Famous Hollywood NIMBYist is running for City Council

A Hollywood activist with a track record of spearheading anti-density litigation is running for a seat on the City Council.

Doug Haines of the La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Association played a vital role in curtailing the construction of the Target at Western Avenue and Sunset Boulevard and was involved in challenging the Hollywood Community Plan update of 2012. He is challenging incumbent Council member Mitch O’Farrell, whose district comprises Silver Lake, Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown and Atwater Village, the L.A. Times reported.

Haines called O’Farrell a “puppet of the development community,” saying that construction has only exacerbated the local homelessness problem.

Among his anti-development initiatives, Haines also invalidated permits for a 299-unit apartment complex at Sunset Boulevard and Gordon Street last year, forcing all of its tenants to move out.

In opposing such developments, he often works alongside attorney Robert Silverstein, who’s now working on behalf of the Aids Healthcare Foundation in its lawsuit against Crescent Heights’ Palladium Residences.

Eleven other people will be running against O’Farrell in the March 7 election. They will have to submit at least 500 voter signatures on their filing petitions by Dec. 7 in order to qualify for the ballot. [LAT] — Cathaleen Chen