Episode 3: Candidate Conversations with John Pickhaver

John Erickson for State Senate District 24In the third episode of our Candidate Convo series, Sheana and Chris talk with John Erickson, West Hollywood councilmember and South Bay Forward's endorsed candidate for State Senate District 24. John walks through a district that runs from Torrance and the Peninsula to Malibu and Hollywood, and lays out his priorities: El Niño and disaster preparedness, healthcare, education, and a town hall in every city in his first hundred days. He talks about streamlining housing approvals, RHNA and building along transit corridors, the K Line from Torrance to West Hollywood, e-bikes and protected bike lanes, and why he says fear is the biggest barrier to new housing. He also takes our lightning round, explains how he wants to partner with the South Bay, and shares how to help get out the vote before November 3.Watch on YouTubeIn this episode:A district from Torrance and the Peninsula to Malibu and HollywoodTop priorities: El Niño preparedness, healthcare and educationA town hall in every city within the first hundred daysStreamlined housing approvals, RHNA and building along transitThe K Line from Torrance to West HollywoodE-bikes, protected bike lanes and bus lanesLightning round: the biggest barrier to new housing in one wordMoving the district office to the South BayBallots are out. Vote early, and tell your friends and family to vote by November 3.Chapters0:00 Welcome to Moving Forward1:14 Meet John Erickson and Senate District 243:34 Top priorities: El Niño, healthcare, education8:41 Housing: day one actions13:11 The K Line from Torrance to West Hollywood16:38 E-bikes and micromobility19:53 Lightning round37:48 Partnering with the South Bay38:59 How to help get out the voteHosts: Sheana Ahlqvist, Chris Truman. Guest: John Erickson, endorsed candidate for State Senate District 24.South Bay ForwardSouth Bay Forward on Instagram (@southbayforward)

Sara Deen for Assembly District 66: https://www.saradeenforca.comVolunteer with Sara's campaign (Mobilize): https://www.mobilize.us/saradeenforassembly2026/Sara on Instagram (@saradeenforca): https://www.instagram.com/saradeenforca/In the second episode of our Candidate Convo series, Brianna and Chris talk with Sara Deen, South Bay Forward's endorsed candidate for Assembly District 66. Sara, a dentist, small business owner and president of the Palos Verdes school board, shares her priorities: healthcare, education, and housing affordability. She talks about bringing YIMBY groups, city councils and residents to the same table on housing, keeping transit well maintained, and safer streets for the North Torrance bike bus. She also responds to a bill idea for housing on healthcare-owned land, talks about the misinformation she has faced in the race, takes our lightning round, and shares how to help get out the vote before November 3.In this episode:• "Healthcare, healthcare, healthcare" and Sara's three priorities• Bringing YIMBY groups and city councils to the same table on housing• Why young teachers leave the district within a year• Housing on healthcare, school district and faith-owned land• Maintaining transit so people trust it, and the North Torrance bike bus• Facing misinformation as a Muslim American candidate• Lightning round: Amsterdam, bus lanes on Crenshaw and Hawthorne, granny flatsBallots are out. Vote early, and sign up to knock doors or phone bank with Sara's campaign over the final weekends.Chapters• 0:00 Welcome to Moving Forward• 1:15 Meet Sara Deen• 3:05 Top three priorities• 5:49 What voters are asking about• 8:59 A plan for housing in the district• 13:36 Filtering and rental registries• 16:05 Bill pitch: housing on healthcare land• 20:36 Promoting transit• 22:29 Safe streets and the bike bus• 23:48 Misinformation in the race• 28:37 Lightning round• 33:07 How to help get out the vote• 34:13 Thanks and what's nextComing up in Candidate Convo: John Erickson for State Senate District 24.Hosts: Brianna, Chris Truman. Guest: Sara Deen, endorsed candidate for Assembly District 66.South Bay Forward: https://www.southbayforward.orgSouth Bay Forward on Instagram (@southbayforward): https://www.instagram.com/southbayforward/

John Pickhaver for El Segundo City Council: https://www.johnpickhaver.comVolunteer with John's campaign: https://www.johnpickhaver.com/volunteerJohn on Instagram (@johnpickhaver): https://www.instagram.com/johnpickhaver/In the first episode of our Candidate Convo series, Brianna, Sheana and Chris sit down with John Pickhaver, South Bay Forward's endorsed candidate for El Segundo City Council. John explains why he thinks El Segundo hasn't built an apartment complex in 40 years, how the city could plan for housing east of PCH near its three K Line stations, his Safe Intersections Initiative, and how he'd bring residents into city decisions earlier. He closes with how to help get out the vote before Election Day, November 3.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QHadLR4u2yUIn this episode:- Why El Segundo hasn't added an apartment complex in 40 years, and who gets priced out- SB 79, the K Line, and planning for mixed-use housing east of PCH- The $650,000 Metro grant El Segundo passed up over a housing study- Talking about housing with skeptical neighbors: 60% of households rent- A Safe Intersections Initiative and the Vista Del Mar safety changes- Lost by 197 votes in 2024: why you don't have to fill in two bubblesBallots are out. Vote early, and tell your friends in El Segundo. A personal recommendation goes a long way in local elections.Chapters- 0:00 Welcome to Moving Forward- 1:09 Meet John Pickhaver- 2:49 El Segundo in three words- 3:55 Top three priorities- 9:25 No apartments in 40 years: an accident?- 12:16 Housing east of PCH- 15:22 Talking with skeptical neighbors- 19:39 What sets John apart- 24:13 Vista Del Mar and safe streets- 26:24 How to help get out the vote- 27:55 Thanks and what's nextComing up in Candidate Convo: Sara Deen for Assembly District 66 and John Erickson for State Senate District 24.Hosts: Brianna, Sheana Ahlqvist (Chair, South Bay Forward), Chris Truman. Guest: John Pickhaver, endorsed candidate for El Segundo City Council.South Bay Forward: https://www.southbayforward.orgSouth Bay Forward on Instagram (@southbayforward): https://www.instagram.com/southbayforward/

In the second episode of the Moving Forward podcast, host Chris and organizers Alex, Brianna, and Liam recap the year’s organizing wins at South Bay Forward. Focusing on the group’s pillars of housing, transit, and mobility they provide a run down of the most significant accomplishments in each category, and also discuss ongoing opportunities.Beginning with housing, Alex gives an overview of the various housing developments that were approved in the cities of Torrance, Gardena, and Redondo Beach, with a nod towards Manhattan Beach’s residential overlay district. Projects mentioned: Fashion Square at Del Amo (260 townhomes), 3610 Torrance Blvd (449 apartments, 45 affordable), Normandie Crossing (333 units, 7 affordable), City Ventures (35 townhomes, 4 affordable in Torrance; 43 townhomes, 3 affordable in Redondo).Many of these projects were made possible by state law, including the density bonus law which provides incentives in exchange for the inclusion of affordable units. We were involved with submitting support letters and activating local advocates to speak in support at Planning Commission and city council hearings. Importantly, every new unit entitled is another home that we need to build a more inclusive and affordable South Bay.  Next for transit, Brianna begins by celebrating the opening of the LAX Metro Transit Center and the North-South through-running of the K Line, which opened in early June. We also started a campaign to advocate for the Vermont Transit Corridor South Bay extension, and got Beach Cities Transit to sign up as a Metro GoPass municipal agency. South Bay Forward was selected to serve as a CBO for the C/K Line Extension to Torrance in May and the Final EIR was released in September. We talk about what this project means for the South Bay and how the benefits can get lost within the lengthy environmental review process. We talk about why it’s so important we continue to champion the project to make it happen.We also had a recent win at the South Bay Cities COG level to maintain the subregion’s support for the project, and are gearing up for the Metro Board Meeting on Jan 22, 2026. We held our 2nd Annual South Bay Transit Summit in October which was a huge success and we look forward to continued partnership with Torrance Transit and other partners to make each Transit Summit better than the last.(A win that we did not cover here was that we successfully advocated for the Metro South Bay Service Council to change their meeting times weekday mornings to weekday evenings – formerly 2nd Friday mornings, now 1st Monday evenings – a change that will make these meetings more accessible to the public. The next South Bay Service Council meeting will be held on Monday, Jan 5 at 5 pm.)Hopping on a bike, we learn about the active mobility wins in the South Bay with Liam. Many of these wins were in conjunction with volunteers from South Bay Forward and the South Bay Bicycle Coalition. We learn about the Redondo Beach Blvd Metro Active Transportation project and the coordination we have organized for public comment and meetings with council members in Redondo, Lawndale, and Torrance to ask for upgraded Class IV bike lanes for all ages and abilities. We participated and co-hosted community events such as bike rides and e-bike town halls and the Bicycle Block Party at Upway in North Redondo. Bike ridership has grown in Redondo Beach with installation of wider Class II bike lanes, while we note missed opportunities in Torrance with repaving of Lomita and Anza that did not include upgrades for safer bike lanes.Reviewing our wins in the South Bay as a whole, we celebrate the passage of SB 79 statewide, our endorsement of councilmember Brad Waller early in the year, and events we held throughout the region during the year: Housing Happy Hour in February, Potluck & Projects in March, Bicycle Block Party in May, Transit Ride-Along in June, Meet & Greet with John Erickson for State Senate, Livable Communities Initiative & Parking Reform Network in July, Fault Lines Film Screening in September, South Bay Transit Summit 2025 in October, Perfecting your Elevator Pitch with AHLA in November. We also participated in Assemblymember Muratsuchi’s E-Bike Town Hall and Julian Katz Community Bike Ride, as well as regional events at the Freeway Divestment Event at UCLA, Hands Off Protest in Torrance organized by Indivisible South Bay LA, MoveLA Annual Policy Conference, and numerous public comment actions, at least weekly in our cities in commissions and city councils.Wrapping up, we talk about our organization’s top three priorities for the new year: 2026 legislation, C/K Line Extension to Torrance, and 2026 elections. We each share what we are personally looking forward to in the next year and share instructions for how we are mobilizing for the Metro meeting in January 2026. Sign up for the bus from Torrance to give public comment with us on Jan [email protected]

Welcome to our inaugural episode of Moving Forward, the podcast from South Bay Forward.In this first episode, host Christopher and organizers Izzy, Allen, and Brianna share their personal origin stories: They share the moments that sparked their interest in housing, transit, and active mobility and their motivations for volunteering their time to advocate for a more inclusive, equitable, affordable, and sustainable South Bay LA region.South Bay Forward is moving the South Bay Forward on housing, transit, and active mobility.  The Moving Forward podcast aims to cover topical issues in the South Bay with a look at how we got here and how we can work together to advocate for a better future.Segments:00:00: Introduction & South Bay Forward Mission00:52: Introducing Guests and kicking off our "Origin Story" Theme01:05: Christopher’s Origin Story: Growing up in Torrance, housing unaffordability in San Francisco, and his motivation to build a better future for his son and the next generation.03:16 Izzy’s Origin Story: Being "spoiled" by transit access in the Bay Area and Santa Monica, and seeing transit gaps in the South Bay.04:43: Allen’s Origin Story: Growing up in suburban Glendale, experiencing the freedom of taking transit to the beach, and the challenges of finding affordable housing options.09:03: Brianna’s Origin Story: Growing up in Redondo Beach, experiencing high-quality transit abroad, personal housing story, and linking advocacy to medicine and public health.17:52: South Bay Forward's Origin Story: How the group originated from a Twitter group chat, the YIMBY movement, and highlights from the past few years of organizing.28:58: What it looks like to show up for housing and transit and to build community around this.35:28: Brianna’s origins into civic engagement with founding the Redondo Beach Community Garden40:00: Why the South Bay?: Discussing the region’s potential, its current "transit desert" status, and South Bay Forward’s organizing approach and model.46:25: Outro & Community Call to Action: Sharing our ideas and what to expect on future episodes, and encouraging listeners to share their origin stories and episode ideas.We want to hear from you!What is your origin story? Tell us how you got interested in housing, transit, and active mobility topics, or how you came to the South Bay region.Share your thoughts and stories on any social media platform by tagging @SouthBayForward on Instagram or Bluesky for a chance to be featured on our pages or in a future episode.Volunteer! Folks who are active volunteers with South Bay Forward can earn exclusive swag like t-shirts and stickers. Visit southbayforward.org to sign up for the mailing list and get involved.