Before announcing the hire, Zwick's new boss addressed Council at a recent meeting about affordable housing
City Councilman Jesse Zwick has announced he has accepted a position as Southern California Director for the Housing Action Coalition, a Bay Area-based nonprofit that advocates for increased housing development across California.
The announcement raises questions among some residents about potential conflicts of interest, as Zwick will continue serving on the council while working for an organization that lobbies for pro-housing policies and represents developers, architects, engineers and other industry stakeholders.
In his statement, Zwick said he was "excited to announce" his new role with the Housing Action Coalition, known as HAC. The organization has spent decades building what it calls a "diverse coalition" in the Bay Area around increasing housing construction "for people of all income levels."
"My role will entail transplanting HAC's proven model to Southern California to expand our growth and impact across the state," Zwick said in the announcement.
HAC describes itself as a member-supported nonprofit that advocates for building more homes "at all levels of affordability" to address California's housing shortage and affordability crisis. The organization's members span more than 20 industries, including affordable and market-rate home builders, architects, designers, engineers, attorneys, labor unions, tech companies and businesses of various sizes.
The organization operates through two arms: a 501(c)3 educational branch that produces programs and resources about housing policy, and a 501(c)4 advocacy arm that engages members and legislative allies to support pro-housing policies and new home construction.
The announcement is scheduled as the first topic of conversation for the City’s neighborhood council with some saying Zwick should not participate in future housing discussions.
“Should he, at minimum, now recuse himself from any matter that involves discussion of housing or that he tries to make be about housing?” said Tricia Crane.
The City of Santa Monica maintains strict conflict of interest policies governed by California state law, including the Political Reform Act and Government Code Section 1090, as well as the city's own Code of Ethics and specific ordinances.
Under these rules, public officials are prohibited from participating in governmental decisions where they have a "reasonably foreseeable and material financial interest." Officials must also file public statements disclosing their economic interests and recuse themselves from decisions where conflicts exist.
When an official has a conflict of interest, they must publicly state the nature of the disqualification and refrain from participating in the decision-making process.
The rules also include post-employment restrictions that bar former city officials from representing clients before city agencies for compensation within two years of leaving their position.
Santa Monica has been grappling with housing issues for years, including debates over rent control, affordable housing requirements, and development projects. The council regularly votes on housing-related matters, from individual development proposals to citywide housing policies.
At their August 12 meeting, the Council voted on a new policy to allow developers to build affordable housing requirements offsite.
HAC’s executive director, Corey Smith, was at that meeting and spoke in support of the project calling it a common sense proposal.
HAC's membership includes both affordable and market-rate housing developers who could potentially have business before the Santa Monica City Council. The organization advocates for policies to make it "faster, easier, and more affordable to build enough housing for all who need it."
In his statement, Zwick indicated he was seeking to connect with various housing industry stakeholders as he assesses the Southern California landscape.
"If you're an affordable or market-rate housing developer, architect, engineer, land-use attorney, nonprofit advocate, labor union, major employer, or simply a fellow traveler in the fight for a more abundant California, I'd love to hear from you," Zwick said.