With over a Decade of Housing and Economic Policy Experience, Baum Launches Campaign to Make West Hollywood Affordable for Working Families, Protect Entertainment Industry Jobs, and Enhance Public Safety. 

West Hollywood, CA – Joshua Baum (They/Them), an urban economist, proud union member, and community advocate, announced their campaign for West Hollywood City Council to make West Hollywood affordable for working families, protect entertainment industry jobs, and enhance public safety.

"I'm running for West Hollywood City Council because our city is at a crossroads. Every day in my work, I see housing costs spiraling out of control, working families struggling to stay in the city they call home, the loss of good-paying union jobs in our entertainment industry, and residents who don't feel safe in their own neighborhoods. This is not inevitable. It is the result of political choices, and we can choose differently," stated Baum.

A proud West Hollywood renter, Baum brings over a decade of experience in housing policy, labor advocacy, and economic research to public service. Baum is the Founding Principal of Hilgard Economics, a West Hollywood–based research firm whose analyses on housing, labor, and economic trends have been cited by local governments, advocacy organizations, and major media outlets. Baum also founded the Institute for Creative Workforce Housing—a research initiative focused on stabilizing housing for entertainment-industry workers.

Baum currently works at SEIU Local 721, conducting economic research to support frontline public-sector workers, and is a union member through the staff union UUP. Their experience includes supporting regional research for the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, contributing to economic reports at Beacon Economics, and assisting economic development strategy for the City of Fort Worth.

Baum has been deeply engaged in civic life, co-founding the North Westwood Neighborhood Council and participating in Democratic, housing, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts across Los Angeles and statewide. They have served on West Hollywood's Transgender Advisory Board, completed the West Hollywood Civic Leadership Academy, and launched and served as the first President of the Westside Young Democrats.

“I’ve spent my career working to increase opportunities for workers and fighting to keep communities safe and affordable. On the City Council, I'll fight for housing that people can actually afford, so they can build a future here, age in place, and stay rooted in our community. I'll fight for a thriving entertainment industry that delivers high-paying union jobs and supports small businesses. And I'll fight for a city where everyone feels safe in their home, neighborhoods, and in the public spaces and nightlife that make West Hollywood iconic. We need leaders who will protect what makes West Hollywood special while building a future where everyone who calls this city home can thrive," stated Baum.

Located in the heart of metropolitan Los Angeles, at 1.9 square miles, West Hollywood is a robust economic and cultural center that shares boundaries with the cities of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. West Hollywood has a Council-Manager form of government with five elected members of the City Council.

To learn more about Baum and their campaign, please visit: joshua4weho.com

About Joshua Baum

Joshua Baum is an urban economist, union researcher, community advocate, and proud West Hollywood renter committed to building a more affordable, stable, and inclusive city. Joshua brings deep roots, strong values, and over a decade of experience across housing, labor, and economic policy to public service. They understand firsthand the challenges West Hollywood residents face: rising housing costs, instability in the creative and service sectors, and the urgent need for stronger renter protections and long-term affordability.

Joshua's connection to West Hollywood begins with their family history. Their grandfather lived in an apartment on Gardner Street—in what would become the City of West Hollywood. An English teacher and union member at Garfield High School in East LA, Joshua's grandfather bought a house in Van Nuys on a teacher's salary while putting both kids through college. Those values—never crossing a picket line, standing unapologetically with workers, and building communities where everyone has a fair shot—were passed down to Joshua and remain central to their public service approach today.

Joshua currently works at SEIU Local 721, conducting economic research to support frontline public-sector workers, and is a union member through the staff union UUP. Joshua is also the Founding Principal of Hilgard Economics, a West Hollywood–based research firm whose analyses on housing, labor, and economic trends have been cited by local governments, advocacy organizations, and major media outlets.

Their experience includes supporting regional research for the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, contributing to economic reports at Beacon Economics, assisting economic development strategy for the City of Fort Worth, and founding the Institute for Creative Workforce Housing—a research initiative focused on stabilizing housing for entertainment-industry workers.

Joshua has been deeply engaged in civic life, co-founding the North Westwood Neighborhood Council and participating in Democratic, housing, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts across Los Angeles and statewide. They have served on West Hollywood's Transgender Advisory Board, completed the West Hollywood Civic Leadership Academy, and launched and served as the first President of the Westside Young Democrats.

Having spent over a decade working on housing policy, labor advocacy, and economic research, Joshua is ready to bring their experience to the West Hollywood City Council — to fight for residents and ensure working families, artists, and longtime community members aren't priced out.

On the City Council, Joshua will fight for:

• Affordable Housing and Strong Renter Protections: Build truly affordable housing units, strengthen tenant protections, and hold developers accountable to build housing that serves the community—not just luxury units that people can’t afford.

• Support Our Creative Economy and Entertainment Industry Workers: Champion policies that stabilize housing for below-the-line workers, support small businesses and venues that foster the creative community, protect entertainment industry jobs, and ensure zoning and economic development strategies prioritize the artists and cultural workers who make West Hollywood special.

• Community Safety: Implement a comprehensive approach that includes adequate emergency response resources, expanded mental health and substance abuse services, and improved street lighting and pedestrian safety to ensure everyone feels safer in their homes, neighborhoods, and public spaces.

• An inclusive West Hollywood for All: Ensure the city remains a welcoming home where everyone—regardless of income, background, or identity—can thrive.

Joshua earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA. When not on the campaign trail, you can often find them, biking, playing fantasy football, going to the beach, and hiking the trails around Southern California.