.
“I want Downtown to become a model for how Los Angeles grows: dense but human, economically successful but inclusive, ambitious but grounded in community,” Sarian said.
Working with the Police
“Police absolutely have an important role, especially around violent crime and emergency response. We also have a need for stronger mental health crisis teams, outreach workers, sanitation response, and prevention programs that address issues before they escalate.”
He argues the physical environment matters more than City Hall often acknowledges. Better lighting, cleaner streets, activated public spaces, maintained sidewalks, and visible investment all contribute to public safety.
“A dark, neglected street feels unsafe,” Sarian said. “A vibrant, active, cared-for neighborhood feels safer naturally.”
At the same time, he believes in a balance of quality nightlife and residential life.
“Nighttime energy is part of what makes Los Angeles special. We shouldn’t lose that,” he said. “But residents also deserve clean streets, functioning infrastructure, reasonable noise management, and quality-of-life protections. The answer is better coordination and smarter planning, not choosing one side over the other.”
Supporting Small Businesses? Absolutely!
As small businesses continue to face rising costs and permitting delays—something Sarian says City Hall must address immediately.
His first priority would be streamlining permitting and inspections.
“Businesses should not have to navigate five departments just to open their doors.”
Sarian also supports targeted investment in legacy business corridors through façade improvements, public realm investments, improved cleanliness and safety, and local events that drive foot traffic.
Looking ahead, Sarian says CD13 should feel vibrant, clean, connected, economically active, and genuinely livable.
“People should be able to walk safely at night. Small businesses should be thriving. Public transit should feel normal and convenient. Housing should be expanding at every income level. Public spaces should be active and welcoming.”
If Sarian wins the seat for Council District 13, this hyper-local expertise will immediately collapse the typical learning curve that stalls new leadership. Sarian won’t need months to figure out which city departments to call, how to untangle red tape, or where project pipelines get bottlenecked—he already knows. For the diverse neighborhoods of CD13, a Sarian victory means transitioning from a culture of political rhetoric to an era of immediate, visible implementation. He has spent years fixing the streets of Downtown; come election day, he’s ready to fix the system at City Hall.
