Most residents don’t spend much time thinking about the city’s boards and commissions, but these groups quietly play a significant role in shaping what our neighborhoods look like, how they function, and how much development can happen. The West Hollywood Planning Commission, in particular, has the authority to decide whether large projects can move forward, what rules apply to them, and what our built environment will look like in the years to come.
This week, we’ve already looked at another problematic Planning Commissioner, Andrew Solomon. Now, a new appointment is raising eyebrows.
What you’re about to read may be totally normal. The “way things go” in a small city. But I am not sure what’s going on. Read on.
How Harris Came to the Commission
When the West Hollywood City Council removed at-large Planning Commissioners Michael Lombardi and Erick Matos, the vacancy for one of the at-large seats was filled with Jesi C. Harris, or, as Erickson’s campaign will no doubt frame them, the “Black Gender Queer Commissioner Who Got Hit By a Car While Riding a Bike.” Erickson personally swore Harris in, using the occasion to highlight their work with the WeHo Bike Coalition and their focus on street safety. CORRECTION: COMMISSIONER LOMBARDI WAS NOT REMOVED. (August 14, 2025)
“Jesi, your work is tantamount to urban planning, but specifically to making sure our streets are safe with your work with the WeHo Bike Coalition, but making sure our streets are livable, walkable, bikeable, and even yes, that makes sure cars get to and from safely,” Erickson said. “I know that your work on this commission will be tantamount into educating the public to making sure that when we think about safety for all, we mean everyone that walks on our streets.”
Harris’s Public Persona and Story
In a VoyageLA interview, Harris described themself as “a Black gender queer person” and recounted their journey from the South to Los Angeles. They have also publicly shared the story of being struck by a car while cycling — a narrative they delivered in vivid detail at an August 22, 2024 community meeting in support of street safety and cycling infrastructure. That personal story, perfectly aligned with Erickson’s “livable streets” platform, offered campaign optics that were tantamount to a ready-made political advertisement.
Immediate Potential Conflicts of Interest Appear
Within days of being sworn in to the Planning Commission, Harris is being promoted on the Brian Silveira & Associates website, not just as a Senior Project Manager, but as a Partner, with the site explicitly noting their current role on the West Hollywood Planning Commission.
On top of the Silveira role, Harris is also the founder and CEO of Luz Entitlement Services LLC, a West Hollywood–based land use consulting firm. Both companies work directly in the development entitlement space – the exact processes the Planning Commission regulates.
This means Harris now holds a role that is tantamount to having one foot on each side of the negotiating table, influencing zoning, land use rules, and project approvals that could financially benefit their employers or clients. The potential for conflicts here should be of tantamount concern to anyone who values transparent governance.
What the Planning Commission Does (Explained Simply)
Think of the Planning Commission like the city’s referee for what gets built and where. They decide whether certain projects get approved, set the limits on building height, dictate parking requirements, and control what kinds of businesses can operate in different areas. These decisions shape the city’s physical landscape, but they also directly affect the financial value of land and buildings.
If the Commission changes a rule to allow taller buildings, fewer parking spaces, or more units on a lot, that property instantly becomes more valuable and potentially more profitable for its owner or developer. In that way, their influence is tantamount to flipping a switch that can create substantial private profit. When a commissioner works for or owns a business in the development industry, every policy change that increases development potential can be a windfall for their outside business interests, a reality of tantamount importance when evaluating the credibility of commission decisions.
Why This Specifically Matters for Harris
Harris’s work for Brian Silveira & Associates and Luz Entitlement Services places them in the middle of the exact kinds of projects and policy debates the Planning Commission oversees. If the Commission votes to loosen height restrictions, reduce parking minimums, or approve more density in certain areas, those decisions could make projects their firms are involved in far more profitable, even if they recuse themself from specific votes. The overlap is tantamount to an ongoing open door between their public role and their private income, creating a constant potential for perceived or real conflicts of interest, undermining public trust in the Commission’s neutrality.
The Bigger Picture
Erickson may have thought Harris’s appointment was pure gold for the campaign: a symbolic, story-rich pick to showcase diversity and align with his personal policy preferences. Instead, it has revealed to voters exactly who he is: under-informed and unaware.
For the integrity of city governance, it’s less gold and more a flashing neon conflict‑of‑interest sign visible from space – and of tantamount significance to the city’s future credibility.